Losing your keys can be super frustrating, inconvenient, and costly, and don't get me started on changing the locks!
Which insurance policy covers you if you or your landlord need to change the locks can be confusing and oftentimes will depend on why the locks need changing. Before we dive into that murky water, here are the clearest and simplest parts of the coverage.
Lost keys and locksmiths
Liability
Covers the cost of making a replacement set of keys for a property that doesn't belong to you when you've lost yours ✅
The policy doesn't cover the cost of a locksmith breaking into the apartment whether you've lost or misplaced the keys ❌
Household contents
Doesn't cover replacing lost keys regardless of who they belong to ❌
It also doesn't cover a locksmith breaking into the apartment in the event of missing keys ❌
Lock changes
Okay, now to the not-so-crystal-clear part.
In July 2020, a ruling (Az. 31 S 12365/19), from the Munich Regional Court decided that a tenant doesn't necessarily have to bear the full costs for a new locking system. Why is this important? This is what we call case law, also known as "Gewohnheitsrecht," which involves examining past court decisions to determine how things stand, rather than solely relying on what's written in constitutions, laws, or regulations.
That case determined that whether tenants have to pay to replace a locking system depends on the unique risk potential of the particular case (risk of burglary).
Liability
If you've lost your key, together with your ID and/or the key can be identified to a specific address, and your landlord/property owner wants to replace the locks because of this security risk, they can pass on a proportion of the costs to you, and this would be covered by this policy ✅
If you've only lost your keys and there's no way of matching them with an address, then there's no security risk, then changing the locks is not necessary and would not be covered ❌
If the key breaks in the lock due to age-related wear and tear or a technical defect, it's your landlord's responsibility to replace these as part of their duty to maintain the up-keep of the apartment ❌
Household
If you've lost your keys due to an insured event, for example, a burglar came in and took them along with your other belongings, then changing the locks would be covered ✅
If a burglar breaks the lock on the door to your rented apartment to get in, then your landlord should pay to fix or replace the lock. It's not your fault, and the door is part of the building and not considered household contents ❌
Sometimes landlords will write in the rental contract that costs for lock changes as a result of lost keys is always the tenant's responsibility, but this clause is ineffective and can't be enforced.