Gap Insurance Guide

Yes, it is good to have gap insurance if you owe more on your car loan or lease than your car is worth. Gap insurance is especially useful if you've made a small down payment on your vehicle, you have a long-term loan (more than 4 years), or you have a car that depreciates in value quickly.

Gap insurance is never required by state law, though some lenders or lessors may require it as part of your contract. Having gap insurance can prevent you from owing money on an unusable vehicle if it is totaled or stolen.

When It Is Good to Have Gap Insurance

• You cannot afford to pay off your loan or lease if your car is stolen or totaled.
• You made a small down payment.
• You have a loan lasting more than 4 years.
• Your car is the main source of transportation for your household.
• Your driving habits are causing the car's value to depreciate faster than usual (for example: driving more miles than the average person).
• Your car is a make or model that depreciates in value quickly, like electric vehicles or sports cars.
• Your loan includes negative equity from a previous vehicle you financed, meaning your loan amount is higher than it would otherwise be.

Gap insurance costs an average of $20 to $40 per year when added to an existing insurance policy, so it is a relatively inexpensive way to protect your finances.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to gap insurance.

Gap insurance is worth the money whenever you owe more on your car loan or lease than the car is worth. For example, if you paid a small down payment on your car, your loan term is 4-5 years or your car will depreciate quickly, you should consider getting gap insurance.

Gap insurance is never mandated by state law, and few lenders or lessors require it, so the decision to buy it depends on personal circumstances.

Gap Insurance Is Worth It When:

• You don't have the savings to pay off your loan or lease if the car is totaled or stolen.
• Your down payment is less than 20% of the car's value.
• Your loan will last four years or more.
• You drive more miles than average, which reduces the car's value faster.
• Your car is a make and model that depreciates especially fast, like a luxury sedan or electric vehicle.
• You are a single-car household and need a car to get around.
• Your loan includes negative equity from your last car.

Since gap insurance covers the difference between the car's actual cash value and the amount you owe, researching these two numbers will be a key deciding factor in whether gap insurance is worth it.

Why Getting Gap Insurance Is Worth It

For example, say you buy a car for $20,000 and your down payment is $2,000. This small down payment suggests that gap insurance might be worth it, but it's still a good idea to check the car's anticipated value after a year to determine if there will be a gap. If the car is worth $12,000 after a year but you'll still owe $15,000, gap insurance could be a smart investment. If you don't buy gap insurance and this car is totaled after a year, you'll still owe $3,000 even though you can no longer drive it.

On the other hand, if your down payment is large enough or the car's resale value is high enough that you'll never owe more than the car is worth, gap insurance is unnecessary. Similarly, if you do owe more than the car is worth but you have the resources to pay the difference if the worst happens, it might be worth taking the risk.

You can usually get a gap insurance refund if your car was traded in, sold, or paid off early. Gap insurance refunds are not given simply because you never filed a gap insurance claim and they usually require policies to have been paid in full up front.

If you are cancelling within 30 days after the policy's start date, you might be able to get a full refund, minus any cancellation fees. In other cases, only a partial refund may be possible. The details will depend on your policy and your state's laws.

When You Can Get a Gap Insurance Refund           

• You are paying off, selling, or trading in the covered car.
• You are switching to a different gap insurance company.
• Your loan balance is no longer more than the car's actual value, though it's best to leave a cushion of $1,000-$2,000.

If you need a gap insurance refund because you're selling or trading in the car, be sure to wait until the car no longer legally belongs to you before canceling your gap insurance. Then, you will need to give the appropriate paperwork to your insurance provider, such as proof of sale or auto payoff letter.

Some gap insurance companies might also require an odometer verification showing the mileage on your car, which you can get from a dealership before you sell or trade in the vehicle.

Similarly, if you're refinancing, wait to cancel your gap insurance until your previous loan is no longer in effect.

When You Cannot Get a Gap Insurance Refund

On the other hand, drivers cannot get a gap insurance refund if the insured car is declared a total loss before the policy's expiration date. In this case, the gap insurance will pay for the difference between the car's value and the loan balance, but drivers will not be eligible for a refund for the remaining months of coverage.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Gap Insurance Refund?

Gap insurance refunds usually take 4-6 weeks. Staying in contact with your gap insurance provider and promptly returning signed paperwork can expedite the process, though.

No, gap insurance is not the same as full coverage, but it can be part of full coverage. Full coverage is commonly defined as the combination of a state's minimum required insurance, comprehensive insurance, and collision insurance, though gap coverage is included if required by a lender or lessor.

Gap Insurance vs. Full Coverage

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guides on gap insurance and full coverage.

The most gap insurance will pay is the full amount left on your loan or lease balance. The exact amount gap insurance will pay depends on your vehicle's actual cash value, the remaining amount on your loan or lease,  and your insurance company.

As an example, let's say you purchase a car for $50,000 with a $10,000 down payment and, three years later, your car gets totaled. Your loan balance at the time is $25,000 and your car's cash value was $20,000 prior to being totaled. Your insurance company would cover your car's cash value ($20,000), as long as you have comprehensive or collision coverage. Then, gap insurance would pay the remaining $5,000 loan balance.

Some insurers offer loan/lease coverage, which is similar to gap insurance but doesn't cover the total amount remaining on your loan or lease. Loan/lease coverage can pay up to 25% of your vehicle's cash value toward your loan or lease balance, but the exact amount also varies by state.

For more information, check out WalletHub's guide on gap insurance.

Gap insurance costs around $3 per month when you add the coverage to your car insurance policy. When you purchase coverage from a car dealership instead, a gap insurance policy will cost a total of $400 to $700 in most cases.

A gap insurance policy covers the difference between what a leased or financed car is worth and how much the driver owes Like any other type of insurance, the cost of gap insurance varies depending on the car's value and the driver's risk characteristics, such as age and claims history.

How to Get Cheap Gap Insurance

Some car leases include gap insurance at no added cost. But besides this free coverage, buying gap insurance from your normal car insurance company is usually the cheapest option. On average, gap insurance will only add around 5% to 6% to your comprehensive and collision cost. But since gap insurance is a relatively uncommon kind of coverage, not every insurance company offers it.

If your insurer does not provide gap insurance, it's a good idea to compare quotes and see if it would be worth switching companies. If not, some companies offer standalone gap insurance policies. Also, if you are financing a car through a bank or credit union, these institutions will usually offer gap insurance upfront for anywhere from $200 to $700.

How Much Is Gap Insurance from a Dealer?

Dealerships are often the most expensive source of gap insurance, costing around $400 to $700 up front. If you are buying gap insurance that is rolled into your loan, bear in mind that you will be paying interest on the gap insurance premium as well as the rest of the loan's balance. As a result, you'll actually end up paying more than the original cost. This also comes into play wherever else you might get auto financing and gap insurance at the same time, including banks and credit unions.

However, price is not the only factor that should affect your decision of where to buy gap insurance. You should also consider how long your gap coverage will last and how long you will need it. Similarly, some gap insurance policies will pay your deductible, although many will not. And most gap insurance policies do not pay for anything you owe from a previous car loan.

You can buy gap insurance from most major insurance companies, including Progressive, Nationwide, State Farm, and Allstate. Another place where you might be able to purchase gap insurance is through your car dealership.

However, if you buy gap insurance from a dealership, you might end up paying extra because the cost is added to your principal, which is then used to calculate your interest. So, you might save money by asking your insurance company to add gap insurance to your policy.

If you already have car insurance, the easiest way to buy gap insurance coverage is to contact your existing insurance provider and ask about adding it to your policy. If you do not have car insurance, compare quotes from major insurance companies that offer gap insurance. You can find the best options to purchase gap insurance listed below.

Where To Buy Gap Insurance

• AAA
• Allstate
• American Family
• Esurance
• Liberty Mutual
• Nationwide
• Progressive
• Safeco
• State Farm (only for State Farm Bank customers)
• Travelers

You can also buy gap insurance from the bank or credit union financing your car. However, like car dealers, other lenders usually calculate the cost of gap insurance as one upfront payment, then add the sum to your loan amount. As a result, it's best to avoid this type of gap insurance to keep from paying interest on your premium. 

Why You Should Consider Buying Gap Insurance

Gap insurance provides protection on a car you lease or buy with a loan. In the event of an accident in which your car is totaled, the value of your car would drop below the money you owe on the lease or loan. Standard insurance policies would pay only the value of the car post-accident. Gap insurance would ensure that you can pay back the full amount you owe. That is why auto lenders typically require it.

For more information, check out WalletHub's guide to the best gap insurance companies.

No, you should not buy gap insurance from a dealer in most cases. Gap insurance from a car dealership typically costs much more than gap coverage from an insurance company, bank, or credit union, and the cost is usually added to your loan balance, meaning that you have to pay interest on it. The only reason to buy gap insurance from a dealer is if you cannot find the coverage options that you want from another source.

The cost of gap insurance from a dealership can range from $400 to $700, plus interest. On the other hand, gap insurance from your car insurance company will likely cost $20-$40 per year, or about 6% of your collision and comprehensive premium. If your insurer doesn't offer gap coverage, standalone-policy providers sell it for $200+. Since you normally don't need gap insurance for more than a few years, paying extra for dealership gap coverage isn't usually worth it.

Pros and Cons of Dealership Gap Insurance

Dealerships have several arguments for why you should buy gap insurance from them, rather than from an insurance company. For instance, dealers might say they will cover your deductible while an insurer won't, or that an insurer will only pay a portion of your loan. It is true that some insurers will only pay 25% of your car's value, but others do not have a maximum. Similarly, insurance companies have different rules on whether they will pay your deductible.

Finally, dealerships argue that buying their gap insurance means you don't have to worry about your rates going up or your policy being cancelled if you file a claim. However, it's safe to assume that you'll already be filing a collision or comprehensive claim if you need a gap insurance payout, so you won't be able to avoid a claim by buying dealership gap insurance.

If you're considering purchasing gap insurance, be sure to compare the coverage details and prices of dealership gap insurance with your other options. You should only buy gap insurance from the dealer if you decide it's worth the higher price tag.

Yes, you can buy gap insurance at any time before a car loan or lease is paid off but only from some gap insurance providers, as others will only sell coverage to the first owner of a car with a recent model year. The standalone gap insurance provider Gap Direct sells policies regardless of the car's age, for example. Gap Direct will cover a car as long as it has not already been declared a total loss.

On the other hand, gap insurance policies directly from dealerships or from major insurers like Allstate in coordination with a dealership usually need to be purchased at the same time as the car. Specific requirements vary by insurer, though, and it should be possible to find coverage for a car that you financed, leased, or refinanced during the past year or two.

In short, as long as you're willing to check with multiple insurers, you can get gap insurance after you buy a car.

It's also worth noting that you are unlikely to need gap insurance for a car that is more than a few years old, since gap insurance is designed to cover the difference between a car's actual cash value (ACV) and the balance on a loan or lease. Car depreciation slows after the first year of ownership, meaning that an older car likely does not have a large gap between its value and the balance on a loan or lease.

For more information, check out WalletHub's tips on whether gap insurance is worth it and where to buy gap insurance.

After a car is totaled, gap insurance covers the balance between what is owed on a driver's loan or lease contract and what is paid to the lender by their insurance. A claim must be filed and verified before a gap insurance provider will make a payment.

How Gap Insurance Works After a Car Is Totaled

1. The policyholder files a claim with their gap insurance provider as soon as the car is declared totaled by their primary insurance provider.
2. The gap insurance provider will verify the car has been totaled due to a covered cause.
3. The driver's primary insurer pays for the actual cash value of the vehicle, minus any applicable deductible.
4. The gap insurance provider pays the difference between the primary insurance payout and what's still owed on the loan/lease contract.

An insurance company will “total” a car when the damage to the vehicle is so severe that the cost to repair it exceeds a certain percentage of the car's actual cash value (ACV), depending on the insurance company's policies and state law.

Getting Gap Insurance

If you think you might need gap insurance coverage, contact your primary insurance provider, and possibly your lender, to see if gap insurance makes sense for your personal situation. Some gap insurance providers only sell policies to original loan/lease holders within a short period of time after the contract is signed, but others will sell a driver gap insurance as long as there is a need, no matter the age/condition of the vehicle.

Finally, it's important to note that gap insurance is different from loan/lease payoff plans, which customers can purchase at any time if they have an active contract on their car. While gap insurance will pay the entire difference between a financed vehicle's ACV and the contract's balance, and often any deductibles, loan/lease payoff plans only pay a maximum percentage of a car's ACV and don't generally cover deductibles.