Insurance World

What is gap car insurance and how do you know whether you really need it? Gap car insurance, like many other types of insurance isn’t necessarily required. That is to say that you can certainly purchase a new car without gap car insurance; however, you could be leaving yourself open for some losses if you don’t purchase it. Read on for more tips to better understand whether you need gap car insurance or you can skip it.

Gap car insurance covers the difference between the market value of your car and your loan amount. Aren’t the two the same, you might ask. Not necessarily. You see, the moment you drive your car off the lot it depreciates, or loses value, immediately and quite significantly. Let’s say you purchase a new car and pay $25,000 for it. On average a car will depreciate at least 20% right after it leaves the dealership. That means your brand new car is now worth only $20,000. What happens if you have an accident soon after the purchase? Even if you have full insurance coverage, including comprehensive and collision, your insurance policy will still only cover the market value of the car. Unfortunately, even though the market value and insurance policy are now worth only $20,000 you still owe in the neighborhood of $25,000 for the car. Without gap car insurance you’ll be stuck covering that additional $5,000 on your own.

Be aware that not all gap car insurance policies are the same and this is important. For example, some gap car insurance policies will cover losses due to theft and accidents but not all so be sure to ask questions regarding specifically what is covered in the policy before you take it.

Usually, gap car insurance is a good idea if you are about to purchase a new car and are concerned that you wouldn’t be able to cover the difference between the market value and the amount that would be cover by the C&C policy. Be aware that gap insurance is not available for older vehicles in most cases.

While you’re certainly not required to take out gap car insurance by your lender or the dealer, it can help you to rest easier in knowing you won’t be stuck owing thousands of dollars on a totaled car in the event that you suffer an accident or theft shortly after the purchase.

It is also important to understand that if you finance your car through the dealership you can usually take out gap car insurance at the time of the purchase; however, you’ll probably end up paying more for the policy than if you simply took it out with your regular auto insurance agent.

Before taking out gap car insurance, always be sure to check your existing policy to find out whether gap insurance might already be contained within that policy. You never know, it might not necessary to purchase an additional policy at all. If it’s not included, give some thought to whether the price of the gap insurance would be worth the trade-off of not having to worry if you have an accident and can’t afford to pay the difference between market value and coverage amount with a regular policy.

Insurance costs continue to rise, and car insurance is no exception. Depending on where you live, you can expect to see regular and sharp increases in your car insurance premiums over time. There has to be a better way! Fortunately, there is. Let’s examine several sure fire ways you can save money on car insurance.

Examine Your Policy Is your policy correct? Are you listed at the right address? Even a one digit variation in your zip code can shoot your rates through the roof. Make certain that everything about you is listed correctly on your policy. Notify your insurance agent if there are mistakes.

Go Shopping For car insurance, that is. Not all companies charge the same and new companies to the market may sweeten the deal for you in order to entice you to make a switch.

Change Your Deductible A $250 deductible is fine until you discover that the cost for having a deductible at this level can send your rates skyward. Instead, think about a deductible as high as $1000 to save on premiums. Pay for minor accidents out of your pocket – you will come out ahead of the game.

Get Rid of Collision Coverage If your car is worth less than $3000, think about dropping collision coverage. Yes, you will receive no compensation from your insurer if your car is wrecked, but the savings you gain by discontinuing collision coverage can be set aside by you as a down payment for your next car.

Pull Policies Together Do you own a home? Do you have life insurance? If so, consider purchasing all of your insurance policies through one broker as you may be eligible to receive a discount from them for grouping together your policies.

Get the Discounts If your car came equipped with certain safety and security features, make sure that your insurer knows about them. Some older model cars do not include air bags as standard equipment, however if your car has airbags and you aren’t receiving an insurance credit for them, notify your insurer to have your premium reduced accordingly.

You can also reduce your insurance premiums by taking a Driver’s Education course, by making certain that all previous points that you accumulated on your license were expunged from your record, and by electing to purchase a less “risky” car – insurance risk, that is.

By following the tips I have outlined in this article, you can save big bucks on your car insurance. Take control of your insurance costs and don’t assume that the insurance companies have your best interests at heart – quite frankly, some do not.