You’ve lost your car keys and don’t have a second set. You start to panic because you’re away from home, in a supermarket parking lot or some other place where you have no immediate alternative but to find a solution. Do not worry, because there are workarounds. So, instead of complaining, have the right reflexes so as not to suffer a much worse situation. Here’s what you can do.
Declare the loss of your vehicle keys
Before anything else, go to the nearest police station or police station to declare the loss of your car keys. You will be heard and a statement of loss will be recorded. You will receive a copy of this declaration of loss which will be of great use to you to prove that you are innocent if your car is subsequently stolen. If you ever think your car keys have been stolen, then file a stolen key report instead of a lost key report. In the context of the theft, this declaration is essential and must be sent to your insurer as soon as possible.
Call the insurer
If you are far from home and cannot reach anyone you know to help you out, call your insurer. Explain to him that your car keys cannot be found. Depending on the insurance plan you have taken out, the insurer will then provide you with 0 km breakdown assistance .. In this case, you may be towed home or to a dealership if you do not have a spare key to your car. Your contract may also provide for the reimbursement of your keys, but this is quite rare. Ask the question anyway and if so, you will be reimbursed. In all cases, reimbursed or not, if you get help, your insurer can ask you for the certificate of complaint or theft registered with the police or the gendarmerie. So be sure to be able to provide him with this document. It will also be the official proof that you are a victim in the event that your car is subsequently stolen.
Good to know : if you lose your keys really far from home, always call your insurer, because in addition to sending you the repairman, you can obtain a repatriation to your home, and even a loan vehicle during the manufacture of your new keys, provided that your contract provides for it.
How to redo your car keys?
If you do not have a duplicate key for your vehicle, you must contact the dealership of your car brand . You will have to provide him with your car registration document and with this element, he will be able to have a new key made. The cost of a recent key can be quite high, because it contains several electronic security functions, but this price varies according to the make and model of the vehicle. If your key is standard, it will be much cheaper than a transponder key. If you have a duplicate car key at home, just have it duplicated by any locksmith who specializes in car keys. In this case, you will also have to show him your registration certificate.
Why is a car key expensive?
The recent car key has a certain cost, because it communicates with the “brain” of your vehicle. It is first encrypted and has several security systems and a crypto transponder . Thanks to this sophisticated quipment, the theft of the vehicle is more difficult, because without the key it is even more difficult to open the doors, start the engine, etc.
A few safety tips
If you think you’re a bit too airheaded, you better have a spare key to your car that’s accessible at all times. Of course, you can have it at home, but if your car key is on the bunch of keys to your house and you lose all of it, you won’t have access inside your home either. If this is the case, do not forget to report it when you report the loss or theft to the police or police station registering your complaint. It is therefore best to entrust a spare set of your keys to a trusted person close to your home.
