Most of us take our car keys for granted. It’s not something to which we attach much value – until they gone that is. Without the key your car is pretty much useless, and keys go missing each and every day … they’re almost as prone to wandering as that long-lost sock.
Thankfully Bidvest Insurance has come up with another first in South Africa by developing an innovative and exceptionally affordable solution to missing car keys. It’s called Keyguard, and it offers motorists complete peace of mind when it comes to their keys … for less than a pair of socks a month!
Claire Brider, product manager at Bidvest Insurance, explains that many motorists don’t realise the cost implications associated when you lose your keys. “Many motorists think that, if they lose their car keys, they can pop out to the locksmith and get a new key cut for R50. That’s definitely not the case anymore! As technology of cars has developed so too has the technology associated with its keys. Keys are now highly sophisticated devices with lots of electronic components; they’re almost like mini computers. With some cars, you can even use the key to park the vehicle without you in it!” she reveals.
All this technology has meant that the price of the average key has increased considerably. Bidvest Insurance conducted market research, which revealed that a single new car key can cost anything between R3 000 and R10 000. But wait, that’s not all, if you’ve lost your last key and have no spare, you will probably end up having to replace the entire lock set of the vehicle which includes your door locks, ignition etc, which can cost as much as R30 000!
The challenge with lost car keys is that they require a spare or master key to recode the replacement key and usually if these are missing then the repairer can’t code a new key and often the entire lock set will have to be replaced. Some manufacturers require the key to be specially re-coded at a central location, which can be based overseas, leaving you without a key for weeks as you wait for it to be made and shipped back to South Africa.
But wait, that’s still not all! What about your mobility and how you get around in the meantime? Or worse, what about the other keys on your keyring? Enter Bidvest Keyguard, which offers coverage on any lost, stolen or damaged car key from a Fiat to a Ferrari. “We always try to put ourselves in our customer’s shoes and ask, what happens if you have lost your keys? Well, firstly, you don’t have mobility. This can be a disaster for any motorist. Just picture the scenario: you are stuck in a parking lot with two screaming children and a trolley full of defrosting groceries … That’s any parent’s worst nightmare! So we’ll cover the use of a taxi or Uber to get you onto your next destination. We’ll also despatch a locksmith to help you open the car (so you can get valuables out of the boot, for instance), and then while you wait for the new key to be coded or lockset to be fitted we will also supply you with car hire to keep you carrying on with business as usual,” Brider reveals.
Flatbed towing is also covered. “Many people think that they have towing covered by regular car insurance. But that’s not always the case. It’s important to note that many towing benefits are only applicable in the event of an accident and don’t always apply if you have lost your key,” she explains.
And if you’re like most motorists, you probably don’t just have a single car key on your keyring; most people have house and office keys and remotes attached to their keys. This can be a huge expense to replace all those keys and remotes. Once again Bidvest Keyguard steps in and covers the loss of home and office keys and remotes attached to your car key as well.
Keyguard is now available from Bidvest McCarthy dealerships countrywide for a mere R980 and provides unlimited cover for two years. The product was launched in March and has already had a massive uptake. “It really is a powerful product for a tiny price and has exceeded expectations, so now you never need worry about lost keys again,” Brider explains.
Now if only Bidvest Insurance Group could come up with a similar product to cover lost socks…
