Money News
4th August 2008
Insurers take dim view of lost house keys
Britons are risking a burglary by being lax with their spare sets of house keys, according to Sainsbury's Home Insurance.
In a poll conducted by the company, over a million householders confessed that they have forgotten to retrieve spare sets of keys from neighbours, workmen and old boyfriends and girlfriends.
However, according to Neil Laird, manager of the company's insurance division, this approach could prove costly, since insurers are likely to regard this as an abnegation of responsibility and reject claims.
He said: "If you don't take reasonable care of your property, including keys, you could potentially invalidate your insurance.
"If you have any concerns as to the whereabouts of a set of household keys, then the safest measure is always to have your locks changed.
Mr Laird added: "Although it's sensible and often necessary to leave a spare set of keys with a trusted person to gain access to your property, it's concerning to see just how many homeowners have completely lost track of who could have access to their home."
The insurer's research also discovered that around half a million people do not know how many sets of keys exist for their property.
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