Safety first, then the paper trail
When something has gone wrong at your home or business, the first priority is safety. If you suspect someone may still be inside, stay out and call 911. If there is injury, fire, or danger, call 911 and let responders lead. Everything else, including the lock, can wait until the scene is safe.
After that comes the paper trail. Insurers, landlords, and sometimes courts ask for evidence of what happened, when it happened, and what was done about it. People who document well tend to have an easier time with claims and with disputes. People who rush to repair and forget to document sometimes find themselves unable to prove the loss. A few minutes of photographs and notes at the start can save weeks of friction later.
This page is general education, not legal or insurance advice. Policies differ, and the rules about what an insurer will cover are in your policy and in your conversations with the company. What follows describes the practical steps a locksmith sees people take, and the records that tend to help.
The usual order of calls
A sensible order, if nobody is in danger, is police first, then your insurer or landlord, then a locksmith. Calling the police creates an official record and a report number, and officers may want to see the scene before anything is changed. Calling the insurer or landlord next gets the claims process started and tells you what the company expects. Calling a locksmith last lets you secure the property in a way that fits the other two.
There is one exception. If the property is open to anyone and you cannot stay, such as a business door that will not close or a home with a broken lock at night, you may need to secure it right away. Tell the police and the insurer what you are doing, take photographs before and after, and keep the receipts. Most insurers expect reasonable steps to protect the property from further loss.
If you rent, call your landlord or property manager early. Many leases say that the landlord must be notified of a break-in, and the landlord may have a preferred vendor or a process for repairs. Telling the landlord quickly also protects you from a later argument about who caused the damage.
- Make sure everyone is safe. Call 911 if there is any danger.
- Do not enter or touch the scene until police say it is safe, if a break-in is suspected.
- Obtain a police report number and the officer's name.
- Photograph damage and the surrounding area before anything is changed.
- Notify your insurer, landlord or property manager.
- Call a locksmith to secure the property and keep every receipt.
What to photograph and write down
Photographs are the most useful evidence you can create. Take wide shots of the door and its surroundings, then close-ups of the lock, the strike plate, the frame, the glass, and any marks or damage. If a window or sliding door is involved, photograph both sides if you can. Include a shot of the street number so the location is clear. Take them before a technician or anyone else touches the hardware.
Write down the time you discovered the problem, who was home, who else has keys, and any detail that stands out. Note the make of the lock if you know it. List missing items, with approximate values and serial numbers if you have them. If a vehicle is involved, note the plate number and the VIN. A short note sent to yourself by email timestamps your account.
Ask the technician to describe the work on the receipt, and keep any parts that are removed if the insurer or police want them. A damaged lock or cylinder can be evidence. Do not discard it until you know whether it matters. The guide on locksmith work documentation and receipts describes what a good receipt includes.
- Wide and close photographs of the door, lock, frame and glass before any repair
- The time you found the problem and who was present
- A list of missing or damaged items, with serial numbers if you have them
- The police report number and the officer's name
- Receipts and descriptions of every repair, with removed parts kept if asked
Working with your insurer
Insurers handle claims differently, and nothing here replaces your policy. In general, they will want a prompt notice, a police report for theft or break-in, a description of the loss, and evidence of reasonable steps to prevent further loss. Many policies cover the cost of emergency securing, such as boarding a door or replacing a lock, but the details vary. Ask the company what it expects and whether it has a preferred vendor, and what documents it will need.
Do not assume that a locksmith's work is covered or not covered. Ask. An adjuster can tell you whether the cost of rekeying or replacing locks falls under your policy, and whether there is a deductible. If you have a homeowner's, renter's, or business policy, your agent can usually give a quick answer.
Keep copies of everything you send and receive, including emails and dates of calls. If a claim is denied or reduced, a clear record helps you appeal. If you are in a condominium, the association's master policy may cover some items, such as common area doors, and your own policy may cover the unit's interior. The guide on condos and HOAs explains how authority is divided.
Rekeying after stolen keys or a break-in
If keys were stolen or a door was forced, it is worth thinking about rekeying. A thief who has your keys and your address, or who has seen how your lock works, may return. Rekeying changes the internal pins so old keys stop working, without necessarily replacing the lock body. It is a common step after a theft, after losing a wallet, and after a break-in where the method of entry is not certain.
Sometimes a lock has to be replaced instead. A forced lock may be damaged beyond reliable repair, a frame may need reinforcement, or a cylinder may be compromised. A technician will assess the hardware and explain the options. Our guide on rekey versus replace describes the usual considerations.
If the entry came through a window, a sliding door, or a garage door, the locks on those may need attention as well. A walk-through with the technician can identify weak points. The page on sliding door locks and security bars and the guide on stolen keys and wallet give more ideas.
Authorization when an official report exists
A police report helps, but it does not replace authorization. A locksmith still needs to know who is requesting the work and that they have the right to do so. The report can support your account, for example by showing that your home was broken into and needs securing, and it gives the technician context. It does not tell the technician who the owner is.
If you are a tenant, the landlord or manager may need to approve the work. If you are an owner in a condo, the association may be responsible for common doors. If the property is disputed or involves an estate or a separation, additional paperwork may be needed. The guides on who can request a lockout service and landlords and tenants explain the options.
If the police have taken a property into custody, for example a vehicle or a door, follow their instructions about access. A locksmith should not work on evidence or on a scene that is still under investigation without confirmation from the officers in charge.
Temporary securing versus permanent repair
In many cases the first visit is about securing the opening, and the permanent repair follows once the insurer and landlord have weighed in. A technician may install a temporary latch, a bolt, a board, or a secondary lock so that the property is not open overnight. These measures keep the property safe and often satisfy an insurer's requirement for reasonable protection.
The permanent repair may require parts, a carpenter, or a glass company. A split door frame, a bent strike plate, or a damaged jamb may need woodwork before a lock will hold. Humidity and salt air in South Florida can complicate repairs, because swollen or rotted wood does not hold screws well. The page on door frame and jamb problems in humid climates explains why.
Ask the technician what is temporary and what is permanent, and ask for that distinction to be written on the receipt. A clear description of what was done and what remains to be done helps your insurer and your landlord understand the next steps.
Records to keep for months afterward
Claims and disputes can last longer than expected. Keep a folder, paper or digital, with the police report, the claim number and adjuster's contact, photographs, receipts, and a written timeline of what you did and when. Save emails and text messages with the landlord or property manager. If you spoke by phone, note the date, time, and the person's name.
Keep a record of who now holds keys. After a rekey or a lock change, write down how many keys exist and who has each one. If you gave a key to a neighbor, a family member, or a property manager, note it. That list is useful if a key is lost later and for any future claim.
A short summary page at the front of your folder makes any later conversation easier. When an adjuster or landlord calls months later, you will have the answers at hand.
What to have ready and how the call goes
When you call a locksmith after a police report or a claim, have these ready: your photo identification, proof of your connection to the property, the police report number, your insurer's claim number if you have one, photographs of the damage, and a note about who has authority to approve work. If your landlord or association is involved, have their contact details.
The dispatcher will ask whether anyone is in danger, what happened, and what the door and lock look like. Quotes are given by phone only, and this site shows no prices. Simple jobs can be described on the phone, and more complicated ones need an on-site visit with a service call charge that is explained before dispatch.
If you are at a damaged door right now and the scene has been cleared, gather your documents, take your photographs, and call. We will explain what to expect, what the technician will need, and how to keep the records that protect you.
When a vehicle is part of the claim
Many break-ins involve a vehicle rather than a building. A smashed window, a punched ignition, or a stolen key fob leaves the owner with both a security problem and a claim. The steps are similar: police report first, photographs, then a call to the insurer. A locksmith can help with the lock and key side, such as replacing a damaged door lock, repairing an ignition, or programming new keys so that a stolen fob no longer starts the car.
Vehicle work after a theft attempt has an extra requirement. Because a stolen key or fob can still be used against the car, the technician will often recommend that missing keys be disabled or erased from the vehicle, which depends on the make and model. Ask what is possible for your vehicle, and keep the report number handy. The guide on after a car theft attempt explains the usual sequence.
Questions people ask
Should I call the police or a locksmith first after a break-in?
Call the police first, and stay out if you think someone may still be inside. Officers can clear the scene and create a report. After that, notify your insurer or landlord, then call a locksmith to secure the property. If the property is open and cannot be left, secure it and document everything.
Will my insurance pay for a locksmith?
That depends on your policy and the circumstances. Many policies cover emergency securing after a covered loss, but details and deductibles vary. Ask your insurer or agent before the work if you can, and keep the receipt, the police report number, and photographs in case the company asks for them.
Do I need a police report to get locks changed?
No, a report is not required for a locksmith to change locks, but it helps with insurance and with your own records. A technician still needs to confirm that you have authority over the property. The report supports your account but does not replace proof of ownership or residency.
Should I keep the damaged lock?
Ask the police and your insurer before discarding it. A forced lock or cylinder can be evidence or proof of the damage. Ask the technician to set aside any removed parts, and keep them until you know whether they are needed.
Do I need to rekey if only a window was forced?
Not necessarily. If keys were not taken and the doors were not touched, rekeying may not be required. But if there is any doubt about whether keys were taken, or if you want peace of mind, rekeying is a common step. A technician can walk through the property and point out weak points.
Can the landlord insist on a particular locksmith?
Some leases and management policies name a vendor or require approval before repairs. Check your lease and ask the landlord. If you must act immediately to secure the property, tell the landlord what you did, take photographs, and keep the receipt so the work can be documented and reviewed.
Describe the situation by phone and we will tell you what the job involves. Quotes are given by phone. Jobs that cannot be quoted without seeing them need a technician on site, and the service call charge is explained on the phone before anyone is dispatched.
Related pages
Keeping the locksmith record consistent with the claim file
When a claim or report is open, the locksmith work becomes one piece of a larger file, and consistency matters. Make sure the address, the date, and the description of what happened are the same everywhere you state them. If you tell the insurer one version of the timeline and the work record says something slightly different, you create questions that did not need to exist. Before the technician starts, ask that the work description be written plainly and in your own terms, such as door lock damaged during attempted entry, rather than in loose shorthand that could be misread later by someone who was not there.
Keep each document in an order that tells the story. A simple folder, paper or digital, with the report number, your photographs, the work record and any messages from the insurer, makes it easy to answer a follow-up. Add short dated notes about calls you made, who you spoke with and what was said. You will probably forget details within weeks, and a short note written the same day is worth far more than an effort to reconstruct events months later. None of this requires special skill, only the habit of writing things down while they are fresh.
Be careful to describe only what you know. If you are unsure whether the lock was forced or simply failed, say that instead of guessing. The technician can describe what they see on the hardware, and that observation can sit in the record next to your own account. Speculation tends to age badly, while plain observation holds up. It also protects the working relationship with your insurer, who generally prefers a clear, modest account over a confident one that later turns out to be incomplete. Small details you mention early often prevent surprises once the work is underway.
Deciding what to do about the other doors and windows
After a break-in, attention naturally goes to the one damaged door, but the same event can expose weaknesses elsewhere. Walk the property with a notebook and look at every entry point, including sliding doors, side doors, garage entries and ground-floor windows. Note which latches feel loose, which tracks are worn, and which locks are original to an older house. These notes help you decide what needs attention first, and they help a technician understand the whole property instead of fixing a single symptom while leaving an obvious gap nearby.
Think in terms of order. The damaged hardware comes first, because it cannot hold anything closed. Then consider the doors that were never changed after you moved in, since previous keys may still exist. A rekey can make old keys useless on a lock you plan to keep, while replacement makes sense when a part is bent or worn. The tradeoffs and the scope should be explained before work begins, so you can choose according to what you have and what you can reasonably do this week, not because you feel rushed.
Do not let the emotional weight of the event push you into changing everything at once. A careful plan done in stages is often better than a sweeping rush. Secure what is exposed now, document the condition, and schedule the rest after the immediate stress has settled. If you share the home with others, tell them which keys will change so nobody is locked out the following day. And if the property belongs to someone else, such as a landlord, keep them informed so the decisions are made with the right authority.