Are you keyed up on insurance?: Almost a third of car insurance policies do not provide cover for lost car keys as standard

Go.Compare car insurance is encouraging motorists to check their insurance policy documents as it reveals that almost a third of all comprehensive car policies do not provide cover for the loss of car keys as standard.

Losing a car key is not only frustrating, it can also cost a fair amount of money to get a replacement - especially if those keys are technologically advanced and reprogramming is required. Car key insurance can cover the cost of replacing a lost or stolen key so you get back on the road quickly, without having to pay out a fortune. But Go.Compare is now warning that motorists cannot rely on automatic key cover being included as standard in a comprehensive car insurance policy.

In fact, the experts at the comparison site have reviewed 323* comprehensive car insurance products and found that while 91% of policies will provide cover for stolen keys as standard, this number drops to 68% when it comes to covering keys that have been lost. A further 19% of policies will offer cover for lost keys as an optional extra, but 13% of policies do not offer this at all.

The experts also found that the amount that an insurer will pay out in the event of a claim can vary significantly. In most cases, a car insurance policy will cover the replacement of lost, stolen or damaged keys but some policies will also pay out for replacement locks.

Tom Banks, Go.Compare’s car insurance spokesperson said on the findings; “At some point in your motoring life, you will inevitably misplace your car keys – and the moment that you find them is always a relief, but it’s a real headache if your search comes up empty and it turns out they’re definitely lost or stolen. Knowing that you have the right cover in place will make the situation a lot easier to deal with, and less costly.

“With the levels of cover varying when it comes to replacing a lost or stolen car key, it’s definitely worth spending a few minutes checking your policy and making sure you’re protected. It’s also worth noting that an insurance policy may not cover keys that have simply been mislaid and you will be expected to take reasonable steps to safeguard your keys - so if you left your keys unattended in a public place, or with someone other than you, and they were stolen, your claim may be refused.”

While it’s not possible to cover all eventualities, Go.Compare has provided some tips on how to keep your car keys safe:

•  Don’t leave your car keys close to the front or back door of your house, where they can clearly be seen by opportunistic thieves.
• Never leave your keys in your car, even for a short amount of time. For example, when you’re at a petrol station, or unloading and unloading your car.
• Keep duplicate keys separate from each other, on different key rings.
•  Don’t exit the car and leave it running to warm up on icy winter days – instead, use an ice scraper.
• Never hide your car keys under doormats, plant pots or bins – these are obvious places where thieves will look.
• Don’t leave spare keys in the glove box. If a thief breaks into the car and finds them, they can easily steal your car.
• Consider a key care policy that provides a smart fob you attach to your keys which allows you to ring your keys from your phone or find their last location on a map.
• Download a key finder app.
  More information about car keys and insurance can be found here: https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/guide/lost-car-keys-insurance/