Lose your car keys – now what?

Important facts described briefly below:

If you lose your rental car key, it is important to keep calm. Check if you can see the key inside or around the vehicle. If not, please secure the car against theft and contact your rental company. Loss of keys, as well as theft due to loss of keys, is often not included in theft insurance. 

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Almost everyone has lost his or her keys at some point. Usually, the locksmith is simply called. It is important to know what should be the first steps if you lose your rental car keys or they have been stolen? Learn here what to.

What are the first steps after the car keys have disappeared?

First of all, do not panic. In your head, briefly retrace your steps to see if you can remember where you last saw them.

• Maybe you forgot your key when paying at a cashier desk?
• Did it fall behind a piece of furniture?
• Is the lost rental car key hidden somewhere in your pocket?

There are many possibilities; sometimes, it is worthwhile to look around the immediate vicinity of the car. You might even find it under the car. Maybe ask around if somebody has found a key. It is unlikely, but don't exclude the inside of the vehicle as a possible location of the lost rental car key.

What do I do if the lost rental car key is in the ignition?

If the key is actually in the ignition, do not tamper with the vehicle yourself. Instead, it is advisable to call the breakdown service or use the appropriate service of the ADAC. If you are an ADAC member, this service is even included in your membership, and you do not have to expect any additional costs.

The lost rental car key is not found: What is the next step?

Since the rental car insurance, or theft insurance, usually does not cover theft if you lose the rental car key, there should always be at least one person near the vehicle. This is the only way to ensure that the key has not fallen into the hands of a thief who then gains access to the vehicle. If the car is stolen, you may be faced with high costs.

Why doesn't the insurance pay for stolen car keys?

If you have lost your rental car keys or if a thief has stolen the keys, the car rental theft insurance does not cover this. Such a scenario falls under the category "gross negligence." You are therefore liable and must refund the value of the vehicle when new.

If the key cannot be found, you have no choice but to notify the car rental company. This situation is not a disaster, because usually, the company has a spare key at its disposal. The rental company can send you a replacement for the lost key by courier or send it to the nearest branch office. Since the replacement key may be far away, it may take a while to get to you. In this case, the rental company will have the car towed away as a precaution (the lost key has the license plate numbers on it, and theft cannot be ruled out).

Who pays for the lost rental car key?

If you have lost the rental car key, you will, unfortunately, have to pay the bill. There are additional costs for towing, the costs for the courier, and the re-coding of the car key. This also applies if you have taken out private liability insurance. If you want to be on the safe side, you can take out additional insurance in advance to cover all costs.

Tip: Keep an eye on your rental car key. If you do lose your key, retrace your steps and search all the places you have been before. If you do lose the key, you may have to pay for the towing service and the replacement key. However, to avoid further problems and costs, you should contact the owner of your rental car as soon as possible.