Is it worht getting it even, I hear home insurance takes this into consideration and gives a discount, hence the consideration.

How much should I expect to pay
Is this a year long commitment. Or rather how long?
What should I look for, any deals referrals out there?

i am back for more...

We have a security system, but not with brinks or adt. Our system was already installed when we purchased the joint. The yearly fee is cheap $10 per month (when paid yearly) if hooked up through a landline, $20 a month if through a cell. There is a battery back-up supposedly good for six hours. I say supposedly because it died a bit before that durning a day long power outage.

The most expensive part is installation or, if you got free installation, fixing something later. Wiring does get old and need to be replaced (they charge a LOT to replace this stuff).

All the doors are wired, and so are the windows. Anytime something is opened you hear a buzz. The control panel also shows you what door or window is currently open (as long as you know what area on the control panel corresponds to what door or window). See if there are newer panels that are more explanatory. It will be worth your sanity.

We also have indoor motion detectors - if you have a pet find out how to set those correctly when you are away from the house.

Since our municipality charges after the third false alarm, the alarm company calls us before they send the police or fire department. We need to pick up and respond with the code word. NYS requires hard-wired smoke detectors with any permit-issued work now, so we are also wired for smoke detectors. When the smoke alarm went off, they called before they sent the fire department (I just told her my husband was cooking dinner. ) If there is no answer, or if the person answering the phone does not know the code word, they send police or fire. They even called when the battery back-up died.

We also have remote alarms for the upstairs as the panels are located near entrances.

It depends on what your goals are with the alarm system.

Is your only goal to get a home insurance discount?

I would look at how much of a discount your going to get with your insurance company.
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Unless your alarm system has a cellular backup, it's basically a noise maker.

Once the bad guys cut your phone line, your alarm system won't dial out when it's triggered.

At least that's the way i understood it anyways.
(someone please correct me if i got that wrong)

You can have cell hook up. There is also a battery back-up to call remotely, although I'm not sure how that ties to the landline. If the wires are cut, the police are sent immediately if phone contact cannot be made.

its a huge swing between 12 and 20% i believe out of 700 a year home owners insurance policy

now whats the cell hook up. I only have a cell phone, got rid of the entire home phone gig. go i have to sign one up in particular for that.

When you call the security company ask them how they are contacted remotely from your home. We were only told landline, so we put one in.... we later found out that we could have just used the cell but the cost was $20 per month vs the $10 for landline.

I forgot to mention that the contracts can vary widely.

I think they can go as high as 5 year contracts.