Compare GAP Insurance Policies

If the supplying dealer fitted accessories or options to your vehicle, it is worth checking carefully whether another provider's GAP insurance policy would cover them at all.

Some policies exclude dealer-fitted accessories entirely. Others exclude third-party accessories that are not genuine manufacturer items.

Our GAP insurance policies can cover all factory-fitted accessories and options, plus up to £1,500 of dealer-fitted accessories and options shown on your vehicle sales invoice.

When requesting a quote, simply declare the invoice price inclusive of those items. For example, if the vehicle itself cost £10,000 and dealer-fitted accessories added a further £1,000, the invoice price entered should be £11,000.

This is one of the most important policy differences to understand, because it can make a substantial difference to the amount paid in the event of a claim.

If your car is written off following an accident, fire or theft, your motor insurer will offer what they believe the vehicle was worth at the time of loss. Some GAP insurance policies then compare that figure against their own definition of "market value", often based on an industry guide such as Glass's or CAP. If their guide suggests your motor insurer paid too little, they may refuse to cover the shortfall.

Some policies go further and may also reassess what your vehicle was worth when you originally bought it. If they believe you paid more than their guide value at the time, they may reduce the GAP settlement again.

That can feel deeply unfair. You have very little control over what your motor insurer pays, and no control at all over what any valuation guide might say your vehicle is worth.

Our Contract Hire, Invoice and Replacement GAP insurance policies do not include these restrictive market value clauses. If your motor insurer pays less than we believe they should have done, we may pursue that separately, but that would not necessarily reduce the GAP insurance payout due under your policy.

After an accident, theft or fire, life can become hectic very quickly. There may be stress, paperwork, disruption and sometimes injury to deal with as well. In those circumstances, short claim notification deadlines can easily be missed.

While many GAP insurance policies require you to notify the provider within 30 days of the incident, our policies allow up to 90 days from the date of incident.

That gives you more breathing room at what is often a difficult and demanding time.

If you replace your vehicle during the policy term, we can cancel the original policy, calculate a daily pro-rata rebate of the unused premium, and allow that value to be carried forward in full against the cost of a new policy on your replacement vehicle.

No cancellation, transfer or administration fee applies when the unused value is being used towards a new policy.

Some providers charge transfer fees of up to £50, while others do not allow any transfer at all once a certain amount of time has passed. We believe a fairer, simpler approach is better.

It is not unusual for people to buy a GAP insurance policy, then only later get the chance to read the small print properly and compare the cover in more detail.

If you buy a policy from us and then decide within the first 30 days that it is not right for you, we will cancel it and provide a full refund, provided no claim has been made or is pending.

Some providers offer a shorter cooling-off period, which can leave you with less time to review the policy properly after purchase.

If your vehicle is declared a total loss and you have had to pay an excess under your motor insurance policy, our GAP insurance policies can cover up to £750 of that excess as part of a valid claim.

That is now a feature many people expect, but it is still worth checking carefully when comparing policies.

Since 2016, a number of offshore underwriters connected to budget-priced GAP insurance policies have failed.

While low prices can be appealing, insurer strength matters. If an insurer is unable to meet its obligations, the claims process can become slower, more stressful and far less certain at exactly the moment you need support.

We do not aim to sell the cheapest GAP insurance at any cost. We aim to offer well-structured cover backed by financially strong insurers at a fair price.

Our GAP insurance policies are underwritten by Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd.

In our view, paying a little more for stronger underwriting can be a worthwhile trade-off for greater confidence in the cover.

In many cases, your motor insurer will only provide a courtesy car until they decide whether your vehicle is repairable. If they declare it a total loss, that courtesy car is often withdrawn.

If you add Total Loss Courtesy Car cover to your GAP insurance policy with us, you can be provided with a courtesy car for up to 28 days after your vehicle has been written off.

See our Total Loss Courtesy Car page for full details.

Some GAP insurance policies require you to contact the provider before accepting your motor insurer's settlement offer. If you do not, the provider may reduce the GAP payout or even refuse part of the claim.

We think that is an unnecessarily harsh approach, especially given how stressful and fast-moving a total loss situation can be.

Of course, we would always prefer to be involved as early as possible. The sooner we are notified, the easier it may be to challenge an inadequate settlement from the motor insurer if necessary.

However, our policies do not include a penalty clause requiring pre-approval before you accept your motor insurer's offer. That gives you more flexibility and removes another potential trap hidden in the small print.

If the purchase of your vehicle included negative equity carried forward from a previous car, most GAP insurance policies will exclude that amount completely.

With us, for an additional premium, Invoice and Replacement GAP insurance can include cover for up to £2,000 of carried-forward negative equity.

See our Invoice GAP insurance and Replacement GAP insurance pages for more details.

If you cancel within the first 30 days, and no claim has been made or is pending, you will receive a full refund.

If you cancel after 30 days, again provided no claim has been made or is pending, we calculate a daily pro-rata rebate of unused premium.

You can either have that rebate refunded, in which case an administration fee may apply, or carry it forward against the cost of a new policy on another vehicle. Where the unused value is being carried forward onto a new policy, no cancellation, transfer or administration fee applies.

You can also view, update and print your policy documents online at any time by signing in via our website. Changes such as updating your address, name or registration number can also be made without unnecessary fuss.

Yes. Where a valid GAP insurance claim is paid, any finance company with an interest in the vehicle would be paid first if necessary, and any remaining balance would then be paid directly to you.

If there is no finance outstanding, the payment goes straight to the policyholder.

That gives you the freedom to decide what to do next. You can put the money towards another vehicle from any dealer of your choice, or use it differently if your circumstances have changed.

Some policies are more restrictive and may require the claim administrator to source the replacement vehicle, or may pay out via a dealer credit instead of a cash settlement. We believe a direct cash payout offers greater flexibility and convenience.

The time limit depends on the type of GAP insurance.

Replacement GAP insurance is available within 90 days of taking delivery of a brand new vehicle, provided the invoice price was less than £50,000.

Invoice GAP insurance can be purchased within 90 days of delivery.

Contract Hire GAP insurance can be purchased at any time, provided enough time remains on the lease.

Top-Up GAP insurance can be purchased later, up until the vehicle reaches 10 years old, subject to the policy terms.