what to do if you lose your car keys

Lost your car keys? In the mad rush of modern-day life, it can happen to the best of us. In fact, over a quarter of car owners will lose their keys at some point and 5% will have them stolen. Not only is it hugely frustrating, but it can also be very costly to replace car keys.

Nowadays, most vehicles are operated with what is known as a transponder key, where the key is electronically paired with the ignition system. Additionally, most modern cars are unlocked with keyless entry using an electronic fob with buttons. In some cars, this fob can be used for keyless ignition. Because of the need for specialist electronic programming, replacing a lost key can cost you hundreds of pounds.

Don’t panic, here’s what you can do:

The first thing to do if you lose your car keys is to check your cover. Some insurance policies will cover car key loss and theft, although you should also check whether claiming would affect your no claims bonus. If this is the case, it may be cheaper to replace the keys yourself.

To do so, you will have to go to your car dealership or a specialist locksmith. Depending on the make and model of your car, an engineer will have to programme a new set of keys to pair it with your car, or in the case of a stolen key, replace the lock completely. This process may take over a week to complete.

Why not try this:

It’s all too easy to misplace your belongings, but some things are much harder to replace than others. To avoid the hassle and a large bill from the garage, there are a couple of ways to prevent yourself misplacing your car keys in the future.

If you’re quite a forgetful person, you could attach your keys to a large or brightly coloured key ring and make a habit of putting them in the same place every time you’re not using them, like a hook next to your front door or a specific compartment in your bag.

You can even get gadgets that will help you locate your lost belongings through smart technology. It’s as simple as adding a small, coloured chip to your car keys which will allow them to be tracked via a handy app on your phone. You can add these chips to anything: your phone, your wallet and even your dog! (…Ok, maybe not your dog)

Finally, relax in the knowledge that you’ll never lose your car keys again. Check out how Chipolo works in this short video below: