Car Keys Missing? Here's What to Do
Car keys are among the most difficult things to lose. You could lose your car left keys in car and it was stolen easily particularly if you have both office and house keys on the one key ring.
Fortunately, your personal property insurance under your renters or homeowners policy usually covers keys taken from vehicles. However, you may be required to pay the deductible.
Retract your steps
You've had a long and tiring day. All you want to do when you get home is change into your comfortable sweats and eat pizza while you watching the TV. Then you realize that your keys aren’t where they should have been and your perfect night is over. You panic and start to think of the worst scenarios that could happen. But that doesn't help anyone, and the best thing to do is to take a deep breath and calm down. Once your rational side is back in control, you can begin working on figuring out what you need to do next.
The first step is to retrace your steps. Consider the last time you held keys in your hands and where you were with them. Retracing your steps will help you determine where they went missing and hopefully, they will be found. You should also call the police to report the theft of your car keys. This will permit them to investigate and locate the culprits.
You should check in some unusual places after retracing your footsteps. Keys often end up in odd places such as the folds of a cushion on the couch or in a pile of laundry. It is also possible to ask family members to see if they have an extra key that's been hidden in a safe place. If that doesn't work then it's time to contact locksmiths to make you an entirely new key. It can be costly but it will keep your vehicle and home safe from burglary.
Call the Police
You've arrived home after working all day You're excited to get into your comfy sweats, grab some pizza and watch your favorite show. Then you realize the keys to your car are missing. What do you do?
It's easy to panic when you first witness the situation, but it's crucial to be calm and think about the situation in a rational way. The first thing you must do is contact the police.
The police department in your neighborhood may not be able to locate your keys to your car. However, filing a report creates a paper trail that can help authorities track down the thief. Insurance companies often require you to file a police report before they can reimburse you for stolen items.
When you call, be sure you give the police as much information as possible. They will need your vehicle's model, registration number, and any distinctive features. They may also review CCTV footage of the area or employ ANPR technology to track your car keys stolen from unlocked house's movements.
Don't forget to report any valuable items you had in your car at the time of the theft. Thieves are usually opportunistic and will seek out items that they are able to sell or use to finance their next crime.
Informing the police that you had your wallet with you at the time of the theft is also a good thing. This will help to prevent identity fraud if thieves choose to use financial documents or data that they find in your purse or wallet.
It is also advisable to contact your renters or homeowners insurance company. They could cover the cost of replacing keys that have been lost, or other things that were taken away by them. They'll also be able to let you know what steps they'll have to take to complete your claim. For example homeowners may need to engage a locksmith to change their locks while others might need to have their vehicles taken to a dealer or an auto repair shop.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You should contact the police when you discover that your car key stolen but not car keys have gone missing. This will create an evidence trail and also make it difficult for criminals to access your credit cards and other personal information, particularly since identity theft is increasing. Most insurance companies also require you to report any theft.
Your insurance company may cover the cost of replacing your key fobs if you have comprehensive auto insurance but it is worth checking with your provider before filing an insurance claim. You will require your policy number as well as the model and make of your vehicle.
Depending on the deductible you have and the cost of the key fob, it may not be worth the hassle of submitting an insurance claim for stolen keys to your car was stolen with keys inside. Most old mechanical keys are less expensive than the insurance deductible on a car and are easy to replace at any store that duplicates keys. Smart key fobs, on the other hand, need to be programmed by the dealership or car manufacturer and could cost hundreds of dollars. If you submit an insurance claim, it'll likely remain on your record and increase your insurance rates the next time you need to renew.
Certain insurance policies, such as homeowners, will cover your keys in the event they are stolen car keys from house. However this is more complex and depends on your policy's terms and conditions. You can safeguard yourself from losing your car stolen keys left in car keys by keeping a spare set in a secure place in your office or at home. This will provide you with peace of mind in the event that they get lost, and also prevent you from having to spend a lot of money to replace them. Don't leave your keys in the car. It's a recipe for trouble. You should also change the locks on your office or at home especially if you've just had a theft issue.
Contact a locksmith
Call a locksmith if you tried retracing your steps but are unable to locate your car keys. A reputable locksmith can assist you without damaging any of your belongings. They can also provide you with an additional one on the spot so you will have one in the future.
It's best to contact the police when you discover the keys are missing. This will stop the thief using them. Contacting the police right away is also a good step. This will provide them with a record of what happened and could be helpful if you want to make an insurance claim.
If you contact locksmiths to fix your lock, make sure you have the VIN number of your vehicle and the kind of keys it is using. This will help them determine what type of key you need, and inform them of the amount of programming your new key will require. They must also confirm that you own the vehicle in order to avoid any illegal activity.
Most people don't notice it until they're already missing their keys to their car, however you can reduce the chances of losing them by keeping a spare in your home or office. This is especially useful when your car needs to be parked in a lot because you're working late or have a different reason. You can even get a locksmith to cut you an extra and store it in a safe place which is hard to reach, like a drawer.
Most people will encounter this issue at some point. If you remain calm and take the appropriate steps you can minimize the damage that it causes to your property and life. Avoid using more extreme or shady methods to gain access into your home or car. They will only cause more trouble in the future. Remember that your local locksmith is only a phone call just a few minutes away!