The key to finding car keys

We have all been there. It is one of those days, where you need to go out really soon but you are running late so you have to rush to get ready. Finally, you gather up all your stuff, lock the front door and get to your car. Then, you start fumbling around in your bag for your car keys but you just can't seem to find them.

This is generally the run up to a situation that ends up with the entire contents of your handbag being scattered across the driveway for all to see. Make up, purse, mobile phone - everything you could possibly need - apart your car keys, which are unfortunately the vital ingredient for getting you to your date/interview/flight.

There tends to be two types of people when it comes to losing things. There are those who make a habit of losing their possessions and have to spend several hours a week turning their houses upside down in the hope of discovering where they have put something. This group we shall term "serial misplacers".

The other group can be named "one-off misplacers". These people are generally quite organised and have set routines which mean they know where to find everything because they always put it in the same place. It is only occasionally that they lose something, but when they do it, they generally make a good job of it.

Whether you are a serial misplacer or a one-off misplacer, losing your car keys is something which can be incredibly annoying. This is why it is so important to have a spare set - although for the serial misplacer, the chances are that it won't take long for the spare set to go missing too, meaning that you are right back where you started - stranded, late and frustrated.

So what can be done to find your car keys when they go missing? Serial misplacers will probably be used to looking for things, but bear with me. It is more likely that you will have absentmindedly put them down on a surface or in a drawer than having dropped them somewhere. This can narrow down your search slightly - prioritise by looking in the fridge and on the top of the TV rather than underneath the sofa cushions.

On the other hand, if you are a one-off misplacer, it is likely that you were either interrupted before you could carry out your normal routine or you dropped them. If you recall being interrupted as you last walked through the door, it is time to check the pockets of that jacket you were wearing and, if that doesn't work, act out being interrupted again and see where you end up.

If you weren't interrupted, the chances are that you have dropped them and this means retracing your steps - and don't forget to check under your car, one of the most common locations of lost keys.

Inevitably, some car keys will turn up again whilst others will remain forever lost. In the latter case, your only option is to get a new set of keys.

If you have an older car that doesn't have a chip in the key, a replacement shouldn't cost all that much - although you might be shocked at the hourly rates for emergency locksmiths.

However, if you have a newer car, your car key is likely to be chipped. This is really bad news because the manufacturer is likely to be the only one who can help you get back behind the wheel again.

This is not a cheap option and could almost tempt ladies into calling on their women's car insurance policy to help. However, this isn't recommended as motor insurance companies won't necessarily pay out over a replacement key. Even if you were able to claim, you would lose your no claims bonus and have to pay hugely inflated car insurance rates for years to come.

Considering this, your best bet is to avoid losing your car keys in the first place - an idea which might sound impossible to all you serial misplacers out there. However, technology can come to your rescue. There is a whole raft of devices on the market that allow you to attach tags to important items then track them over quite long distances.

Whether you are a serial misplacer or a one-off misplacer, these devices offer an excellent solution to lost car keys. But whatever you do, don't misplace the base unit or you will be searching the old fashioned way again.

*A replacement car can normally be arranged under one of the following conditions: (1) Comprehensive policyholders – a replacement car may be available under the terms of your insurance policy. Please check your policy details for more information. (2) Non fault accident – where we have the name, car registration number and insurance details of the person who caused the accident, we can supply a replacement car. This is done on a credit hire basis which means the costs for this service will be passed onto the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. We may not be able to arrange a replacement car where we are unable to get an admission of liability from their insurance company, or where the driver is untraceable or uninsured. (3) Repair garage – if your car is booked in for repairs following an accident, the repair garage may be able to provide a replacement car (subject to availability).