Can You Buy GAP Insurance on a Previously Written-Off Car?

No. You can’t buy GAP Insurance for a car that has already been written off and categorised (for example, Category S or Category N) - even if it has been repaired and returned to the road.

If a vehicle has previously been written off by an insurer and categorised (for example, as Category S or Category N), you cannot buy GAP Insurance for that vehicle, even if it has since been repaired and returned to the road.

Some find this answer surprising, as the vehicle has been safely returned to the road, may have a fresh MOT, and be fully comprehensively insured under standard car insurance.

Here, we explain why GAP Insurance cannot cover a previously written-off car.

First, a Quick Clarification

There are two very different questions people ask about GAP Insurance and write-offs:

Can you buy GAP Insurance after your own car has been written off in an accident or theft that leads to the vehicle being written off?
Can you buy GAP Insurance for a car that was previously written off, repaired, and then sold on?

This page deals only with the second scenario.

If your own car has just been written off following an accident or theft, that is covered separately in our guide - Can you buy GAP Insurance if your car has just been in an accident or stolen?

What Counts as a “Previously Written-Off” Vehicle?

A previously written-off vehicle is one that:

Was declared a total loss by an insurer at some point in the past
Was given an official write-off category
Has since been repaired and returned to use

In the UK, this most commonly applies to:

Category S (structural damage, repaired)
Category N (non-structural damage, repaired)

Even once repaired, the vehicle’s history does not change. The write-off marker remains permanently attached to the car.

See Motor Vehicle Write Off categories in the UK

Why GAP Insurance Does Not Apply to These Vehicles

GAP Insurance is designed to cover the difference between a car’s value and a financial shortfall if it is written off in the future.

For previously written-off vehicles, insurers will not offer GAP cover because:

The vehicle has already suffered a total loss once
Its market value is permanently reduced. Precise values are not provided by the likes of Glass' Guide for categorised, previously written off vehicles.
Valuations are difficult to confirm, and GAP Insurance terms require a market value settlement to be given.
The risk profile is materially different.

From an insurer’s perspective, this is not a standard insurable risk.

As a result, GAP Insurance providers exclude vehicles that have already been categorised as total losses, regardless of repair quality or current condition.

“But the Car Is Fully Repaired and Road Legal…”

This is where confusion often arises.

A repaired Category S or N car can be:

Road legal
MOT’d
Insured under a standard motor policy
Sold by a dealer

All of that can be true, and GAP Insurance can still be unavailable.

Roadworthiness and insurability are not the same as eligibility for GAP Insurance. GAP is a specialist product with stricter criteria.

What About Dealer or Finance-Provided GAP?

Sometimes buyers are told that GAP Insurance is “included” or “available” with a repaired write-off vehicle.

In practice:

Mainstream GAP insurers will not cover previously written-off vehicles.
Finance-linked GAP is typically declined for categorised cars.
Any policy that claims to do so should be examined very carefully.

If a policy excludes vehicles that have already been declared a total loss write-off, it will not pay out, even if premiums were paid.

Why Being Upfront About This Matters

We do speak to customers who only discover this restriction after purchasing the vehicle, when they try to arrange GAP cover.

Being clear about what GAP Insurance cannot cover:

Prevents wasted money
Avoids false reassurance
Protects buyers from invalid policies

It’s also why blanket statements like “GAP Insurance covers any car” are misleading.

The Bottom Line

You cannot buy GAP Insurance for a vehicle that has previously been written off and categorised by an insurer, even if it has been repaired and returned to the road.

GAP Insurance must relate to a vehicle that has not already suffered a total loss.

If you are considering buying a Category S or N car, it’s important to factor this into your decision, as GAP protection will not be available from Total Loss GAP.