GAP Insurance (again)

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cemerson

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Yes... this one again...

I'm not after a debate on whether it is a good idea or not, or whether I should have taken the £740 dealer insurance, but I'm after opinions and experiences with different providers of gap insurance. I've already decided I want gap insurance cover so no debate around this please!

Is there anyone who is really good? Anyone I should be avoiding? I was looking at easygap.co.uk - anyone have any experience of them?
 
Agree with above :)
I'm with easygap and found them very easy and pleasant to set up a policy with, plus it wasn't that expensive for a 4 year policy. Not many places do 4 years.
Took out the combined policy as I took my 2 yr old car on hp which covers a maximum of 15000 quid the difference between insurance pay out and finance.
I've not claimed on it so can't comment but for peace of mind it's great :)
 
I've always used Click4Gap. I've have had to make claims on 2 occasions, both very good experiences. Their policy prices are great value for money.
 
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As above, I used ALA, I even negotiated 15% discount after I said I was recommended by someone. I haven't used them for a claim so can't comment on that side of things, but just make sure you read the Ts&Cs to check you're happy with the small print (very similar cover to Audi product from what I could see)
 
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Click4Gap are very expensive compared to the competition. I think I'm leaning towards ala to be honest, they seem quite big and have a good reputation amongst a lot of people.
 
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Am I right in thinking that with ALA you can take out a policy as long as the car is less than 180 days old. So if your insurance company replace new for old in the first 12 months cover could I wait 180 days before taking out a policy with ALA?
 
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Just checking my policy to see whether the new for old thing applies for me...
 
4. New car cover
If your car is less than one year old and you are the first and only registered owner, we will replace it with one of the same make and model if it has:

• been stolen and not found; or

• suffered damage covered by the policy and the cost of repairing is more than 60% of the last United Kingdom list price, (including taxes).

We can only do this if a replacement car is available in the UK and anyone else who has an interest in your car agrees.
Click to expand...

Difficult to know whether they cover to the same spec (including all the options), or just the same model
 
Am not talking from own experience, but having looked around a couple of weeks ago, some policies take account for this first year cover by your own insurance company ! Seams to be called deferred gap insurance by some, so if you own standard car insurance does cover first year is worth checking these out.
 
cemerson said:
Difficult to know whether they cover to the same spec (including all the options), or just the same model
Click to expand...

if your insurance is replacement if available for uk, then presumably a new car from German factory would not be covered. Only a stock car from a dealer ? Not an expert but worth checking out, as might be. A get out clause for them ?
 
I think that just means available to order - ie, they wouldn't be willing to get an import.
 
cemerson said:
I think that just means available to order - ie, they wouldn't be willing to get an import.
Click to expand...
would make sense, but may be worth a check and if there is a 3 month lead time for a new build, then that's a long time without a car, I don't know if they supply a temporary hire car in the mean time ?
gets complicated doesn't it, depends on the individual policy I guess.
 
Fragup said:
Am not talking from own experience, but having looked around a couple of weeks ago, some policies take account for this first year cover by your own insurance company ! Seams to be called deferred gap insurance by some, so if you own standard car insurance does cover first year is worth checking these out.
Click to expand...

Need to check the small print if you are going to take advantage of first year GAP cover on your normal insurance policy as some GAP providers do not allow deferred policies and you may end up with a conflict if you have first year GAP cover from two providers.

Direct Gap do defered policies and I plan to go with them, as my insurance provider include first year back to spec cover, and Direct Gap are also very cost competitive for back to spec cover and I can take out policy anything up to 90 (I think) days after I have got the car and defer it for a year.
 
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I purchased GAP through my Audi dealer (Newcastle Audi) back in 2009 when i purchased a new Audi A3 TDI 170 Black Edition 28k's worth. The Gap cost £400 and was through Black Hoarse. I didn't haggle on the Gap. One really crappy day the heavens opened and my lovely car sat in the car park with water up to the seat bases as the river in Chester Le Street County Durham burst it,s banks. The car was two years ten months old. I put a claim in to my normal insurers as i forgot i had GAP. Later, after agreeing a settlement with my insurers i remembered i had GAP. I read the GAP policy. It stated that i must inform them before my normal insurers make an offer. OH F**K i thought. Anyway to cut a long story short it was a RETURN TO INVOICE policy and i got the full £28,000 back. I will use them again with my new Audi but haggle a better price. Hope this helps peoples.
 
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I always find GAP is one of the things you can haggle over with some success. Its also something I would prefer to have from the dealer directly as I get the impression that, should the need arise to use it, it would be easier if its all in-house as it were. When I bought my current A3 three years ago I got the GAP insurance free. No such luck though for my new A3 I pick up in three days time, I was quoted just under £600 for the insurance. When I mentioned I could get it far cheaper with ala the dealer reduced the price to £250. While I'm no good at haggling I was clear in my mind I wasn't paying £600 for something I could get online for a third of the price. There was therefore little debate, either they do something with the price or I buy elsewhere. Most of the time I'm guessing the dealer would rather not lose the GAP sale and will do something on price.
 
I did try but they basically said they aren't going to get down to that price and just advised me to buy online
 
That's what they advised me too. ALA do an extra package that covers the cost of replacing your car with all of your optional extras (so like for like, new for old) regardless of whether the cost of the car has increased since you purchased.

I chose this as it was only £20 more for this cover and I wasn't sure I could haggle the same deal a second time round if I had to order again.
 
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Daveotto said:
Need to check the small print if you are going to take advantage of first year GAP cover on your normal insurance policy as some GAP providers do not allow deferred policies and you may end up with a conflict if you have first year GAP cover from two providers.

Direct Gap do defered policies and I plan to go with them, as my insurance provider include first year back to spec cover, and Direct Gap are also very cost competitive for back to spec cover and I can take out policy anything up to 90 (I think) days after I have got the car and defer it for a year.
Click to expand...

MJCourtney, are you aware if ALA do deferred policies, or have any problems with your insurance offering that cover over the first year?
 
I've just read the Ts&Cs of my policy from ALA and highlighted a few of the exceptions that might apply to having similar cover from other insurance companies for the first year:

General Conditions and Exclusions:
This insurance does not cover, and We will not make any payment for, any of the following:
1. Any liability for death or bodily injury or damage to any people, property or any loss of use or other consequential loss or damage
whatsoever
2. Any contribution that You more specifically insure elsewhere
3. Any of Your installments that are in arrears or any interest on arrears, or any deficit due to non-payment or erratic payment of any
amounts that You should have paid under the terms of Your Agreement or any outstanding financed amount transferred from any
previous finance agreement including “Cash Back” to Your current Agreement
4. If You or anybody acting on Your behalf has failed to disclose any material information to Us or to Your Motor Insurance Policy
insurer, then any amount paid under the insurance in the event of a claim will be reduced accordingly. What constitutes material
information is at the discretion of the Underwriter.
5. If You or anybody acting on Your behalf has given false information to assist You with an attempt to claim benefit under this
insurance or Your Motor Insurance Policy. If this should happen, this insurance as a whole shall be void as from the date of inception
and all premiums paid will be forfeit
6. If the event causing the Total Loss is occasioned by Your wilful act or with Your consent. If this should happen, this insurance as a
whole shall be void as from the date of inception and all premiums paid will be forfeit
7. If You have another similar insurance with Us or with any other insurer, in respect of the same Motor Vehicle then We reserve the
right to reduce any benefit We may pay
8. If the claim or loss is directly or indirectly caused by Your direct or indirect participation in a crime, drink driving offence or Your
being under the influence of drugs
9. The amount of any excess on Your Motor Insurance Policy exceeding £250
10. Your Motor Insurance Policy insurer replacing Your Motor Vehicle or offers You a replacement Motor Vehicle in settlement which
you decline
11. Your Motor Insurance Policy insurer offers to repair your Motor Vehicle but You have instead requested the claim to be dealt with
on a Total Loss basis
Click to expand...

This is only my interpretation of the rules, but I would suggest that if your insurance company replaces your car like for like in the first year then the GAP won't pay out as effectively there is no 'gap' to cover. Best bet is to phone and ask them as they can give the proper advice. I don't know if they do deferred policies or not.
 
Having had a car stolen and then claimed on my GAP policy, I can tell you, it is worth every penny! I got £14k off the insurance company and return to invoice GAP gave me another £15k! Which all softened the blow of having my car stolen. I was able to go out and buy a new one and have rather a lot of cash to spare.

Audi seem to quote silly money for GAP, probably as 80% of it goes in the reps pocket as commission! I've currently got GAP policies with ALA.
 
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Just returned from signing my documents. I originally had it but I took it off (£300). But I brought it up again today and asked if they can do any better and if I can pay the whole lot in one go to avoid interest being paid on top. They agreed, first offered me £190, I said no thanks, and then he went away and came back again with £130, so I took it. Worth a try!
 
brad9753 said:
Just returned from signing my documents. I originally had it but I took it off (£300). But I brought it up again today and asked if they can do any better and if I can pay the whole lot in one go to avoid interest being paid on top. They agreed, first offered me £190, I said no thanks, and then he went away and came back again with £130, so I took it. Worth a try!
Click to expand...

At what point did you take it off? I didn't realise it was so expensive and that I could get a better deal elsewhere, am I too late to try and get a better price on it before I sign the paperwork?
 
It's a finance product so they can't make you take it, and you will have 14 days to cancel it if you've already signed for it.
 
I think in the contract I signed it says 30 days - I'll be cancelling too. :)
 
Thanks for everyone's responses, some really good feedback in here - I've gone with ALA in the end, on their Vehicle Replacement + cover, with the 10% discount from the link provided by TDI-line (thanks!)
 
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Audi offered me £200 for their GAP insurance. Do you think its worth taking theirs?
 
audi upgrades
Depends on the package, the type, limit, length etc - otherwise it's difficult to compare. I'd say it's pretty good if it's anything like the cover I got.
 
Just want to bring this up again... On Ala insurance you can quote 'Back to Invoice' or 'Vehicle Replacement', now which one is better?


I'm thinking with my car as I bought it before the price increase, I should pick the vehicle replacement. I'm I correct?
 
I went for vehicle replacement. It wasn't much more expensive, and in my view provides a lot more benefit. As you say, prices will invariably go up, plus if you got the car at a good discount you can't guarantee that would be available in the future.
 
Vehicle replacement for me for the reasons stated and only a few pounds more
 
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Sorry to necrobump this thread but...

With a vehicle replacement gap policy, do i put the list price of the car or the price i payed (misus discount)?

Thanks
 
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