The UAE security services market is competitive and not always transparent. Dozens of companies advertise CVIT capabilities in Dubai — but the gap between a genuinely professional operation and a firm offering cut-price coverage without the infrastructure to back it up is substantial. For businesses entrusting high-value assets to a third-party provider, choosing the wrong partner carries real and serious risk.
Step 1: Verify Licensing Before Anything Else
In Dubai, security companies must hold a licence from the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA). This is a non-negotiable baseline, not a differentiator. Any CVIT provider operating in Dubai without a valid SIRA licence is doing so illegally — and any loss or incident involving an unlicensed operator will create significant problems for the client as well as the provider.
Beyond SIRA licensing, providers moving cash should also demonstrate compliance with UAE Central Bank guidelines on currency handling. For companies moving precious metals or gemstones, ask specifically about compliance with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) requirements.
Step 2: Evaluate the Vehicle Fleet
Armored vehicle ratings are not interchangeable. The European standard (EN 1063) defines ballistic resistance levels from B1 through B7. For commercial CVIT operations in the UAE, a minimum of B6 is the accepted professional standard for high-value cash movements. B7 is required for the highest-risk applications.
Key Questions About the Fleet
- What is the ballistic rating certification of your vehicles, and can you provide documentation?
- How old is the fleet? Armored vehicles degrade and require continuous maintenance.
- Are vehicles equipped with GPS tracking and panic systems connected to a manned operations center?
- What is the vehicle-to-crew ratio, and how are crew rotations managed on long routes?
Step 3: Assess Personnel Standards
The vehicle is only part of the equation. The personnel conducting the operation are equally — or arguably more — important. Ask prospective providers how they vet their staff, what training protocols they apply, and how they handle turnover. High staff turnover in a CVIT operation is a significant risk indicator: it suggests either inadequate compensation, poor management, or both.
A B7-rated vehicle with an inadequately vetted crew is not more secure than a well-managed operation with professional personnel. The vehicle protects the asset; the people protect the operation.
Step 4: Scrutinise Insurance Coverage
Ask every prospective provider for their insurance certificate and read the coverage terms carefully. Specifically, verify: the per-movement coverage limit, what categories of asset are covered (cash, precious metals, gemstones are often treated differently), what exclusions apply, and who the underlying insurer is. Lloyd's of London and AIG are among the recognised specialist insurers for this sector. Coverage from an insurer without international standing and sector specialisation should be treated with caution.
Step 5: Request Incident History and References
A professional CVIT provider should be willing to share their incident history in summary form — not as an admission of failure, but as a demonstration of how they have handled the unavoidable challenges of high-risk logistics operations. Ask how many incidents they have had in the past two years, what happened, and what the outcome was. Providers who refuse to engage with this question should be treated with caution.
Erbay Security and Logistics LLC operates from Dubai Airport Freezone with full SIRA licensing, a B6/B7 armored fleet, and insurance through Lloyd's of London. We welcome scrutiny from prospective clients because transparency is the foundation of any security partnership.