Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Locksmith?

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Will a standard homeowners insurance policy cover a locksmith?
If homeowners insurance DOES cover locksmith costs, how much do I have to pay?
What locksmith-related services does homeowners insurance cover?
If homeowners insurance doesn’t cover a locksmith, what will?
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Will a standard homeowners insurance policy cover a locksmith?

As a new homeowner, I’m curious about what all is covered under my insurance. I’m especially concerned about my home’s security, including the locks on my doors, and what would happen if I got locked out. I also wonder what I’d owe if I misplaced my keys, or needed to change my locks. Does homeowners insurance cover a locksmith?

It might. Sometimes locksmith services are a feature that homeowners insurance companies add on. It’s not a common practice, but it has been done. However, coverage is often extremely limited, even when it is added. It’s probably safe to assume that your homeowners policy doesn’t include much coverage towards a locksmith, if it provides any at all.

If homeowners insurance DOES cover locksmith costs, how much do I have to pay?

Locksmiths tend to charge a high amount for their services, and your homeowners policy won’t provide much coverage towards it, if it includes any at all. Honestly, I’d be surprised if a homeowners policy even provided as much as $100 towards a locksmith. However, there are a couple of related instances in which your homeowners policy would cover you, which we’ll examine next.

What locksmith-related services does homeowners insurance cover?

Locksmiths specialize in lock and key services, including gaining access to homes if the homeowner has been locked out. While a standard homeowners policy may not provide much if any coverage specifically towards locksmith services, there are certain related scenarios your policy would provide coverage for.

Standard homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for the following scenarios:

• Your keys get stolen: Your keys are considered personal property and are probably covered up to a certain limit if they’re lost or destroyed by a covered peril, or stolen.
• Your safe is vandalized or stolen: Now it would be a bit difficult to steal a safe, but it does happen. Your safe is another piece of personal property, and if it disappears due to a covered peril or is vandalized, your policy should cover you.
• Your door, lock or window gets damaged by a covered peril: Locksmiths are often called to help a homeowner get into their home, sometimes because a door’s lock has been damaged. If your door or lock gets damaged by a covered peril such as a natural disaster (e.g., windstorm, hail, fire, blizzard, or lightning) or vandalism, your homeowners insurance policy should provide coverage for it. Same thing for windows.

Reach out to your independent insurance agent to help you review your specific homeowners insurance policy. That way you can be sure of exactly what kind of coverage you’ve got when it comes to locksmith-related services.

If homeowners insurance doesn’t cover a locksmith, what will?

For issues like getting locked out of your vehicle, you may be covered by roadside assistance or other services under your auto insurance policy. Certain homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for creating duplicate house or car keys, but coverage is limited and often the deductible is higher than what you’d pay out of pocket. If you’re concerned you don’t have enough coverage, work with your agent to explore your options for adding more.