You need the help of an experienced locksmith and are wondering whether the costs of the locksmith callout might be covered by your liability insurance. There are certainly services and installation work that a standard liability insurance would cover. However, it generally does not cover a conventional door opening that is required because you have locked yourself out of your own apartment.
Example: You leave your apartment to take out the trash. A strong gust of wind causes your apartment door to fly shut. Unfortunately, you don’t have your keys with you. In other words, you have locked yourself out and need a professional door opening by an experienced locksmith. In this case, your liability insurance will NOT cover the costs of the intervention and the door opening.
Your liability insurance generally covers locksmith services if you have caused injury to a third party
The situation is different, however, if you lose a key that can open the “central” locking cylinder (also called a master key). A master key, for example, is a building entrance key that can open the entrance door of your rental property or the office building where you work.
Example: You have lost your key ring, which held the key to the entrance door of your rental building. For security reasons, the landlord is forced to replace the lock and cylinder of the building’s entrance door and presents you with the locksmith’s invoice. In this case, your liability insurance will generally cover the costs of the locksmith’s call.
The basic principle of liability insurance is that you pay if you cause damage to another person.
Example:A friend gives you his apartment key so you can water the flowers while he’s on vacation. In a moment of carelessness, you close your friend’s apartment door on your way out, even though the key is still on the desk. To get back into his apartment, your friend needs to call a locksmith. Your liability insurance usually covers the cost of opening the door, since you caused damage to another person.