You wake up in the morning, already late for work. As you rush downstairs and get to your car, you can’t find your car keys. That is a situation every car owner dreads, losing their car keys. Most car owners opt out of the spare key option when buying a car, and the only reason for opting out is to avoid paying the additional fee for the spare key.
This is a quick guide to help you through the process of replacing lost car keys. The guide might not help you solve your trouble completely, but this guide will make sure you cover all possibilities before investing in replacing lost car keys.
● Keep Searching: Replacing lost car keys from the dealership or another source can be expensive. Hence, it is recommended to keep on looking for the car keys. If you can’t find the keys after everything, start considering the other options in hand for replacing lost car keys.
● Don’t Force Your Way Into The Car: No matter what, do not attempt breaking into your car. You might think that it’s alright breaking into the car because it’s yours, but it’s recommended that you should not. The potential damage to the keyhole is very high. If you think replacing a key is expensive, then you don’t want to bother thinking about replacing both the keyhole and the key.
● Check Your Insurance Policy: Insurance policies for the car can come in handy during these situations. In some cases, car insurances cover the key replacement under the Lost Key Policy, which usually does not include the generic insurance plan. Considering this is an add-on, go through your insurance policy to see if replacing lost car keys is covered.
● Contact A Trusted Company: Research and shortlist trusted locksmith dealerships who can hand out the replacement key at a lower price. Be aware of locksmiths who try to offer services for lower prices. You cannot hand over access to your car to a novice. The key maker must be trained and qualified. as the risk while hiring locksmiths with low credibility is high. Inexperienced and unequipped locksmiths can damage the car and the keyhole. It might cost you more money, so don’t take your chances until you’re sure.
● Get Your Papers Ready: The process of replacing lost car keys requires identity and ownership verification. Get all the ownership and policy papers ready to facilitate the process. The papers need to mention the make and model of the car, the unique Vehicle Identification Number, and your identification.
● Consider The Type Of Key: Research and decide on the type of key you’d want as a replacement. It takes extensive expertise to replace the key with a remote control fob. Choosing manual keys as a replacement can be the most cost-effective option over a remote control fob.
● Prepare Finances: Replacing lost car keys can be expensive. Most locksmiths and dealers will require the cost of the replacement key and services upfront. Ideally, the price will be lower at the locksmith service compared to an official dealer, but this does not make the replacement inexpensive. Preparing and arranging finances for the replacement key before the locksmith arrives will speed up the process.
Concluding Thoughts
Replacing lost car keys is expensive and time-consuming. During this process, the comfort of your car is hurt. Invest in a spare key so that any emergency or urgency is taken care of without having the hassle of finding the car keys. Doing better and securing the keys from time to time will help avoid this situation again. Take care of your keys as you would with the car itself.
