This very practical device, which is often seen in seasonal rentals and in certain private homes, can work against you.
Placing a spare key under the doormat, in a flower pot or behind a shutter… Everyone knows these little tricks. Of course, this allows you to easily access your home when you are away or unable to get up to open the front door, but it also greatly helps thieves if they find the hiding place. To avoid this, in recent years, owners have been turning to a more modern system. Available in DIY stores or online, at various prices, the device in question is intended to be both practical and secure. It is also often installed in rental properties. These key boxes are small, discreet safes that are fixed to an exterior wall. They contain one or more keys, or even a badge, and are opened with a predefined code.
In practice, it works like a combination lock. Normally, it is very difficult for a burglar to easily guess the code of a key box. However, according to the specialist magazine 60 Million Consumers, “these key boxes offer very relative resistance”. With a little knowledge, thieves can easily open the system lock. With a little know-how, criminals can easily force the device lock. Consequence: if the theft is committed without breaking in, some insurance companies can invoke the “warranty exclusion” clause and refuse to reimburse their customers. However, insurers generally do not mention this detail explicitly in their contracts.
Exception for Macif which stipulates that “theft and acts of vandalism committed using keys left outside the insured premises: in a secure box, in the mailbox, under the doormat, in the garden, on the terrace, in the courtyard or on the window” are excluded from support, indicate the guarantees of the Macif home insurance economic formula. So, before you proceed with installing a key box, check with your insurer to find out if this type of device is included in your coverage, and if so, to what extent. Indeed, this can vary depending on the type of insurance contract you have chosen.