Gap Insurance
Author
Discussion

Vipergreen

Original Poster:

340 posts

258 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
Now I don't buy these type of products usually but I've just brought this with my new RS at £457 for 3 years cover. I can cancel in first 14 days so as I brought last Monday I can still get a refund

Year 1 not relevant so cover only really applies in years 2 and 3.

Interested to know if anyone here has ever claimed and what the outcome was.

Also if anyone is interested the OPC have a used White/Black 997 RS in stock


Vesuvius 996

35,829 posts

300 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all

Why not insure with Chubb Masterpiece. Pays out agreed value, and allows you to drive any vehicle fully comp.

No need for GAP insurance then.

thegoose

8,077 posts

239 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
Year one will be relevant if the car is nicked or written off - that's the point surely?

The Chubb thing sounds like a good idea (although odd under-writing).

matc

4,737 posts

236 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
I've not had to use GAP insurance thankfully but I have had plenty of customers who have, and I must say it is definately worth the money. We have had countless amount of customers turn up with a cheque from the insurance company to buy themselves a brand-new car. Chubb is not going to give you back invoice price for your 3 year old car if it is nicked/written off but the GAP will.

I definately would not hesitate to take this out on any car I own, even a £15k Mini!!

RVVUNM

1,913 posts

238 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
A pal of mine bought this product by accident, ie stitched up by a rogue salesman at the point of sale.Anyway they didn't know they had it until the car was written off 2 1/2 years later and while looking at the finance paperwork to settle the car they noticed Gap insurance. Couple off calls later and a three week wait and their insurance company and the gap people had paid back every penny she paid for the car.Chuffed to bits she was.

Vipergreen

Original Poster:

340 posts

258 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
thegoose said:
Year one will be relevant if the car is nicked or written off - that's the point surely?

The Chubb thing sounds like a good idea (although odd under-writing).
Year one the car insuer provides cover to pay out full purchase price

955 GUY

192 posts

272 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
RVVUNM said:
A pal of mine bought this product by accident, ie stitched up by a rogue salesman at the point of sale.Anyway they didn't know they had it until the car was written off 2 1/2 years later and while looking at the finance paperwork to settle the car they noticed Gap insurance. Couple off calls later and a three week wait and their insurance company and the gap people had paid back every penny she paid for the car.Chuffed to bits she was.
What happens if you take 3 year Finance and GAP from the OPC, then decide to settle the finance early. Is the GAP now worthless? Or will it still pay the invoice price out in the event of write off??

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
i was driving along financed up to the eyeballs in my 2 3/4 year old car when i realised i had gap insurance. i was so shocked i accidently swerved into a lamp post and got all my money back. hehe

matc

4,737 posts

236 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
955 GUY said:
RVVUNM said:
A pal of mine bought this product by accident, ie stitched up by a rogue salesman at the point of sale.Anyway they didn't know they had it until the car was written off 2 1/2 years later and while looking at the finance paperwork to settle the car they noticed Gap insurance. Couple off calls later and a three week wait and their insurance company and the gap people had paid back every penny she paid for the car.Chuffed to bits she was.
What happens if you take 3 year Finance and GAP from the OPC, then decide to settle the finance early. Is the GAP now worthless? Or will it still pay the invoice price out in the event of write off??
What you want is RTI (return to invoice) insurance, which pays back to the retail price. You should only have GAP if you put down a relatively small deposit and would be in a negative equity situation should the car be written off.

RVVUNM

1,913 posts

238 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
Gap insurance is very simple. It pays out the difference between what you are offered from the car insurer (be it yours or the other party) and the original invoice price of the car.


Mr Freefall

2,323 posts

287 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
fbrs said:
i was driving along financed up to the eyeballs in my 2 3/4 year old car when i realised i had gap insurance. i was so shocked i accidently swerved into a lamp post and got all my money back. hehe
Thats what I was thinking. This must be up for abuse. You buy a new car, small deposit, have it for 3 years then in year 2 month 9, yo uhave an accident, the car getts written off, and you get all your money back.

Where is the catch, apart from your insurance premuim going up on the next car as you have a claim history, and, if you have PNC, the loading would only be 5-10% anyhow...

Mr F

thegoose

8,077 posts

239 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
It looks like there are two quite different risks being insured, presumably by different products.

1) insurance against negative equity for financed cars - the risk to the insurers decreases as the "gap" should reduce over time (because the predicted depreciation over the financed term is split over the entire term equally, yet is heavier at the start), ideally to nil before the term ends.

2) insurance of the difference between price paid at point of sale and insurance payout at time of total loss claim - the risk to the insurers increases over time as the car depreciates

In case 2) it shouldn't matter whether there is/was finance in place or not.

matc

4,737 posts

236 months

Tuesday 15th January 2008
quotequote all
thegoose said:
It looks like there are two quite different risks being insured, presumably by different products.

1) insurance against negative equity for financed cars - the risk to the insurers decreases as the "gap" should reduce over time (because the predicted depreciation over the financed term is split over the entire term equally, yet is heavier at the start), ideally to nil before the term ends.

2) insurance of the difference between price paid at point of sale and insurance payout at time of total loss claim - the risk to the insurers increases over time as the car depreciates

In case 2) it shouldn't matter whether there is/was finance in place or not.
Thats right; and with the FSA regulations now in place you should not be sold GAP unless you have a small depsoit and finance nearly 100% of the vehicle. I would definately reccomend RTI cover in every other instance.

The system is up for minor abuse, but the insurance company has to be happy that the claim is valid to pay out before the GAP/RTI policy provider would pay you any money. In any instance it is surely a must have for anyone buying these high value, high depreciating cars :runs and hides:!!

The other benefit is that you no longer have to haggle with the insurance company over the price of your mangled/stolen P&J.

Edited by matc on Tuesday 15th January 17:11

yorksdrive

5 posts

217 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
Resurrecting an old posting but does anyone have advice on buying GAP insurance and who to deal with. Finance is over 3 years and have read about the problems if I have a total loss. Many thanks.

Vesuvius 996

35,829 posts

300 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
yorksdrive said:
Resurrecting an old posting but does anyone have advice on buying GAP insurance and who to deal with. Finance is over 3 years and have read about the problems if I have a total loss. Many thanks.
Insure your car with Chubb, then you won't need it. They pay out agreed value.


GAP insurance is the biggest con ever.


matc

4,737 posts

236 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
Vesuvius 996 said:
GAP insurance is the biggest con ever.
?? Explain........

lazyitus

19,931 posts

295 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
Vesuvius 996 said:
GAP insurance is the biggest con ever.
confused

Try explaining that one to the 3 people I know in the last couple of months that have benefitted to the tune of c£7K each because they had a Gap policy.

anonymous-user

83 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
My wife took gap insurance out on her first car. It wasn't expensive and she thought the risk of trashing the car was quite high as she had very little driving experience. As it happens she never trashed it, so she got no benefit. But the peace of mind was worth it for her. It's just another insurance product, so read the small print and decide for yourself if you want it.

anonymous-user

83 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
lazyitus said:
...3 people I know in the last couple of months that have benefitted to the tune of c£7K each because they had a Gap policy.
outside of this forum i've never even heard of gap insurance, yet you know 3 people who; all have it, all claimed at the same time, all for the same amount. buy a lottery ticket! wink

anonymous-user

83 months

Wednesday 13th August 2008
quotequote all
yesterday my mum and dad bought a 997 from opc. they tried to sell him gap insurance. WTF? its not financed. were they just trying it on?