ALA Insurance
Cover types
Return to invoice, vehicle replacement, contract hire, agreed value
Key benefits
- 5 Star Defaqto rated cover
- Motor insurance excess cover included as standard
- Underwritten by Financial & Legal and Hiscox
🧮 Shortfall estimator
Estimate your potential GAP shortfall
Pick your purchase price and vehicle profile to see an illustrative estimate of the gap between what you paid and what a motor insurer might pay out after a write-off.
What you paid
£30,000
Your original purchase price.
Estimated insurer payout
£16,500
Estimated market value after 3 years (55% of purchase price).
Estimated shortfall
£13,500
The gap a GAP insurance policy is designed to bridge, subject to policy terms.
A shortfall of around £13,500 is the kind of gap where many buyers consider GAP cover.
Illustrative estimate only, not a quote or a valuation. Depreciation assumptions reflect widely published UK guidance (the AA notes a typical new car loses around 60% of its value over the first three years); your car's actual market value depends on model, mileage, condition, and the used-car market at the time of any claim.
How to read your result
Standard comprehensive car insurance usually settles a total loss at the vehicle's market value on the day of the claim, not at the price you paid. The calculator shows how those two figures typically drift apart: the steepest fall happens in the first year, and by year three a typical new car has lost around half of its value.
If the estimated shortfall would genuinely hurt — because you would still owe money on finance, or could not afford an equivalent replacement — that is the situation GAP insurance exists for. If the shortfall is small relative to the premium, you may be better off without it. Our guide to whether GAP insurance is worth it walks through that decision in detail.
Remember that the type of policy matters as much as the size of the gap: return to invoice, vehicle replacement, and finance GAP each protect a different figure. See our comparison of return to invoice vs vehicle replacement cover if you are unsure which basis fits how you bought the car.
⭐ Friendly comparison view
Compare leading GAP insurance providers
Cover types and key features below were checked against each provider's own website in July 2026. Pricing is quote-based for almost every provider, so always compare live quotes for your own vehicle.
Direct GAP
Cover types
Return to invoice, vehicle replacement, lease and contract hire, agreed value
Key benefits
- Unlimited claim limits on vehicles up to £50,000
- Monthly instalments available
- Trading since 2006 with Feefo Platinum award
MotorEasy
Cover types
Return to invoice, return to value, lease, finance GAP
Key benefits
- 5 Star Defaqto rated, advertised from £4.30/month (July 2026)
- Covers vehicles under 8 years, 100,000 miles and £75,000 value
- Up to £500 insurance excess covered
gapinsurance.co.uk
Cover types
Replacement GAP, invoice GAP, contract hire, top-up GAP
Key benefits
- Established 2004, underwritten by Arch
- No market value clauses in payout terms
- Contract hire cover includes up to £3,000 initial rental
Cover My GAP
Cover types
Return to invoice and finance, vehicle replacement and finance, contract hire
Key benefits
- FCA regulated (Reach Financial Services)
- FSCS protected
- No market-value payout restriction
Coffee Insure
Cover types
Combined RTI, combined VRI, vehicle finance GAP, contract hire
Key benefits
- Up to £1,000 motor excess cover
- Temporary replacement vehicle for up to 30 days
- FCA regulated (Ping Insure Ltd)
GAPInsure
Cover types
Return to invoice, dedicated EV GAP, contract hire, taxi GAP
Key benefits
- 5 Star Defaqto rated
- Dedicated electric vehicle GAP product
- Monthly direct debit payment option
Click4Gap
Cover types
Combined RTI, combined RTI Plus, hybrid and EV variants
Key benefits
- Shortfall cover up to £75,000
- Monthly payment plans spread over 12 months
- Up to £500 excess contribution and £1,500 dealer-fitted accessories
| Provider | Cover types | Key benefits | Visit site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return to invoice, vehicle replacement, contract hire, agreed value |
| Visit site |
| Return to invoice, vehicle replacement, lease and contract hire, agreed value |
| Visit site |
| Return to invoice, return to value, lease, finance GAP |
| Visit site |
| Replacement GAP, invoice GAP, contract hire, top-up GAP |
| Visit site |
| Return to invoice and finance, vehicle replacement and finance, contract hire |
| Visit site |
| Combined RTI, combined VRI, vehicle finance GAP, contract hire |
| Visit site |
GAPInsure | Return to invoice, dedicated EV GAP, contract hire, taxi GAP |
| Visit site |
| Combined RTI, combined RTI Plus, hybrid and EV variants |
| Visit site |
Calculator FAQs
How does this GAP insurance calculator work?
It applies typical UK depreciation curves to your purchase price to estimate the vehicle's market value after one to five years, then shows the difference between that value and what you paid. That difference is the shortfall GAP insurance is designed to cover.
Is the result a quote or a valuation?
No. It is an illustration based on typical depreciation patterns. Your actual insurer payout would be based on the vehicle's market value at the time of a claim, and GAP premiums are quoted individually by each provider.
What size of shortfall makes GAP insurance worth considering?
There is no official threshold, but many buyers weigh a multi-year premium of roughly £100 to £300 against the estimated shortfall. If the estimated gap runs into thousands of pounds, cover is usually worth pricing up; if it is a few hundred pounds, it may not be.
Why do electric and premium cars show bigger shortfalls?
Because they tend to depreciate faster in pound terms. A higher purchase price means even an average percentage fall translates into a larger cash gap between invoice price and market value.