MAKING SENSE OF GAP INSURANCE – HOW TO MIND YOUR GAP 3
What is GAP insurance?
If you’re thinking about buying a vehicle, you may want to consider purchasing
Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance too.
The moment you buy a vehicle, its value starts to decrease. Different vehicles
depreciate at different rates, but whichever make and model you choose, no
matter how old the vehicle is, depreciation is likely to knock off a proportion of
the original price, particularly during the first few years
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.
If you are in an accident or your vehicle is stolen, and your motor insurer deems
your vehicle a write off, they will compensate you to the amount that your vehicle
was worth at the time of the loss – also known as ‘market value’. Because of
depreciation, this will be lower than the price you paid. GAP insurance can cover
you against this, more or less filling the ‘gap’ between the vehicle’s market value
(what it would cost if put on the market just before the accident) and the vehicle’s
value when you purchased it, as well as any outstanding finance debts, if applicable.
Where can I buy GAP insurance?
When you buy your vehicle, you will probably be offered GAP insurance with it.
However, because cover differs between policies and providers, it is important to
shop around to make sure the policy you purchase is the most appropriate one for
your needs. GAP insurance is available from a variety of sources, including:
• The vehicle retailer
• Insurance companies
• Insurance brokers (including online comparison websites)
• Finance and leasing companies
• Banks.
To sell GAP Insurance they must be authorised and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority (FSA). You can check the FSA register of authorised companies
at http://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/.
How do I choose the right GAP policy
for me?
GAP insurance is available for new, used, leased, business-owned or privately
purchased vehicles. There are several different types of policies, the main being RTI
Combined (also known as Return to Invoice/Financial Shortfall combined product)
and Return to Invoice (also known as Invoice Price Protection) GAP. Other types of
GAP include Finance GAP, Return to Value GAP and Equivalent Value/Replacement
GAP. Make sure that you buy the type of policy that best suits your needs.
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http://www.which.co.uk/cars/choosing-a-car/buying-a-car/car-depreciation/calculating-depreciation/.