Locksmith insurance
For mobile and shopfront locksmiths, auto locksmiths included. Access to clients' homes, businesses and keys, car lockouts, key cutting machines and stock in the van: we ask how you work, then get you quotes from insurers.
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General advice only. Read the policy documents we send with your quote before you decide.
What it can cover for locksmiths.
Examples of the claims locksmith insurance can respond to. Whether a claim is paid, and how much, is up to the insurer under your policy.
A door is damaged getting in
Opening a lockout, you split the client's door frame or damage the door beyond what the job needed. Damage to someone else's property caused by your work can fall under public liability, less the excess. An excess is the amount you pay towards a claim.
Drill swarf marks a client's floor
Drilling out a lock barrel, hot brass shavings drop onto the client's polished timber floor and burn marks into the finish. Damage to a client's property from your work can fall under public liability, subject to the policy wording and the excess.
A door you rehung swings into a visitor
You rehang a shop door and fit a new closer, and a week later it slams onto a customer's hand. Injury caused by work you'd finished can fall under public liability, depending on the wording.
A customer trips over your toolbox
A customer trips over your toolbox in a shop doorway and is hurt. Injury to a member of the public from your work can fall under public liability.
The van is broken into
Key cutting machines, pick sets, a transponder programmer and key blanks are taken from the van overnight. Tool and stock cover can pay to repair or replace them, up to the policy limits (the most the policy pays for a claim) and its conditions on how they were secured.
Ask first: a car is damaged during a lockout
Opening a locked car or programming a new key, you scratch the paint, tear a door seal or upset the car's electronics. Public liability may respond, depending on how the policy treats vehicles you're working on. Ask us to check before you take on automotive jobs.
What it usually doesn't cover.
Every policy is different, and the policy wording is what counts. These are the usual gaps.
- The cost of redoing your own faulty work, such as refitting a lock: the policy looks at the damage it causes, not the fix
- Injury to you or your workers: that's workers comp, or personal accident cover for yourself
- Security advice and design, such as recommending a system or designing a master key plan: that's professional indemnity
- Losses from a break-in where the claim is that your lock or advice failed, unless the policy says otherwise
- Work you didn't tell the insurer you do, such as safes and vaults, electronic access control, alarms, CCTV or automotive keys
- Dishonest acts by someone you employ, such as misuse of a client's keys or codes, unless the policy covers it
- The cost of re-keying a building after keys in your care go missing, unless the policy covers it
- Tools and stock left in an unlocked vehicle, unless the policy says otherwise
The covers locksmiths ask about.
In the order most locksmiths think about them. Each one is explained on its own page.
- Public liabilityDamage to a door, frame or car while you work, and injury to the public. Strata and commercial clients usually ask to see this first.
- ToolsKey cutting machines, programmers, pick sets and key blanks, for theft and damage up to the policy limits.
- VehiclesRacking, a workbench and the key cutting setup go with you to every lockout. Vehicle cover is for a van used for work, with the fit-out included where the policy lists it.
- Workers compApprentices up ladders fitting closers and driving between jobs. Workers comp for employees runs under each state's scheme.
- Accident and illnessOff work means call-outs you can't take. Personal accident and illness cover can pay a weekly benefit if injury or illness stops you working, depending on the policy.
- Sole tradersMobile locksmith on your own ABN? See how the covers fit together for sole traders.
Licences and site rules.
- On the job
Commercial clients, strata managers and property managers often ask for a certificate of currency (the insurer's proof that your policy is in force) for your public liability before you start, and some contracts set a cover limit.
- Western Australia
In WA, check with WA Police whether your lock, safe or vault work needs a security licence, and which class.
Security licence requirements, WA Police Force(opens in a new tab)- Other states
Whether lock and security work needs a licence depends on your state and the work. Check with your state's licensing body, and tell us which licence you hold.
What sets the price.
- The work you do: residential, commercial, automotive, safes or electronic access
- Mobile, shopfront or both
- Your turnover
- The public liability limit you choose
- How many people work for you
- The value of the tools, machines and stock you insure
- The state you work in
- Your claims history
On the quote form
Pick the one that matches your work. Not sure? Pick the closest and tell us in the comments.
- Locksmith
How to get locksmith insurance.
Tell us about your locksmithing.
Mobile or shopfront, residential, commercial or automotive, safes or access control, your turnover, who works with you and the value of your machines and stock. Use the quote form or call us.
We get you quotes.
We ask insurers to quote with any safe, access control and automotive work declared, and come back to you with what each one covers and what it doesn't, re-keying included.
Choose a policy.
Cover starts once you pick a policy and the insurer agrees to it. Then ask us for a certificate of currency for your strata and commercial clients.
Locksmiths: your questions.
What insurance do I need as a locksmith?
Most locksmiths start with public liability, because commercial clients and strata managers ask for it and you work inside other people's homes, businesses and cars. Tool and stock cover for the key machines and blanks, and cover for the van, usually come next, then workers comp if you employ anyone and personal accident cover for yourself. What suits you depends on your work, so talk it through with a broker before you decide.
How much does locksmith insurance cost?
There's no set price. The insurer works it out from the locksmithing you do, whether you're mobile or have a shopfront, your turnover, the public liability limit you choose, how many people work for you, the tools and stock you insure, your state and your claims history. Tell us about your work and we'll get you quotes.
Do locksmiths need public liability insurance?
It's often asked for by commercial clients, strata and property managers before you start. Some lock and security work needs a licence, depending on your state. Common limits are $5 million, $10 million and $20 million; if a contract names a limit, choose at least that. Check what your state asks for, and keep a certificate of currency handy.
How much public liability tradies needAm I covered if a lock I fitted fails and there's a break-in?
It depends on the wording. Public liability is about injury or damage your work causes. When the claim is that a lock you fitted failed and let a thief in, some policies deal with it separately, limit it or exclude it. Advice about security can be a professional indemnity matter. Tell the insurer about all your security work, and ask us to check how each quote treats it.
Are key machines in the van covered?
They can be, under tool and stock cover, up to the policy limits. Many policies cover theft from a vehicle only when it's locked and there are signs of forced entry, and some limit cover overnight. Tell us the value of your key machines and programmers, so the insurer can quote on what they're worth.
Is your van covered?Am I covered if I damage a car during a lockout?
Damage to a customer's car while you open it or work on its keys can fall under public liability, but some policies limit or exclude damage to property you're working on, or treat vehicles separately. If you do automotive work, tell the insurer, and ask us how each quote treats it.
Sort your cover.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or email mate@tradies365.com.au.