Does car insurance cover lost or stolen keys in Queensland?

What do insurers pay for stolen keys and locks?

On the insurer pages checked on 13 October 2026, cover for stolen car keys stops at $750 with RACQ and $1,000 with Youi and Budget Direct. For house locks after a key theft, RACQ lists up to $1,000 per claim and Suncorp lists $500, $1,000 or $2,500, depending on the policy.

These rows are summaries from product pages. Each insurer points to its PDS for the full conditions, and your own policy schedule is what counts.

If your claim is knocked back, Moneysmart, the federal government's money site, says to complain to the insurer's internal dispute resolution team first. If you're still not happy, contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). AFCA describes itself as a free, fair and independent service for complaints about financial firms.

Does car insurance cover lost keys?

Usually not. Youi says lost or misplaced keys won't be covered in most cases, and Apia answers the same question with a plain no. Roadside cover is the main exception. Apia Roadside Assist and Youi Roadside Assist both help with lost keys, and Youi caps what it pays at $250.

Does roadside assistance cover lost keys?

Often, in part. Apia says that if you've added Apia Roadside Assist to a Comprehensive policy, it'll arrange for a locksmith to attend or for spare keys to be delivered. Youi Roadside Assist comes standard with Youi Comprehensive car insurance. It can arrange for your spare key to be delivered or help you get into the car, and the most it pays is $250. RACQ's roadside tiers have their own section further down.

Lost or stolen: why it matters to the insurer

Theft is the event these benefits name. Youi says you need to report the theft to police so they can issue an incident number, and that your insurer will ask for it. Budget Direct says to report the theft to police as soon as possible. RACQ's home lock benefit applies when the theft is reported to police. A key you've simply lost isn't a theft, so these benefits don't reach it.

With no cover for lost keys, the new key is on you. ABC Locksmiths cuts car keys at its Brendale shop, including from the key code. Start with key cutting at the counter, or read what a replacement car key costs first.

Does car insurance cover stolen keys?

Comprehensive car policies often do, up to a set limit and after your excess. RACQ pays up to $750 to replace and recode stolen vehicle keys and locks. Youi and Budget Direct each list up to $1,000. All three figures were on the insurers' own pages on 13 October 2026.

RACQ's limit is the lowest of the three listed here. Youi's cover sits on both its Comprehensive and its Third Party Fire & Theft policies. Budget Direct's applies to Comprehensive policyholders, for car keys or a remote locking device that are stolen and not recovered.

Do I pay the excess on a stolen key claim?

Usually, yes. RACQ pays up to $750 after any relevant excess is paid. Youi says the excess agreed in your policy schedule applies. Moneysmart says you generally pay an excess whenever you claim, at fault or not, and that some policies waive it in limited cases. Your schedule shows the amount.

What if the car was stolen with the keys inside?

This is where cover can fall over. Youi warns that if you leave your keys in the ignition, or anywhere else in the car, and the car is stolen, you may not be covered. In November 2024, Queensland Police said that in Queensland, one in two cars are stolen using the car's keys.

With that done, you can get a replacement car key made.

Does RACQ cover lost car keys?

RACQ car insurance lists stolen keys. For lost keys, the help comes from RACQ Roadside Assistance. Its Key Assist benefit puts up to $110, $165 or $300 a year toward locksmith services, towing or personal transport, depending on your tier. Everyday Lite lists Key Assist under its exclusions.

Key Assist applies when your keys are broken, lost or stuck inside the vehicle. RACQ's roadside terms and conditions, effective 2 July 2026, set the limits. The service has to be agreed between the driver and RACQ. It doesn't include replacing a key where a spare can be sourced locally. You pay for any replacement parts, ignition barrels, immobilisers, door locks and door keys.

Locked out with the keys inside? The same terms say that if RACQ can't get the vehicle open, it can help arrange a professional locksmith, and that may cost the driver extra. RACQ's roadside number is 13 11 11.

Does home insurance cover stolen house keys?

Some home and contents policies pay to rekey or replace your outside door locks when keys are stolen. RACQ Home and Contents lists up to $1,000 per claim. Suncorp Contents lists $500, $1,000 or $2,500, depending on the policy. Both pages say this benefit carries no excess of its own.

The wording differs in ways that matter. RACQ's benefit applies when keys are stolen from your home and the theft is reported to police, and RACQ adds that other excesses may apply. Suncorp's applies when the keys to your outside doors or windows are stolen anywhere in Australia or New Zealand. Suncorp pays to replace or recode the locks. It says it won't pay to replace the keys themselves.

Does home insurance cover lost house keys?

Both of these benefits are written for stolen keys. Neither page lists lost keys. If you've lost a house key and can't be sure where it went, you can still have ABC Locksmiths do the lock rekeying at your own cost.

Can you claim for lost car keys on home insurance?

The RACQ and Suncorp home benefits above are for the locks on your house. Neither page mentions car keys. Ask your insurer, and have your policy number handy.

Is it worth claiming, or cheaper to pay the locksmith?

Compare three numbers before you lodge: a written locksmith quote, your excess and the benefit limit. Moneysmart says you might skip a claim when paying yourself costs less than the excess, or when a claim would lift your future premiums. Ask your insurer how a key claim affects your premium.

Moneysmart also says insurers have different terms on how a claim affects a no claim bonus, and that theft may be counted as an at-fault claim. So get that answer from your own insurer before you decide. The lock benefits from RACQ Home and Suncorp carry no excess of their own, which takes one number out of the sum.

For the other side of the sum, see what a replacement car key costs and what a locksmith costs in Brisbane.

Can I use my own locksmith for an insurance claim?

It depends on the policy. Check your PDS or ask your insurer two things: whether you can choose the locksmith, and whether they need a quote before any work starts. Get the answer before you book the job.

What should I check before I lodge a claim?

Four checks save a wasted claim. Read your PDS or policy schedule for the key or lock benefit, its limit and the excess. Get a written quote from a locksmith. If the keys were stolen, get the police incident number. Then lodge with your insurer and ask what else they need.

1. 1Step 1: Find the key or lock benefit in your PDS or policy schedule. Note the limit, the excess and any conditions, such as where the keys were stolen from.
2. 2Step 2: Get a written quote from a locksmith, so you can compare it with your excess.
3. 3Step 3: If the keys were stolen, report it to police and keep the incident number.
4. 4Step 4: Lodge the claim with your insurer and ask what they need before any work starts.

Moneysmart says that after you make a car insurance claim, the insurer must contact you within 10 business days. It may accept the claim, reject it or ask for more information. A rejection has to be in writing. Keep that letter, because it's what you take to the insurer's dispute team, and to AFCA after that.

After the claim, the key still has to be made

A claim sorts out who pays. Someone still has to cut the key and fix the locks. RACQ and Youi both describe their car cover as replacing and recoding keys and locks. So ask whoever makes the new key whether the stolen one can be stopped from working on the car, and get that answer before you pay.

ABC Locksmiths is an RACQ approved repairer with a walk-in shop at Unit 19, 193-203 South Pine Road, Brendale QLD 4500, and it offers mobile service too. The shop cuts and decodes car keys, including from the key code. For the house, it rekeys and replaces locks. Which locksmith your insurer or roadside provider will pay for is their call, so ask them before you book.

When you know who's paying, request a quote for the key you need. The Brendale counter takes walk-ins, and the phone is 07 3205 4925. Open Mon to Thu 8am to 4:45pm, Fri to 4:30pm.