What is Gap Insurance and do I need it? – Nationwide

How does gap insurance work?

Gap policy stands for Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance. It is an optional, accessory coverage that can help certain drivers cover the “ gap ” between the finance come owed on their car and their cable car ’ s actual cash value ( ACV ), in the event of a cover incident where their car is declared a total loss .
Imagine you get mix up in a bad accident and the damage to your car is extensive. You go to your mechanic and learn that your car is totaled. You have collision indemnity, but there ’ s a trouble. Your car is three years old and its actual cash respect is only $ 20,000. Yet you calm owe $ 25,000 in payments on it ! You ’ ve got a fiscal gap to bridge, and gap policy will pay it for you ( minus your deductible ). contrary to popular belief, gap insurance coverage does not mean that your insurance supplier pays you the wide sum you originally paid for your car. Having opening policy means your insurance supplier may pay the finance sum you presently owe on your car at the fourth dimension of a cover accident, minus your deductible. Depending on your circumstances, gap insurance can be a smart addition to your collision policy policy .

Does gap insurance cover theft?

Having your car stolen can feel a bunch like having it totaled. You woke up and had a cable car, and following thing you know, it was gone. But does that mean your gap indemnity will hush work the lapp ? It does ! If your car is stolen and unrecovered, break indemnity will however pay the deviation between your car ’ s actual cash value and the sum owed for it. Leftover car payments can make a monsoon out of a showery day. Purchasing gap insurance through Nationwide can help keep you protected .

Do you need gap insurance?

If you ‘re wondering if you need gap insurance, there are a few things you should consider. Gap indemnity is a good option for the follow types of drivers :

Drivers who owe more on their car lend than the car is worth. If you are presently making car loanword payments, be sure to calculate the loan balance and weigh it against your car ’ s current cash value. ( Again, this is different from the measure you paid for the car. ) Is there a gap ? If so, you should powerfully consider gap indemnity .
Drivers whose car lend requires gap policy. Regardless of what you owe on your loan, some lend providers require gap insurance from the beginning of your lend .
Drivers whose rent requires gap indemnity. many car leases require col insurance as a protective quantify. Some lease providers may already include col policy in the price of the lease .
Drivers who own their car outright and drivers who owe less on their car than its current actual cash rate ( as there is not a “ gap ” in measure ) do not need col insurance, but will placid need car policy coverage to help keep them and their car protected from the unexpected.

How much does gap insurance cost?

If you need gap coverage, you ’ re probably wondering “ how a lot is gap indemnity ? ” The monetary value varies depending on a variety of factors including :

• The current actual cash value (ACV) of your car
• Your age
• The state you live in
• Your previous car insurance claims

Bundling gap insurance with your existing policy will normally save you money, with insurers charging an modal of $ 20- $ 40 per year, however you can purchase it independently for an average pace of $ 200- $ 300.1 Gap policy on a use car may besides carry a unlike price than break indemnity for a newly cable car, since the cost of the car and its actual cash value both tend to decline with use and senesce. Keep in mind that once you “ close the gap ” by owing less on your car than its ACV, you will no long need gap indemnity .

Is gap insurance worth it?

You may still be asking yourself – is gap policy worth it ? It surely could be in the good circumstances. Gap insurance takes consequence in the event of a complete loss of your vehicle, such as larceny or a overlay accident which renders your cable car a “ full loss. ” And although you might be a timid, creditworthy driver, not everyone else on the road is. not having opening insurance if you are “ upside down ” on your car loan could mean you are reimbursed for thousands less in the event of a dispatch loss. Are you bequeath to take a gamble on the col ?

Where to buy gap insurance

You can purchase opening policy policies at a flat rate from lenders and dealerships, however it ’ second going to cost you more. Purchasing your policy through an policy company costs hundreds of dollars less on average.1

“ But I already spend enough on my indemnity policy, this seems unnecessary. Right ? ”
only if you ’ re absolutely convinced your car will never be stolen or totaled a long as you own it ! And unless you ’ ve got a crystal musket ball, that ’ s improbable. Gap policy can save you thousands of dollars, and on a day that ’ s already gone very badly. If you ’ ve good totaled your car or returned to your parking point to find it missing, the very final matter you ’ ll need to do is worry about your remaining car payments. Purchase col indemnity through Nationwide and keep yourself protected on your bad days .
Learn more about whether gap indemnity is mighty for you and start a exempt quote today .