Car Key Insurace Cover

What is car key insurance cover?

In relation to car hire excess insurance, key cover is the benefit of being reimbursed the amount charged by the hire company if you lose your car keys or have them stolen.

Car key insurance cover provides peace of mind when renting a car abroad, as you know that if you get locked out of your car, misplace the keys or suspect they have been stolen, you will be able to claim back the costs and not end up out of pocket.

When you take out a policy with ReduceMyExcess, car key insurance cover is included.

How Does Car Key Insurance Work?

Key cover, like many other aspects of car hire excess insurance, works on a reimbursement basis. You’ll be due back any costs incurred as a result of you or any additional drivers being locked out of your rental vehicle as well as costs due for replacing lost or stolen keys.

You will be able to reclaim this money once you’ve returned your rental vehicle and your hire period has finished. So make sure you keep any receipt or invoice that shows the amount you had to pay in order to gain access to your rental car.

What does car key insurance cover?

• The cost of emergency car key replacement (up to £500)
• Locksmith charges (up to £100)

What doesn’t it cover?

If your car key replacement costs more than £500, or the locksmith charges are more than £100, you will not be able to fully recoup your losses.

For additional drivers to also benefit from key cover they will need to be named on the car rental agreement and be between the ages of 21 and 84.

What do I do if I’ve lost my car key?

Don’t panic! It can seem like a terrible and hopeless situation to be locked out of your car, potentially in a foreign country, where you don’t speak the local language, but it will get sorted.

The first thing to do is phone your car hire company as not only do you need their permission to have the car broken into by a locksmith, but they can also assist with arranging a locksmith for you.

All car hire companies have spare keys for their vehicles and so after your locksmith has been called and gained access, you should drive directly to where you collected the car from and acquire a spare key. You may be charged now for the spare key, or at the end of your rental contract.

Either way, make absolutely sure that you record every payment that you’ve been charged. You can then use your lost car key insurance to claim it back from us afterwards.

What if my car key has been stolen?

Having anything stolen is a difficult experience, but it can feel even more worrying if it’s your hire car key which has been stolen. Not only will you need help with getting back into your car, but you will likely incur additional costs from the car hire company

The first step, if you have been the victim of a crime, is to report the theft to the local police as soon as possible. Make sure you get a copy of the police report as we may need to see it when you make a car key insurance cover claim.

Notify the hire car company immediately and give them the details from your police report. They may be able to remotely disable the stolen key if the car uses a keyless entry system. Ensure you follow the company procedures if they have a protocol for handling stolen keys.

Depending on your situation, you will either be able to pick up a spare key from the hire car company, or a locksmith may need to assist. Be prepared to pay any associated costs and remember to keep all receipts so that you can claim the expenses back with us.

What if I’ve been locked out of my car?

It can be frustrating and embarrassing to get locked out of your car, especially if the key is in plain sight! However, if you are using a rental car then it’s important to follow the procedure they have in place.

Avoid breaking into the vehicle, as you risk doing damage to it and not being successful in your efforts. Call the car hire company as soon as possible, as you may be able to pick up a spare key for an additional cost – then claim it back thanks to your car key insurance cover with us!

If a locksmith needs to be called out, ensure you keep all of the receipts for when you return home to make your claim with us.

I Have More Questions...

If you have a thirst for knowledge and are looking for more answers then head to our FAQs page for all the answers.

Equally you could reach out to our fantastic customer service team by using our contact us form.