Monitoring Terms & Conditions

1. Acceptance of Monitoring Agreement

These Monitoring Terms and Conditions ("Monitoring Terms") are a supplement to and incorporated into the Surety Business Terms of Service. By subscribing to professional monitoring services, you ("Customer") accept these Monitoring Terms upon electronic acknowledgment or upon use of monitoring services. These Monitoring Terms apply specifically to professional alarm monitoring services provided by SuretyCAM LLC dba Surety Business ("Company," "Surety," "we," "us," or "our").

2. Scope of Monitoring Services

Services Included

Company monitors alarm signals transmitted from your business security system for the following designated services:

• Intrusion and burglary alarm monitoring
• Panic and duress alarm monitoring
• Environmental sensors (water, temperature, freeze)
• Medical emergency alerts (where equipment supports)
• Video verification services (where applicable to your plan)

Services NOT Included

The following services are explicitly NOT included in Surety Business monitoring:

• Commercial fire alarm monitoring – Commercial fire alarm systems are subject to specific local, state, and federal fire codes (including NFPA 72) that require dedicated fire alarm monitoring by an approved supervising station. You must contract separately with a fire alarm monitoring provider that meets your local fire code requirements.
• Carbon monoxide monitoring for commercial occupancies – Where required by code, you must ensure compliant monitoring through appropriate channels.
• Elevator emergency phone monitoring
• Sprinkler system supervision – Fire sprinkler supervisory signals require dedicated fire alarm monitoring.

You are solely responsible for ensuring your business complies with all applicable fire codes and regulations. If your business requires fire alarm monitoring, you must contract with a separate fire alarm monitoring provider that meets the requirements of your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Surety Business assumes no liability for fire-related losses, fire code violations, or failure to maintain compliant fire alarm systems.

3. Third-Party Monitoring Center

Professional monitoring services are provided by third-party central station monitoring centers under contract with Company. These monitoring centers operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Company may change monitoring center providers at any time without notice.

4. Alarm Response Procedures

Upon receiving an alarm signal, the monitoring center will make reasonable efforts to:

• Verify the alarm condition through available means (call-back, video verification where available, two-way voice where equipped)
• Contact individuals on your emergency contact list in the order provided
• Notify designated local authorities (police, medical services) when appropriate based on the alarm type and verification results

IF THE COMPANY OR MONITORING CENTER HAS REASON TO BELIEVE, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, THAT NO EMERGENCY CONDITION EXISTS, IT MAY ELECT NOT TO DISPATCH EMERGENCY SERVICES OR FOLLOW STANDARD NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES.

You authorize Company and its monitoring partners to dispatch police, fire (for non-fire-code emergencies only), or medical services to your business premises when alarm conditions warrant such response. You understand that responding authorities may forcibly enter your premises; Company assumes no liability for damages resulting from such entry.

5. Emergency Contact Information

You must provide and maintain accurate emergency contact information through your account dashboard. This includes:

• Primary and secondary contact names and phone numbers for each monitored location
• Business operating hours and schedules
• Verbal passwords for alarm verification
• Special instructions for your business (e.g., key holder information, access procedures)

Persons listed as emergency contacts are authorized to act on your behalf, including canceling alarms before emergency dispatch. You are solely responsible for updating contact information when employees change or contact details are modified. Company bears no liability for failing to reach outdated contacts.

6. Signal Transmission and System Requirements

Monitoring services require your alarm system to successfully transmit signals to the monitoring center. You acknowledge that:

• Signals are transmitted over internet and/or cellular networks that are beyond Company's control
• Company bears no responsibility for signal transmission failures due to network outages, equipment malfunction, power failures, atmospheric conditions, or any other cause
• You are responsible for maintaining adequate internet connectivity and/or cellular signal at your business premises
• Backup communication paths (cellular backup for internet-connected systems) are strongly recommended for business-critical monitoring

7. Customer Testing Requirements

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TESTING YOUR SECURITY SYSTEM ON A REGULAR BASIS (AT LEAST MONTHLY) TO VERIFY CONTINUED PROPER FUNCTIONING AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION TO THE MONITORING CENTER.

Test signals should be placed after notifying the monitoring center to prevent unnecessary dispatch. Failure to regularly test your system does not relieve Company of monitoring obligations but may limit your ability to identify system failures.

8. Permits and False Alarms

Alarm Permits

Many jurisdictions require alarm permits for monitored security systems. You are solely responsible for:

• Determining whether your jurisdiction requires an alarm permit
• Obtaining and maintaining required permits
• Providing permit numbers to Company upon request
• Paying all permit fees, taxes, and assessments

False Alarms

YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL FALSE ALARMS AND ALL RELATED FINES, FEES, AND POLICE RESPONSE COSTS. Company bears no liability for false alarm fines or for police refusal to respond due to excessive false alarms. Your monitoring agreement remains in effect even if police terminate response services to your location.

9. No Warranty of Protection

COMPANY DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT YOUR ALARM SYSTEM OR MONITORING SERVICES WILL PREVENT ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, OR INJURY TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY, OR THAT THE SYSTEM OR SERVICES WILL IN ALL CASES PROVIDE THE PROTECTION FOR WHICH THEY ARE INTENDED.

Security systems may fail to detect intrusions or emergency conditions due to equipment limitations, improper installation, environmental factors, criminal sophistication, or other causes. Monitoring services depend on successful signal transmission and appropriate response by third parties including monitoring center operators and emergency services.

10. Company Is Not an Insurer

COMPANY IS NOT AN INSURER. THE PAYMENTS YOU MAKE FOR MONITORING SERVICES ARE NOT RELATED TO THE VALUE OF YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES, INVENTORY, EQUIPMENT, OR THE SAFETY OF PERSONS, BUT RATHER ARE BASED ON THE COST OF PROVIDING MONITORING SERVICES.

You must obtain and maintain your own insurance coverage for property damage, business interruption, theft, personal injury, and other losses. Company is not responsible for losses that would be recoverable through your insurance and you release Company for events customarily covered by business insurance policies.

11. Limitation of Liability for Monitoring Services

IF, NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, THERE SHOULD ARISE ANY LIABILITY ON THE PART OF COMPANY FOR MONITORING SERVICES, SUCH LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS ($250.00), REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE, INCLUDING COMPANY NEGLIGENCE.

This limitation applies to all claims including but not limited to:

• Property damage or loss
• Lost profits or business interruption
• Personal injury or death
• Governmental fines or penalties
• Direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Claims by third parties including employees and customers

You may request a higher liability limit by paying additional fees. Contact Company for liability rider options and associated costs. A higher liability limit does not make Company an insurer.

12. Indemnification and Subrogation Waiver

You agree to protect, indemnify, hold harmless, defend, and release Company and its monitoring center partners from all damages, losses, and expenses (including attorney fees) arising from claims related to your security system or monitoring services, including claims by your employees, customers, vendors, insurers, or other third parties.

You and your insurance carriers waive all subrogation rights against Company and its subcontractors arising from this agreement.

13. Alarm.com Platform Terms

Monitoring services are provided through the Alarm.com platform. Your use of Alarm.com services is subject to Alarm.com's terms and conditions, which are incorporated into this agreement by reference. Key Alarm.com terms include:

• Alarm.com is not an insurer of your property or personal safety
• Alarm.com's liability is limited to the greater of $1,000 or your annual service fees
• All Alarm.com services and equipment are provided "as is" with no implied warranties
• Legal claims must be brought within one year of the incident
• You waive your right to jury trial and class action lawsuits

14. Claims and Legal Proceedings

ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM MONITORING SERVICES MUST BE BROUGHT WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH THE CLAIM AROSE. Claims not brought within this period are waived.

THE COMPANY AND CUSTOMER BOTH KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO MONITORING SERVICES.

To the extent permitted by law, you agree not to bring or participate in any class action lawsuit against Company related to monitoring services.

15. Governing Law

These Monitoring Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal action must be brought in state or federal courts located in Franklin County, Ohio.

Contact Us

If you have questions about these Monitoring Terms and Conditions, please contact us: