What’s the worst nightmare for every car owner? Of course, you’d shudder at the thought of any damage to your precious vehicle. But imagine being stranded in a remote neighborhood with your car and being unable to drive it. This is what happens when you lose or damage your car keys.
Now, losing a set of car keys isn’t something that happens too often. But when it does, it can be an excruciatingly painful experience that’ll burn a huge hole in your wallet. Depending on the type of vehicle, you might have to get the entire locking system replaced. It’s the same case when the keys get accidentally damaged or broken.
With modern keyless locking systems, the cost of replacing your car keys can quickly escalate. That’s why new-age car owners are increasingly opting to purchase key replacement cover for their cars.
But given that the chances of misplacing or damaging your car keys are fairly slim, is key replacement cover worth the consideration? Let’s find out.
The Evolution of Car Keys
Traditionally, most cars came with manual keys that were easy to replace. As long as a locksmith could get an impression of the grooves, they could easily create a replica of the original keys. All you have to do is find a credible and trusted locksmith. If you’re wondering what kind of services an auto locksmith offers, you can click here for more information.
But the days of manual car keys are gone. Today, most cars come with remote keys or keyless frequency-operated buttons (FOBs). Remote car keys are equipped with a transponder that emits radio or infrared waves. This, in turn, makes it possible to lock and unlock a vehicle by pressing a button.
On the other hand, a keyless FOB or smart key features a sensor that’s detected by your car’s locking system. Depending on how far or near you are to the vehicle, it automatically locks or unlocks the doors without requiring you to press any buttons.
Both remote keys and keyless FOBs contain a code that’s unique to your car’s locking system. These cutting-edge keys offer the utmost convenience and excellent security features. But replacing these keys isn’t as straightforward and inexpensive as getting a set of duplicate keys from a locksmith.
In most cases, you’ll need to replace the entire locking system to protect your car against theft. This is particularly crucial if the original keys are stolen or lost. Depending on the manufacturer, getting a new locking system could cost you a few hundred dollars at least.
This is where the key replacement cover steps into the picture. Let’s take a closer look.
Decoding Key Replacement Cover
Simply put, the key replacement cover is an add-on to your comprehensive car insurance policy. It covers the cost of replacing the key and locking system of your car in the event of lost, stolen, or damaged keys.
The biggest benefit of getting a key replacement cover is that it helps you save money. Depending on your insurance provider, it could cost less than $30 a year. This is far more affordable than spending thousands of dollars to get a new set of car keys.
Some insurance providers even include the key replacement cover in the comprehensive policy. Apart from replacing the locking system and keys, some plans include other services, such as towing your car to a safe location or arranging for a set of spare keys in case of an emergency.
It’s always a good idea to check with your provider or car dealer to explore different key replacement cover options.
Is It Worth The Money?
Why should you replace your vehicle’s locking system when you’ve got spare keys? To begin with, if you misplace the original keys, your car is always at risk of being stolen. In all likelihood, you might have dropped the keys somewhere in your house.
But it could also end up in the hands of the wrong person, thus jeopardizing your vehicle’s safety. The worst part is that if your car gets stolen, you’ll need the original keys to make any insurance claims. Considering that losing the original keys in the first place is what led to this situation, you’ll be stuck in a deadlock.
So, irrespective of whether you’ve got a spare key, you need to replace your vehicle’s locking systems and keys if you can’t find the original one. And the most affordable way of doing this is to get a key replacement cover. While it’s not something you’re going to use frequently, it’ll come to your rescue when the need arises.
Are there any other add-ons that you’ve purchased to enhance your car insurance coverage? Share your recommendations in the comments section below.
