Care is key to saving money behind the wheel

More than a quarter of drivers who fail to take care of their car keys could end up in a costly jam, research suggests.
 
A poll of 2000 drivers by Lloyds Bank Car Insurance found that 26 per cent of drivers had lost their car keys, and one in 20 had been a victim of car key theft.
 
The insurer revealed that, of the drivers who said they’d lost their keys, more than half admitted misplacing them before even stepping outside the front door.
 
One in five had misplaced their car keys at work, 15 per cent lost them during a shopping trip, and 13 per cent claimed their keys had disappeared while out visiting friends and relatives. More than one in 10 had been left stranded standing in a car park with their car but no keys.
 
Despite one in 20 drivers falling victim to car key theft, more than a fifth still admitted not keeping their keys out of sight at home, where almost half of key thefts occur. The research found that 19 per cent had keys stolen from a bag and more than one in 10 were taken from inside the car.
 
Lloyds Bank Car Insurance is offering free Key Care and Guaranteed Replacement Car cover as standard on new car insurance policies bought directly from Lloyds Bank. Key Care can provide cover if you lock your keys inside your car or home, including locksmith charges, new locks, replacement keys and alternative transport if losing your keys leaves you stranded.

Guaranteed Replacement Car cover can help you stay on the road if your car is stolen or written off, or is no longer driveable following a fire, theft or accident claim.
 
Jeremy Ward, head of Lloyds Bank Car Insurance, said: "Being without car keys can put life on hold for the 47 per cent of drivers who use their vehicle on a daily basis.
 
“Many manufacturers are now producing far more advanced key systems programmed with locking, immobilising, and recognition technology, which means that arranging a new set of keys is not only inconvenient and time consuming, but also extremely costly.”
 
For more information, visit lloydsbank.co.uk/carinsurance.