What should you do if your car key is stolen?
If your car key is stolen, that’s obviously annoying enough. You probably don’t experience this very often, so it may raise a number of questions. What should you do when this happens? How do you get new car keys? Is this covered by your auto insurance? Does it affect your no-claims discount and your claim-free years?
Car key stolen
If your car key has been stolen, always file a report with the police. You can also have the stolen key(s) deactivated at the car dealership where you purchased the vehicle. This will prevent the thieves from driving the car away. If you don’t have a spare key and can’t move the car, it’s a good idea to call your car dealer or the ANWB. They can arrange to have the car unlocked and, if necessary, towed to the dealer.
The reimbursement depends on the coverage you’ve chosen for your auto insurance. If you have auto insurance with third-party liability coverage, theft of the car key(s) is not covered. Limited comprehensiveor all-risk coverage typically does cover new keys and the replacement of locks. However, there is usually a maximum reimbursement amount, and you’ll have to pay an deductible first. You can find the amounts for these in the policy terms and conditions, and they do not affect your claim-free years or no-claims discount.
In the event of theft of car keys, an insurer may require that the locks also be replaced. If you fail to do so, the car will no longer be insured from that point on.
Lost or misplaced car key
If you’ve misplaced or lost your car key(s) yourself—as opposed to having them stolen—this is usually not covered. If it is covered, you’ll first have to pay your deductible, and it will come at the expense of your no-claims discount and claim-free years. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to cover the costs yourself. If you file a claim for the theft, your monthly premium will increase. It’s therefore wise to check in advance whether it’s cheaper to pay for the costs yourself.
Car key stolen from home
Was your car key stolen during a break-in at your home? If so, your home contents insurance may provide coverage. Your home contents insurance may cover the cost of having new keys made and replacing the car’s locks.
Car Stolen Without Keys
Has your car been stolen, but do you still have the keys? This can happen, for example, with a car that has keyless entry.
If you have limited comprehensive or full coverage auto insurance, you can file a claim for the theft of your car with your auto insurance provider. Normally, in the event of a car theft, you must be able to provide two car keys. That’s not a problem in this case, since your car was stolen without the car keys being used.
However, insurers handle car thefts without keys differently. Want to know if your auto insurance provides coverage? Check the policy terms and conditions.
Do you have any questions? Please contact us. We're happy to help! You can reach us Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at 088-6883700.
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