The last thing you would expect from life is probably to lose your car keys. We all rely on cars for our everyday work routine, especially in certain areas where public transportation is insufficient to serve the local population. Many cities in India are wildly crowded, and traffic jams are a regular fact—this typical Indian scenario reflects the importance of cars in the daily lives of millions of people.
When Do I Need Car Replacement?
In case your car key has been stolen, broken, or somehow damaged, the need for a qualified car locksmith arises immediately. That’s why every car owner should know a reliable locksmith company to call for emergency assistance. As you can read more here, car key replacement is one of the most frequent locksmith services in many areas of the world, including India. This locksmith service aims to fix a broken key whose teeth no longer match the car lock to open the door. This damage is the result of long-term wear and tear.
Also, a professional car locksmith can fix a car key stuck in the lock through specific tools that extract the key without damaging the lock. However, if you try the process by yourself, you can seriously damage the key, which requires a locksmith key replacement.
Does My Car Insurance Cover Key Replacement?
Car insurance is an effective tool to get refunded in case of financial loss due to damage to your car. The car insurance market offers several policy models, from third-party to comprehensive policies. While third-party policies cover only third-party liabilities, comprehensive policies cover car theft, vandalism, natural calamity, and many more, except car key replacement.
However, you can include an add-on to your car insurance policy to get a higher level of coverage. Today’s car insurance companies offer numerous add-on options, including key replacement. This is the only way to get full financial coverage for a lost or replaced car key. Depending on the insurance company, each add-on implies extra premiums, resulting in a little more expensive insurance policy.
Does Car Insurance Cover Lost Keys?
Indian insurance companies don’t offer any coverage for lost car keys. Standard policies usually aim to cover in case of damages or losses due to car accidents, thefts, or natural calamities. Again, ask your insurance provider for a specific add-on option for lost keys. Also, consider that some companies offer roadside assistance as an extra service. Since the additional car assistance services may vary significantly, it’s always recommended to ask about what the insurance covers and doesn’t.
However, many insurance companies in India offer lost car keys and replacement covers as an add-on option for an additional premium. If you have this add-on, your insurance will pay for locksmith assistance.
What To Do If A Car Key is Lost?
The first step to move in case of lost car keys is to inform the local police about the fact. The police will provide you with an FIR straight away. Meanwhile, contact your car insurance provider before calling a locksmith for key replacement. If you have a key replacement or stolen key add-on, your insurance will cover the cost of the new key. Once the locksmith has replaced your car key, you should raise a claim for reimbursement (you’d better inquire with your insurance provider for further details). You should submit your claim with the FIR and locksmith invoice. At this point, the insurance provider will check your documents and reimburse all the expenses.
What Does A Key Replacement Add-On Cover and What is Excluded?
Usually, car insurance adds-on for key replacement and lost car keys cover the cost of replacing the keys that you got lost or stolen and provide break-in protection in case of damage to your car, such as broken glasses or door locks. The break-in protection includes the costs of replacing both the key and the lock.
However, car key replacement coverage excludes a few costs: any further costs beyond those listed in the coverage section of the insurance policy and the cost to replace keys to a car you don’t own for personal use (such as a rental or company car).
Conclusion
Today’s car insurance market offers plenty of add-on options to get a reimbursement in case of lost or stolen car keys. The add-on comes with an extra premium and covers the costs of a professional key replacement locksmith service. For successfully claiming a key replacement service, remember to attach your FIR and locksmith invoice to the claim form before submitting it to your insurance provider for the reimbursement procedure.