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Is Return to Invoice Gap insurance the best level of cover for you?

Click for a Return to Invoice Gap QuoteTotal Loss RTI Gap Insurance with no claim limitYou Can Buy up to 5 years return to invoice gap insurance

Return to Invoice Gap insurance is a comprehensive form of Guaranteed Asset protection.

 

Its sole purpose is financial protection if your vehicle is written off.

 

Return to Invoice is versatile, providing financial protection in various scenarios that could lead to your vehicle being written off, from theft to accidental or malicious damage.

 

There are a million and one ways to have your new car or Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) written off. Rather than attempt to list them all, we refer to them as incidents that happened, which means that your fully comprehensive car insurance provider has decided to write your vehicle off and make a settlement payment.

 

Instead of retaining your vehicle, you receive a sum of money that your insurer deems to be its value at the time of loss. This settlement figure is commonly known as the 'market value', which is the amount your vehicle would have sold for in the market at that time.

 

Won't your fully comprehensive insurance pay you the value of your new car or Light Commercial vehicle?

 

Yes, they will, but they will pay you the current market value. Differences in the rate and speed of your vehicle's depreciation may mean that this is significantly less than you originally paid.

 

A Return to Invoice policy will pay the shortfall between your motor insurer's market value settlement and the higher of either:

  • The outstanding finance balance*
  • The original invoice price you paid

 

*Must be a finance agreement which is linked to your vehicle, for example:

  • PCP (personal contract plan)
  • Hire Purchase
  • Auto Loan

If you have made a cash payment, bank transfer, or used a form of finance not tied to your vehicle, your gap claim will cover the difference between your motor insurer's settlement and the total purchase price. Since there's no finance to clear, the entire amount is directly reimbursed to you.

 

If you have paid for your new or used vehicle using a form of finance, then again, between your motor insurer and your RTI gap insurance cover, you now have the original invoice price back, any finance is settled, and the balance of funds is sent to you to use as you wish.

 

Why is a Return to Invoice the most common level of cover to be offered to potential policyholders?

 

In our opinion, most dealerships and gap insurance providers generally offer a return to invoice for the following two reasons:

  • It is a relatively easy level of gap insurance to understand because you know how much your vehicle costs, which is the amount you protect.
  • In most cases, gap insurance is first introduced to you by your dealership, which traditionally offers only one level of cover.

 

Is Return to Invoice Gap Insurance worth it?

 

We at Total Loss Gap have been providing Gap Insurance and Return to Invoice to the general public since 2010, so we believe that Gap Insurance is worth it and offers both peace of mind and value for money. Our mission is to give you all the factual information you need so that you can make informed decisions. If you have all the facts and figures, you decide to buy a policy that is fantastic. Conversely, once you have all the facts and figures, you choose not to buy a policy that is fantastic, too, as long as you have all the information you need to make an informed choice.

 

Additional benefits of buying a Total Loss Return to Invoice GAP Insurance policy

Policies are backed by the FSCSTrustwave SecureFinancial Ombudsman Service

When you buy a return-to-invoice policy, you are purchasing peace of mind in so much as you are buying the security of knowing that as long as you have a legitimate claim and your insurance company is happy to offer you a settlement, you will not be left out of pocket or having to pay for an item you no longer have. (If you commit fraud, make a dishonest or illegal claim, and your motor insurer writes your vehicle off but does not settle, we will follow suit.)

 

With this in mind, knowing exactly what any RTI Gap claim will be based on and what nice extras your policy has is essential. So when you buy a RTI Gap policy from us, you will be pleased to know that it will come with the following as standard:

  1. There are no mileage restrictions once your policy is in place
  2. Cover for all named drivers*
  3. 90 Days cover in the EU
  4. Policies are backed by the FSCS
  5. First policy transfer to another eligible vehicle is free of charge
  6. Contribution towards your motor insurance company voluntary and compulsory excess
  7. Covers new or used cars or LCVs up to eight years old with up to eighty thousand miles on the clock.

Every gap insurance policy provided in the UK will have terms and conditions that are important as they set out how any potential gap insurance claim would be settled. They also list what is and is not covered by your policy.

 

What are the specific situations or conditions under which the RTI Gap Insurance policy would not provide cover?

  • Any driver under 18 years old
  • Any driver who is not named on your fully comprehensive motor insurance
  • Any diver who has a provisional licence
  • The cost of your road fund licence as you can claim it back from DVLA
  • The cost of other insurance policies, such as tyre and alloy wheel insurance, Smartcare, and scratch and dent insurance
  • The cost of any service packs
  • Negative Equity*
  • Vehicles that are used for taxi, hire and reward, courier or tuition.

 

*Negative equity is outstanding finance which is brought over from the old vehicle to the purchase of the new vehicle.

Please see the RTI policy documents below for a complete list of terms, conditions, and additional benefits.

IPID for Total Loss Return to Invoice Policies purchased from June 2024Total Loss RTI Gap insurance IPID From June 2024                   T&Cs for Total Loss Return to Invoice Policies purchased from June 2024Total Loss Return to Invoice From June 2024

Total Loss RTI IPID from Feb 24Total Loss RTI Gap insurance IPID From February 2024             Total Loss RTI Terms from Feb 24Total Loss Return to Invoice From February 2024

IPID for Total Loss Return to Invoice policies purchased after March 2023Total Loss RTI Gap insurance IPID After March 2023                  T&Cs for Total Loss Return to Invoice policies purchased after March 2023Total Loss Return to Invoice After March 2023

 

Make informed choices about which is the best level of Gap insurance for you.

 

At Total Loss, we believe in choice and empowering the general public to make informed choices, so while RTI Gap cover is an excellent level of protection, it is not the only form of Gap Cover we offer.

 

Depending on your vehicle, we can offer other levels of protection.

This will depend upon:

  • how old your vehicle is
  • what you are using it for
  • what mileage it has already travelled
  • how long you have owned it
  • how you have paid for it.

 

Examples of Potential Gap Insurance Claims*

 

  • Jaguar I Pace bought in 2021 for £69275
  • It now has 27000 miles on the clock
  • It is now valued at £26030
  • That is a depreciation of 62.43% 
  • Potential RTI Gap Insurance Claim £43245

 

  • Citroen DS7 bought in 2021 for £32970
  • It now has 17000 miles on the clock
  • It is now valued at £17350
  • That is a depreciation of 47.38% 
  • Potential RTI Gap Insurance Claim £15620

 

  • Audi Q4 Etron bought in 2022 for £41825
  • It now has 24000 miles on the clock
  • It is now valued at £24070
  • That is a depreciation of 42.45% 
  • Potential RTI Gap Insurance Claim £17755

 

  • Land Rover Discovery Sport bought in 2021 for £44800
  • It now has 56000 miles on the clock
  • It is now valued at £27790
  • That is a depreciation of 31.97% 
  • Potential RTI Gap Insurance Claim £17010

 

  • Vauxhall Corsa e SR bought in 2021 for £30435
  • It now has 39000 miles on the clock
  • It is now valued at £11340
  • That is a depreciation of 62.44% 
  • Potential RTI Gap Insurance Claim £19095

 

*figures taken from Glass's Guide dealer Retail July 2024.

 

Please remember that while the rate of depreciation is the highest in the first three years of a vehicle's life, it may slow down later, but it will still continue. Your vehicle will age further, you will cover more miles, and it will lose value.

So, Gap insurance is not just for new cars and vans but also for used vehicles.