This will at least help you deal with the financial loss. Nearly all insurance companies require that you use a lock with an ART approval. Be sure to check the conditions in your insurance policy.
Keep important information about your bike and lock with your insurance documents. Always keep your spare key in a safe place. Most locks are sold with two or three identical keys. The corresponding key number is usually engraved in the key. Sometimes the key number is on a label attached to a ring. You need this number if you have to reorder a key. It’s best to order keys from your bike dealer or the supplier of the lock. If your bicycle is insured, remember to report any spare key orders to the insurance company. Your dealer can help you with this. Spare keys made by a third party, such as a key service, are always recognisable as copies because they lack the trade mark or brand name. Often the key number is also missing.
All bicycle insurers in the Netherlands require insured bicycles to be securely locked. This is a condition for compensation clearly stated in their insurance policies. With a frame lock you can proof your bike was locked by handing over both original keys. Never be nonchalant about locking up your bicycle. If the company that insured you against theft suspects any kind of fraud, you will not get any money back. So always lock your bicycle with an ART approved lock. And always use a second ART lock to attach your bicycle to the “fixed world”. This is the best insurance for preventing the theft of your bicycle.
Unfortunately, bicycles are often stolen from garages and sheds. So always lock your bicycle even when parked there with an ART lock (or attach it to something secure). Then there’s a bigger chance that thieves will leave your bicycle alone.
Check the policy conditions of your insurance to find out whether you still meet the insurance company’s requirements. It may well be that additional preventive measures must be taken. Think here of the use of an extra ART lock to attach your bicycle to the “fixed world”. If you have any questions about your policy conditions, contact your insurance agent or bike dealer for reliable advice.