Most of us know that a new or used car will depreciate by about twenty percent the minute we drive it off the lot. So unless you put 20% down on your auto loan, you stand to owe considerably more than the value of your car for quite some time. If you buy a moderately priced car of $20,000, then your loan could be for $4,000 more than the price your vehicle would be valued at. Cars are getting more expensive, and many of us are taking out loans for one hundred percent of the value of the loan!
However most insurance companies consider the value of your car to be your book value, and not your loan value. This may seem unfair since your loan may require you to keep comprehensive insurance! However, if you car is wrecked or stolen within the first year, and your insurance only reimburses you for book value, you could owe thousands of dollars on a car that you cannot drive. You will still be responsible for the balance of the loan no matter what amount your inssurance company pays if they choose to total your car.
To protect yourself against an insurance company decision to total your car, you should consider buying car gap insurance. This type of insurance will pay off the balance of your auto loan. However car dealers often charge $500 - $700 for this type of insurance. You do not have to buy auto gap insurance at the dealer! You can buy the very same sort of gap insurance online and direct for less than $300.
Gap insurance is available in the US, UK, and other countries. As cars get more expensive, people finance larger percentages of their auto purchases, and often finance 100%, so gap insurance is becoming a very popular option. If you want to protect one of your most expensive investments, you should consider automobile gap insurance.
Gap Insurance Worth It
Auto GAP insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection Insurance) is a type of insurance wherein your assets are fully protected and the company would pay you for the value of your vehicle and how much you owe in it. This is useful as this is something that comprehensive car insurance coverage has missed out and once your car is totaled by an accident, you would still have a lot of bills to pay. The value GAP insurance would pay you is the fair market value. This means that once your car is already outside your garage, then its value would decrease by 20%. Still, this is way better than having comprehensive car insurance.
There are many instances when getting GAP car insurance would be encouraged to be purchased. Oftentimes, it is involved in lease contracts as an addition because the leasing company should be assured of reimbursement in an accident. Also, this is very much advised for owners of cars which are often stolen such as luxury cars. Another thing is that cars which have the highest sales rates are also often the most tempting to a thief's eye. Once your car is stolen, even if you have just bought it, then the insurance will only pay you with the car's value. Thus, you will still pay a loan which does not benefit you.
Do not believe dealers that will tell you that GAP insurance can only be bought on their office during the time when you buy your car. The truth is, the first 12 months after your purchase is the span of time where you can purchase GAP insurance. However, buying the insurance months after your car purchase would make buying it less necessary. This is because the value of your car and the loan you would pay would eventually be at the equal level.
You should purchase GAP insurance because it is very reasonable. You only get to add a few more dollars to monthly payments then you can fit the money of new auto owners! Most people are not aware of GAP insurance – even its existence – this is why many people do not have this. Of course companies and dealers would hardly tell you about this coverage, simply because even if they tell you or not, they will still earn money. Plus, you do not need their information since you can actually find better rates with your own efforts.
Another thing of its low fame is because some states do not offer it – even some insurance companies. Some of these states are New York, Washington, Virginia, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Louisiana, Maine, and Connecticut. People in these states can encourage lawmakers to make it available in their areas through petitions. This is also applicable for consumers whose company does not offer GAP insurance. The companies can always consider this as an option.
This is best for consumers who are planning on buying or have already bought cars which need assistance in finances. This is the coverage for those kinds of people as it is both indispensable and affordable. If the car you have is an old model and you are not planning to buy a new one for it, then GAP insurance is not much of a necessity.
Both Marilyn Katz & Patricia Gabbett are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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