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New for old Gap Insurance?

Do you need gap insurance if your motor insurance policy offers you a new car replacement?

 

The not-so-simple answer is yes, no, and maybe.

 

The answer is ambiguous because the answer will depend on several factors.

  • Does your motor insurer have any mileage restrictions?
  • Does your motor insurer have a time scale for when they must be able to source you a replacement car?
  • What happens if the manufacturer discontinues the vehicle you purchased initially, so there is no replacement vehicle?
  • What happens if you have financed your new car using a contract or lease form of finance agreement?
  • What are your options at the end of your motor insurance company's new old cover?

 

At Easy Gap, we are an online gap insurance broker, so we naturally think gap insurance is a no-brainer.

 

Who would want to risk potentially being paid thousands of pounds less or even paying for a vehicle they no longer have?

 

That said, many large, so-called experts and media outlets love to inform us that new for old cover is the only cover you need; however, that may not be true.

 

We are not for a millisecond suggesting that if your motor insurance company offers new for old, they will not simply offer you a replacement vehicle; instead, we are suggesting that before you make choices which could potentially leave you exposed, you explore all the terms and conditions of your motor insurance policy.

 

Once you have done your due diligence, if you are satisfied that if your car is written off, they will replace it with another, then yes, you may not need gap insurance while you take advantage of your "new for old cover ".

 

New for old cover from motor insurance was once an industry standard, as most insurance companies offered it as a perk of buying a new car. Simply put, if your vehicle was written off within the first 12 months, they would replace it with another brand new car.

 

However, fast forward to today, and cost implications mean that fewer and fewer insurance companies offer it, and if they do, they may have terms and conditions.

 

Equally, many gap insurance providers have set time frames for when you can buy gap insurance. This means that if you take advantage of the coverage offered by your insurer, you may not be able to find a gap insurance policy when it expires. Even if you do, it may not be as comprehensive as the levels of gap insurance available at the point of purchase.

 

So, what are your gap insurance options?

 

Option one?

Do you take advantage of your motor insurer's coverage and look for gap insurance when it expires?

 

Advantages of waiting until your new for old cover expires

  • You are not double-covered.
  • You are not paying for something you may already be covered for.

 

Disadvantages of waiting until your new for old cover expires

  • You are entirely relient on your fully comprehensive policy to replace your car.
  • If your motor company replaces your vehicle, depending on how it was written off, you may not want the same car again.

 

 

Option two?

Defer the start date of your gap insurance to co-inside with the end of your new for old cover. (up to 12 months in advance)

 

Advantages of differing the start date of your gap insurance policy

  • You are not double-covered
  • You have secured the level of cover you want
  • You have secured the cost of the policy in advance.

 

Disadvantages of differing the start date of your gap insurance policy

  • You are solely relying on your motor company to replace your car.
  • You may want a different car again, depending on how your car vehicle is written off.
  • You must pay for your policy up to 12 months before it starts.

 

Option three?

Buy gap insurance to run concurrently with your new-for-old cover.

 

Advantages of buying gap insurance to start from day one.

  • You have secured the level of cover you want
  • You have secured the cost of the policy in advance.
  • Following a successful motor insurance claim, you can be secure in knowing that if your insurance company does not replace your car, your gap insurance can step in.

 

Disadvantages of buying gap insurance to start from day one.

  • You may pay for up to 12 months of gap insurance cover, which may already be protected via our new-for-old cover.
  • You must pay for your policy up to 12 months before it starts.

 

The bottom line is that new-for-all coverage can save you money, so you do not have to buy gap insurance as soon as you have taken delivery. Equally, you must conduct due diligence to ensure that you are given a replacement vehicle no matter what and can source cover when it expires.