Technical Insurance Key Cover won't replace keys

[Yennenga]

Annoyed. I lost my one and only key*. Insurance will only pay £300 towards full replacement of locks. No key replacements. Of course they don't say this part when you buy the insurance and even in the fine print.

I have RAC lost key cover as well - assuming it's the same b.s.

I called four "emergency" locksmiths and nobody is answering their phones. Go figure. I wait. In a huff.

Is there an alternative to full lock replacement (which I assume will cost way more than £300), just so I don't get bamboozled by locksmiths hoping for a bonanza on account of my ignorance.

*Disclaimer: I have tried to have copy made before but two local locksmiths says they don't do those keys.

 

[porta]

Assuming the car is with its original parts a dealer should be able to sort you out…
Be aware that some are as helpful as can be and some can’t be arsed

 

[koalar]

New lock set does not help

You would also need the body computer(immobiliser) and ECU (or wipe yours)

Fiat can supply a pre cut, pre programed key from the chassis number but it still requires adding into the body computer

Which is a simple task, as long as your car is pre 2012


Very few autolock smiths can pre programed remote keys and charge accordingly, finding someone will not be a trivial task


A none remote key is simpler and cheaper

 

[varesecrazy]

A local key cutter built and coded a key for less than £60 ... as youve seen.. that is cheap insurance

So..

The cars I.D. should be stored in FIAT Italy

A UK dealer can supply that info

And an expensive sounding key




What age is the car.. what happened to its key??

 

[irc]

Not of much help to you in this particular case, but may help someone else...
It is possible to get a key blade cut from a photo. Obviously it would need a transponder to be able to start the car, but being able to unlock the car (and the steering column) is a step up from a locked car with locked steering stuck miles from home.
If you also have the 5 digit security code, it is possible to drive it home/somewhere useful.
Of course having a spare key is a much better option, but this helped me get a car from up north to home without paying more for the transport than the car was worth. (Long story, ending up with cheap Panda for me!).

 

[Yennenga]

A local key cutter built and coded a key for less than £60 ... as youve seen.. that is cheap insurance

So..

The cars I.D. should be stored in FIAT Italy

A UK dealer can supply that info

And an expensive sounding key




What age is the car.. what happened to its key??

Me happened. My bag got knicked when I was not paying attention.

 

[koalar]

Auto Locksmiths have a special tool they insert into the lock it opens the door and tells them how to cut a new key





Once you can turn the ignition on you can read the code to program a new key and and write new the information to new blank transponder chip all through the diagnostic port

This is as long as your car is pre 2012

From 2012 if the car was locked from a remote. The diagnostic port is locked out, the body computer is dead until a valid code is sent from a remote

Plenty of video on YouTube showing post 2012 all keys lost being done. They are all on vehicles already unlocked or have been locked with the key not the remote


Clone an existing key under £50
All keys lost transponder key around £150
Preprogram a remote and add over £250
All keys lost remote nearly £500

Of cause some people will be cheaper and others dearer


If its an all key lost and the car is in the middle of nowhere then the call out will be more.

Occasionally someone says they have had a remote done for £150 but details are normally very sketchy

Too late now. But if you get a car with one key getting a transponder key cloned is a very good idea. Someone got one done at a supermarket for £35 recently


I believe the other half was charged £135(nearly 10 years ago) cash in hand , I can't remember if she got the number from her insurance compy(I think so) or Google.

 

[varesecrazy]

What insurance did you claim on

Motor.. Household.. or Packaged Bank ?

They all have it covered to some degree

The emergency start code can be printed off by a UK fiat dealer.. ring around... some are cheaper than others


Uncoupling the steering lock.. or having a £15 'dumb' key made will save you some cash IF nothing else is covering the repairs

 

[porta]

Auto Locksmiths have a special tool they insert into the lock it opens the door and tells them how to cut a new key





Once you can turn the ignition on you can read the code to program a new key and and write new the information to new blank transponder chip all through the diagnostic port

This is as long as your car is pre 2012

From 2012 if the car was locked from a remote. The diagnostic port is locked out, the body computer is dead until a valid code is sent from a remote

Plenty of video on YouTube showing post 2012 all keys lost being done. They are all on vehicles already unlocked or have been locked with the key not the remote


Clone an existing key under £50
All keys lost transponder key around £150
Preprogram a remote and add over £250
All keys lost remote nearly £500

Of cause some people will be cheaper and others dearer


If its an all key lost and the car is in the middle of nowhere then the call out will be more.

Occasionally someone says they have had a remote done for £150 but details are normally very sketchy

Too late now. But if you get a car with one key getting a transponder key cloned is a very good idea. Someone got one done at a supermarket for £35 recently


I believe the other half was charged £135(nearly 10 years ago) cash in hand , I can't remember if she got the number from her insurance compy(I think so) or Google.

Wife’s got done by a mobile locksmith, based near Allerton in Bradford for £150, spurious key, he said it would be nearer £300 if she’d lost both keys and would need reg docs to confirm with Fiat/Jeep dealer for coding. Seemed to know what he was talking about, as he actually carried the key fob/blanks, I presume it’s common!
She ran over it with the tractor mower, completely obliterated

 

[koalar]

Have you tried the RAC?


With Key Replace, your car and house keys are covered if they’re lost, stolen accidentally broken – or locked in your vehicle.

The RAC will cover the cost of replacing them and your locks if needed. And we can arrange a hire car if you need one.

 

[AndyRKett]

New lock set does not help

You would also need the body computer(immobiliser) and ECU (or wipe yours)

Fiat can supply a pre cut, pre programed key from the chassis number but it still requires adding into the body computer

Which is a simple task, as long as your car is pre 2012


Very few autolock smiths can pre programed remote keys and charge accordingly, finding someone will not be a trivial task


A none remote key is simpler and cheaper

This is not correct.

If you’ve lost your key the insurance cover is to provide a new set of locks that do not match the previous keys so if found that key cannot be used to access the car.
The new key for the new locks can be coded to the original body computer, when programing new keys any old keys not present will be automatically coded out and blocked from ever working with the body computer again (so if the old key was found it can never be made to work on the car again)

The cost of new keys for cars is pretty expensive but £300 would cover a non remote basic key (many auto locksmiths will make a new non original key for about £60)
A new set of locks depends on the manufacturer, probably somewhere around £30-40 per lock, so on a new car 1 door, maybe boot and ignition, on some cars only one door lock, on older cars maybe two doors the boot and the ignition,

Anyway, £300 in theory is enough to cover the work of you can find someone who will do this for a fiat, fiat need the code for coding new keys that in the uk all dealerships took out of the documents pack before handover of the new car, and they’ll charge you for a replacement