FAQ
All your questions answered here… If not please contact us.
What is a Safe Deposit Box?
A safe deposit box (sometimes called a safety deposit box) is a secure storage unit located inside a private vault facility. At PVA, our safe deposit boxes are protected by 24/7 monitoring, biometric access, and reinforced vaults. Each box also comes with complimentary insurance for added peace of mind.
🔗 Learn more about our Safe Deposit Boxes.
How much does a Safe Deposit Box cost?
Safe deposit boxes at PVA start from as little as the price of a cup of coffee per week. Costs depend on the size of the box you choose and the insurance coverage you require.
When compared to the value of items such as jewellery, bullion, and legal documents, this is a cost-effective way to safeguard your assets.
📌 Related: About Private Vaults Australia
What can I store in a Safe Deposit Box?
Safe deposit boxes are designed for important, irreplaceable, and high-value items, including:
- Jewellery and family heirlooms
- Gold, silver, and bullion investments
- Wills, passports, property deeds, and contracts
- Digital backups of family photos and business records
However, certain items cannot be stored — including firearms, narcotics, liquids, and any items associated with criminal activity.
✅ See our detailed Safe Deposit Box Checklist
Are Safe Deposit Boxes safe?
Yes — significantly safer than keeping valuables at home. At PVA we use:
- Biometric and multi-factor access systems
- 24/7 CCTV monitoring
- Reinforced vault construction
- Insurance coverage included with every box
For comparison, see Queensland Police Crime Prevention Tips on why secure storage outside the home is recommended.
Can I store SMSF assets and documents in a Safe Deposit Box?
Yes. Many Australians with Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) use safe deposit boxes for bullion, investment records, and compliance documents. Secure storage helps meet Australian Taxation Office (ATO) requirements while protecting assets long-term.
🔗 Read more about SMSF Storage Options
📖 Reference: ATO – Self-Managed Super Funds
Why choose a private vault over a bank?
Banks often restrict access and may not provide insurance on contents. In contrast, Private Vaults Australia offers:
- Flexible access during opening hours
- Complimentary $20,000 insurance on every box
- A secure facility in Brisbane with advanced technology
- Dedicated storage for bullion, documents, and valuables
💡 Learn more: Bullion Storage & Services
What if I lose my key or access code?
Your safe deposit box is dual-controlled for your security. If you lose access credentials, PVA will follow strict identification and verification procedures before allowing entry. This ensures your valuables remain protected.
Are my items insured?
Yes. Every safe deposit box at PVA includes complimentary insurance up to $20,000, with options to purchase additional coverage if needed.
For broader insurance guidance, visit ASIC Moneysmart – Insurance.
Custodial Vaulting; Can I see what value my investment held in the vault is currently?
You can login to a secure website to have access to metal account statements to confirm details of your account holdings at the time of purchase, at the end of the financial year, and on request.
How do I know my precious metals are safe?
Custodial Bullion stored with Private Vaults Australia is covered by insurance for its full replacement value. Our custom-built vault and our showroom facility are highly secure. Regular audits are conducted at the facility, to confirm compliance, accuracy and transparency. You can login to our secure website to have access to metal account statements to confirm details of your account holdings at the time of purchase, at the end of the financial year, and on request.
Do we offer Bullion Locker Safe?
Yes.
Designed and built for storage of gold, silver and other precious metals, Private Vaults Australia Bullion Locker Safe provide precious metals investors one of the highest levels of security in the market today. While specially built for bullion it is able to be used for any kind of secure storage items.
PVA stores the Bullion Locker safes inside a Bullion vault. Multi levels of security are in place just to enter this vault. A double locking mechanism for every bullion locker, one custodial key held by PVA and you have the only client keys in existence meaning only you can open your locker.
Conta us for more details 1300 888 782
Who will have access to my Safe Deposit Box?
You will be the only person with an access to your safe deposit box. the access is granted via 3 layers of security which are electronic (smart phone app), biometric (wrist vein reader) and physical (your key). We cannot open your safe deposit box as we DO NOT keep any keys that match your SDB.
If I lost my key, can the finder open my Safe Deposit Box?
No. Anyone locating a lost Key only has one of the three (3) levels of security required to access our facility. They would not be able to access our premises without all the others layers of protection we offer you. They would not have access to the electronic entry nor would they pass the Biometric reader. Heaven forbid if they were already a client of PVA they could still not obtain access as our staff only have permission to attend to that clients SDB and your last line of defence your own person lock on your SDB would still need to be breached. In addition, our Vault is under 24/7 surveillance so all transaction inside
Can a member of the staff open my Safe Deposit Box?
No, a PVA staff member has access to a Custodian Key which is only one small aspect of access to a SDB. The Custodian key will only open one of the two locks attached to a SDB. The Custodian Key is used by our staff controlling the Safe Deposit boxes in the vault and cannot open any Safe Deposit Box on its own. The only duplicate of your key is held by yourself. A Security Key Deposit of $300 is paid when a Safety Deposit Box is leased. This is a refundable deposit and is returned to you on the termination of your lease. The Security Key Deposit is to cover the expenses associated with access to your SDB you in case you lose your key. We will need to drill out your SDB lock which can only occur with you being present. The Security Key Deposit is payable at the time you lease an SDB. If this is required and you want to continue leasing a SDB then another $300 Security Key Deposit is payable at that time.
What things can I store in my Safe Deposit Box?
Any personal items that would cause you to say, “If I lose this, I’m in trouble.” Important papers to consider putting into your box: originals of your insurance policies; family records such as birth, marriage and death certificates; original deeds, titles, mortgages, leases and other contracts; stocks, bonds and certificates of deposit (CDs). Other valuables worthy of a spot in your safe deposit box include bullion or precious metals, special jewels, medals, rare stamps and other collectibles, negatives for irreplaceable photos, and videos or pictures of your home’s contents for insurance purposes (in case of theft or fire damage.) More and more people are storing their Cryptocurrency Key or hard Drives to ensure it is not accessed.
Will I need to show or provide description of my valuables?
Absolutely not. What you choose to store in your vault/safe is your private matter. Other then disclosure to your insurer if you choose additional cover. Other than that, only you will know what is in your SDB.
In the event of death, who will be authorised to access my Safe Deposit Box and pick up my valuables?
Before signing the rental agreement, the original lease will have an option to designate one person who can access the vault/safe box in case of his/her death.
Private Vaults Australia must be presented with a death certificate and a last will/testament or trust document to allow heirs access the contents of the vault/safe box. At the time of opening a lease for a SDB Private Vaults Australia will take the necessary measures to review all documents to verify their authenticity.
How much does a Safe Deposit Box cost?
Boxes range from as little as $300 per year, which is a little over the cost of one coffee per week. It all depends on the size of safe deposit box you require. Please see prices here
Do you guarantee the purity of the metals you sell?
Yes! And we’ve never had a product returned. Our products are made with the highest precision, and to the highest standard. We sell only investment grade bullion.
Why use a Private Safe Deposit box and not a bank?
Private Vaults Australia is a private facility, independent of Government and Financial organisations ownership and control. A secure space for peace of mind knowing your hard-earned wealth is protected and separate from institutions especially if you are concerned with privacy, safety, access, security and insurance of your safe deposit box.
Do we offer Large High Security Safes?
Yes.
The ultimate in large weight and volume capacity with combined Electronic key and tumbler entry 3tonne capacity. An individual box allocated for your use that no one else can access.
A safe that takes over the safety of your belongings, so that you can focus on everything else. Protect your valuables behind a Private Vaults Australia Chubb or Lord Safe with secured access into the surrounds of the vault.
Contact us for more details 1300 888 782.
2 months free. No long-term commitment necessary. Limited spots available.