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Return to Invoice GAP Insurance at Total Loss GAP
Quick Answer: Return to Invoice GAP Insurance covers the difference between your car insurer's settlement and the price you originally paid for your vehicle. If your finance balance is higher, it will pay that instead.
What is Return to Invoice GAP Insurance, and how does it work with Total Loss GAP?
Combined Return to Invoice GAP Insurance is designed to protect the original invoice price you have paid for your vehicle. In the event of a total loss, it will pay the difference between your insurance company's settlement and the higher of either:
-
The outstanding finance.
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The original invoice price you paid.
Due to depreciation, your vehicle could be worth much less than the price you paid in just a few years. The average vehicle may lose as much as 50% over a three-year term, with some particular models losing more. This means that if your vehicle is written off, the amount that your motor insurer offers you in settlement could be many thousands of pounds less than you paid or have as an outstanding finance balance.
*New from May 2025 – We now offer have the option of an alternative Return to Invoice GAP product from a second insurer.
This policy offers some extra features and flexibility, including cover for:
- vehicles up to 10 years old
- no upper mileage limit at purchase
- vehicles up to £125,000 purchase price
The policy also provides added features such as:
- Motor excess contribution of £500 (including for non-write off claims – one per year)
- Contribution towards car hire if the vehicle is declared a write off
- Cover provided by an 'A' rated insurer
- A maximum £50,000 claim limit
You will be offered the best value RTI GAP product at the quote stage, based on the information you have provided and for a policy you are eligible for.
Please check the policy terms to ensure the terms and conditions are suitable for your needs.
If you have any questions or queries, please let us know.
How does the Combined Return to Invoice (RTI GAP insurance) work?
Let's look at an illustrative example.
- You buy a car from a VAT-registered dealer in 2025 for £24,000.
- In 2028, it is stolen.
- Your insurance company offer you £15,600 as a market value settlement at that time
- Your Return to Invoice GAP can top up with a further £8,400 to get your original £24,000 back in full
Without any form of GAP insurance or having to use your savings or potentially commit to extra borrowing, your motor insurer's settlement is the only amount you have to be able to replace your car or clear any outstanding finance.
A Total Loss Combined RTI GAP Insurance would pay the difference between your motor insurance company's market value settlement and the original purchase price. This means you now have the full purchase price of £24,000 between your two insurance companies.
- If you paid cash for your vehicle, the whole amount will be yours to use as you wish.
- If you have any outstanding finance linked to your car, the finance will be cleared, and the remaining amount will be sent to you again for you to spend as you see fit.
Return to Invoice GAP - What is in the name?
If you recently purchased a vehicle, you will most likely be offered a form of RTI GAP insurance from your motor dealer, which can be called many different names.
- Back to Invoice,
- Invoice plus,
- Shortfall Insurance
- Guaranteed Asset Protection.
- RTI GAP Insurance Cover
RTI GAP Insurance - The Total Loss GAP Advantage
- UK-based call centre.
- UK-based Claims Team.
- Policies Backed by the FSCS.
- 30-day cooling-off period.
- Free policy administration.
- Pro Rata refund outside the cooling off period.
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- There is no claim limit for vehicles up to £75000*.
- Instant Quote and Cover
- Contribution towards your motor insurance company's excess
- Up to 90 days of European coverage per year.
- No mileage restrictions
- Fee policy transfer (subject to eligibility)
We are proud of our Combined Return to Invoice GAP Insurance policy.
However, please remember that not all GAP policies are the same; some will have slight variations that can have a huge impact on your claim and, ultimately, how much you can claim.
We have worked hard with our underwriting team to ensure our policies are as inclusive and simple as possible. However, every policy will have terms and conditions, and it is important that you understand them. This is because it shows how your claim will be calculated and settled.
Return to Invoice is usually the type of GAP protection most dealerships offer. However, if you conduct some research, you will find more forms of GAP for you to consider. We are all different. We spend various amounts on vehicles, fund them in different ways, and use them for various reasons. So why should one level of cover be the most appropriate policy for everyone?
Total Loss GAP gives you a choice of levels of GAP Insurance.
You can opt for our Total Loss GAP Combined Invoice and Replacement GAP. This can cover you to the HIGHER of either the replacement cost of another vehicle the same as yours was on the first day you drove it home, or the original invoice price you paid. This is our premier policy and eliminates the choice between taking a Return to Invoice cover or Vehicle Replacement GAP. The policy gives you the best outcome between the two.
We do offer a second option.
If you like the idea of a simple Return to Invoice policy, we can offer that to you as well (from August 2020). Like our premier product, other than not having the replacement element of cover, you still have unlimited cover between your motor insurer settlement and the original invoice price you paid for the vehicle.
Both RTI and VRI GAP Insurance are suitable for both new and used cars.
Both Return to Invoice and Vehicle Replacement GAP products can be used with cash buys as well as HP and PCP finance agreements.
Which GAP Insurance do you need?
| Feature | Return to Invoice (RTI) | Vehicle Replacement (VRI)** | Finance GAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Difference between insurer payout and original invoice price | Difference between insurer payout and cost of equivalent replacement | Difference between insurer payout and finance balance |
| Includes finance settlement? | Yes - if higher than invoice | Yes - if higher than invoice or replacement cost | Yes - up to the outstanding finance balance |
| Covers rising car prices? | No | Yes | No |
| Applies to cash buyers? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Typical payout limit | Up to invoice price | Can exceed invoice if replacement cost is higher | Up to remaining finance balance |
| Best for | Fair-priced new or used purchases | Discounted cars or those likely to increase in price | Finance customers with high loan balances |
| Availability | Within 180-365 days of purchase | Within 180-365 days of purchase | Within 180 days of finance start |
| Covers discontinued models? | Yes - pays invoice amount regardless of availability | Yes - fallback to invoice + 10% if no equivalent | Yes - covers finance regardless of model availability |
In summary:
- Return to Invoice GAP (RTI) gets you back to what you paid.
- Vehicle Replacement GAP (VRI) helps you keep up with today’s prices.
- Finance GAP just clears the loan.
** 3-in-1 VRI GAP available from Total Loss GAP. Not all VRI GAP products will be as comprehensive.
How many years of GAP insurance coverage do you need?
We are often asked this question, so we thought we would show you what our policyholders have been buying in the last six months. You will see that only a few policyholders buy a two-policy. The vast majority buy a 3 three policy, and the rest is split between four and five years.
We now know about Return to Invoice, but what are the other types of insurance?
There are two other options, the first being the most basic form of protection. This one is simply designed for you to clear any outstanding finance and you walk away with no liability. But, you walk away with nothing. The other level of cover, is the most comprehensive type, rather than you being returned to the invoice price you have paid for the vehicle, instead, we top you back up to the cost of a 'like for like' replacement vehicle at that moment in time. If you purchased a brand new vehicle, the settlement will be based on another brand new vehicle, which due to inflation and changes in exchange rates, etc, is likely to be more than the price you originally paid.
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How is Total Loss GAP different to other policies?
With a Total Loss GAP Combined Invoice and Replacement GAP, we combine all three different types, and whichever element provides the highest settlement, at the point of write off. This means that, at the very least, we guarantee to return to you the original invoice price you paid for the vehicle, as Return to Invoice GAP Insurance would do. However, the cost of a replacement vehicle may have increased, resulting in the settlement being higher than the original invoice price you paid. If you have any outstanding finance attached to the vehicle, the finance is cleared within any settlement, and the equity and balance left over is yours to do as you wish.
You may also like: The different types of GAP Insurance - explained simply
Return to invoice GAP Insurance Real Life Claims Example.
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Written by Jackie Verdier Updated 02/08/2025
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Best Buy
Total Loss Gap is pleased to confirm that we have been recognised as the 'Best Buy' for GAP Insurance in the UK by motoring giant Auto Express.
Auto Express undertook an independent survey of various Gap Insurance providers in the UK. They took a standard quote from a franchised primary dealer for a £32,270 vehicle and obtained a quote for three year Gap cover for £449. 
This quote was then compared against many online providers for alternative quotations.
Auto Express highlighted the ease at which a quote can be obtained from the Total Loss Gap website.
It confirmed the premium found at Total Loss Gap was 59% cheaper than the motor dealer at £185.28
Total Loss Gap was the ONLY provider to be given a full 5 out of 5-star rating.
Total Loss Gap was also awarded the 'Best Buy' for Gap Insurance in the UK for 2021.
Auto Express also commented that Total Loss was the only provider they found to allow deferred start dates. This would allow a later start date if the motor insurers' replacement cover covered the car in year one.
In awarding the Best Buy to Total Loss Gap, Auto Express concluded that we were 'Clear, honest and good value.'
A spokesperson for Total Loss Gap said 'We are honoured to be the only Gap Insurance provider to get a 5 Star award and the only Gap provider to get the 'Best Buy' recommendation from such as name as Auto Express."
"At Total Loss Gap, we always strive to provide our customers with the best 'value' with the products we provide. Value can be found in the service we provide, the features you get, and the premium price you pay. It is great to see that an industry giant agrees with us too."
The Auto Express Gap Insurance review can be found in the current magazine and can be found on the Auto Express website also. (CLICK HERE to see)