Car Insurance Wont Pay Out On Lost Keys

[Olliebaby]

My husband lost his only set of car keys at the weekend. Yes I know, one set however he got the car towed home and rang the insurance company. The lady said because we didnt have our address with the car keys, we cant make a claim as the nice person who would have found them would simply send them back to my address....
Having thought about this, surely if you leave your address with your keys and the person who finds them decides to turn up and take your car, the insurance company wouldnt pay out either as you have just handed them a car for free! Also, most people keep their house keys with their car key so a set of keys with an address with them?? really, does anybody do this?

[woofgang]

I think unless its in your policy that you have to have your name and address on your keys then she is talking out of her ****.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't drive but I believe many insurance companies provide a key tag with a return address or phone number for lost keys, which has worked for my daughter in the past.

[bookbinder]

This looks like another example of an insurance company wriggling out of paying out on a claim. But, no, I certainly wouldn't put my address on my car keys nor on my house keys, for the obvious reason that you point out. I don't know about 'most people keep their house keys with their car key'; I, for one, don't do that. It's just asking for trouble.

[New Judge]

Yes, read your policy terms and conditions.

Personally I'd be very surprised if insurers insisted you kept your name & address attached to any keys. As you suggest, many people keep their house keys on the same bunch and obviously you would not label them. I've had a quick look at my motor policy and it mentions nothing about keeping the car keys labelled.

[Prudie]

I've never labelled my keys and I've never been sent a fob to do so with many different companies. I also wouldn't think for a minute to claim off my car insurance if I lost my keys either, possibly house contents insurance if I was that keen.

[Olliebaby]

Thanks all, we really are bug*ered by these insurance companies. Even if they do approve a claim the costs end up coming back to us in a policy rise and excess charge (on a smallish claim anyway). He is looking to do it himself now but in the meantime I have e-mailed them asking for the terms and conditions and where is states this exactly.

[black_cat51]

how do you reverse-engineer a key for a car anyway? or do you have to change all locks and ignition?

[twix123]

Are you specifically covered for the loss of car keys and subsequent replacement of locks if necessary?

[Olliebaby]

keys, all locks and ignition barrell black_cat51

[retrotv]

Getting replacement keys against the logbook and the ownership receipt for a UK car in the UK is easy but expensive (£100+).

Straightforward Insurance Claim.

Please name and shame the Insurance Company.

[New Judge]

Yes - until you come to make a claim, that is !!!

[Bazile]

retro tv
is that through dealer ?

[twix123]

Is it a modern car with remote unlocking and requiring a transponder in the key fob to immobilise the ignition?

[Olliebaby]

Its AVIVA and just found this so they really do know how to cover themselves for every single type of claim...and yes its just remote locking key twix123

If your ignition keys are lost or stolen we will pay the cost of replacing the:

Affected locks, lock transmitter and central locking interface, affected parts of the alarm and/or immobiliser, provided that it can be established to our reasonable satisfaction that the identity or garaging address of your vehicle is known to any person who is in possession of your ignition keys and the value of the claim does not exceed the market value of your vehicle.

[rccatnap]

Attaching one's address to your keys is so obviously stupid, I'm surprised anyone has even questioned it.
When I used the Halifax Credit Card Protection Service, they provided some keytags with a P.O. Box No. on one side and a serial no. engraved on the other, with a message to drop keys in any post box. If the person finding them was kind enough to do just that, the keys went to 'the Halifax' and they cross referenced the I.D. no. to the registered owner and posted them back to him/her. Of course this would take an indeterminate time, so spares were necessary.