Yes. GEICO’s Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) includes lockout help, covered up to $100 for certain covered causes of loss. A locksmith or provider gets you back into your vehicle under that cap. What ERS doesn’t cover is a replacement key or key fob, and lockout help only applies if ERS is on the car you’re locked out of.
Lockout help is one of several services under GEICO’s roadside assistance coverage, alongside towing, jump starts, tire changes, fuel delivery and winching. ERS is optional and priced per vehicle, so check your declarations page if you’re not sure it’s on the car you drive.
Key Takeaways
- GEICO’s ERS covers lockout help up to $100 for certain covered causes of loss.
- GEICO doesn’t list which specific causes qualify beyond that phrase, so confirm with the dispatcher if you’re unsure your situation counts.
- A replacement key or key fob isn’t included, even when the lockout visit itself is covered.
- Only vehicles with ERS added are eligible, so a locked car without the coverage means paying a locksmith yourself.
What the Lockout Service Covers
GEICO’s Emergency Roadside Service page lists lockout services among ERS’s covered situations, “covered up to $100 for certain covered causes of loss.” In practice, that means GEICO sends a locksmith or provider to open the vehicle, and GEICO pays up to that amount for the visit.
GEICO doesn’t spell out which causes of loss qualify beyond that phrase. If your situation is unusual, such as a key broken off in the lock or a child locked inside, ask the dispatcher directly whether it’s covered before assuming either way.
What’s Not Included
| Situation | Covered by ERS? |
|---|---|
| Keys locked inside the vehicle | Yes, lockout service up to $100 for certain covered causes |
| Lost car key or key fob | No. Replacement keys and fobs aren’t included |
| Locksmith cost above $100 | No. You pay the amount beyond the cap |
| Vehicle without ERS added | No. Lockout help is only part of the optional ERS coverage |
If you need a replacement key or fob rather than just access to the car, that’s a separate cost outside ERS. A dealer or locksmith can cut a new one, but budget for it separately from your roadside coverage.
Hypothetical example: Say a locksmith visit for a covered lockout totals $130. With the $100 ERS cap, you’d likely owe the remaining $30 yourself. This only illustrates how the cap works; it isn’t a real locksmith price or a GEICO figure.
GEICO’s free, state-run safety patrols on some busy highways are a separate program from ERS, and they don’t fill this gap either. GEICO describes those patrols as helping with flat tires, jump starts and moving a disabled vehicle to a safe spot and doesn’t list lockouts, so a locked door on a highway shoulder is still an ERS or self-pay situation.
How to Request Lockout Help
- Get to a safe spot if you’re not already somewhere secure, away from traffic.
- Request help online or in the GEICO Mobile app, or call GEICO’s roadside assistance hotline if you’d rather speak with someone.
- Tell the dispatcher it’s a lockout and mention the cause if it’s unusual, so they can confirm what’s covered before anyone arrives.
- Keep your policy number handy. GEICO’s reimbursement process for self-arranged service asks for it on the original bill.
If a Lockout Turns Into a Bigger Problem
Occasionally a locksmith can’t open a vehicle without risking damage, or a car needs to go to a dealer for a new key to be cut. If that happens, towing under ERS can get the vehicle to the nearest repair facility, though it comes with its own mileage rules. ERS also helps with other common breakdowns, including changing a flat tire when you have a working spare.