Best GAP insurance 2026
Which website offers the best user experience and cover?
We’re all used to dealers trying to ‘upsell’ us profitable add-ons when buying a car. The sales staff will try to sign up buyers to service plans, paint protection and a variety of insurance products to cover everything from a scraped bumper to a puncture.
One of the most genuinely useful products is called GAP insurance. The initials stand for Guaranteed Asset Protection but – fittingly – it is designed to cover the gap between the price you paid for a car and the lower payout amount from your insurer if the car is written off or stolen. There is no need for it legally, but it could cover any negative equity on your finance or simply give you the chance to have a brand-new car again after an accident or theft.
The way GAP is sold has changed since the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) scrutinised the market in 2025, which means that some car dealers have stopped selling it altogether. If you still want it, there are plenty of insurers who will be happy to provide cover. But which is the best?
How we tested
We asked eight internet providers for prices on the same ‘Return to Invoice’ cover for a nearly new Ford Puma being bought on hire purchase. This would pay out the difference between the price you paid for the car and the settlement amount from the insurer. We set the maximum claim to £15,000 for three years of cover.
Used - available now
2022 BMW
3 Series Touring
11,238 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £26,697
2023 Ford
Puma
16,631 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L
Cash £16,697
2025 Suzuki
S-Cross
20,888 milesManualPetrol1.4L
Cash £16,597
2019 Mercedes
GLC
83,874 milesAutomaticDiesel2.1L
Cash £14,697In addition to the price, we checked if the policy would also pay your motor insurance excess after a claim, the user-friendliness of the site, clarity of information and other extras we were offered.
moneymaxim.co.uk
- Premium: around £107.35
- Excess cover: £500
- Rating: 5.0 stars
We were initially sceptical about this website, because the home page looks generic. But we persevered and were impressed when entering the registration of the car, which brought up a picture of ‘our’ actual Puma taken from the dealer’s advert, plus its details. The quote was an unbeatable £107.35 and the excess cover pays up to £500. The only downside was no monthly payment option.
directgap.co.uk
- Premium: around £119
- Excess cover: £1,000
- Rating: 4.5 stars
If the excess cover offered by our Best Buy isn’t going to be enough, try Direct Gap – it has double the maximum. That’s not the only benefit, because there are just four questions to answer to get a quote: the car’s price, make, engine and term of the cover. We also liked the explanations of the different policies and what they covered. You can pay over 10 months, but it bumps the cost up to £144.53.
motoreasy.com
- Premium: around £137.12
- Excess cover: £500
- Rating: 4.0 stars
Last year’s winner loses out this time because the prices have gone up and the cover has gone down, with the excess maximum halving to £500 since our last test. Getting a quote takes some effort too, with lots of information required. However, if you want to pay in instalments, finance over 12 months costs just four pence more overall.
totallossgap.co.uk
- Premium: around £118.98
- Excess cover: £250
- Rating: 4.0 stars
We got off to a bad start with Total Loss Gap, with the website crashing, but we tried again later and it was fine. Even when it’s working, the site isn’t the most user-friendly, with a dated look and scattered information, and you need to fill in 11 questions before reaching a price. The cost is competitive, but a stingy £250 excess and the scattergun site layout lost Total Loss Gap points.
tidyalloys.com
- Premium: around £135
- Excess cover: £350
- Rating: 3.5 stars
The unusual name of this site is because it provides insurance for alloy wheels, but there are other options including GAP cover. The ‘instant quote’ option requires just three items of information – the car’s registration, the purchase price and the length of cover. But the quote was only average, especially because there’s only £350 excess cover and no monthly payment option.
gapinsurance.co.uk
- Premium: around £161.40
- Excess cover: £750
- Rating: 2.5 stars
This site claims to be the UK’s original online GAP insurance provider, and it looks as though the website hasn’t been updated since, with a dated design and user interface. Getting a quote requires 14 inputs too, including the price you pay for motor insurance. The resulting quote was unimpressive, but on the plus side, the £750 excess cover is more generous than some.
ala.co.uk
- Premium: around £193.11
- Excess cover: £250
- Rating: 2.0 stars
We really liked the simplicity of the ALA site. Although it requires several inputs, the design means they are clicks rather than typing and it doesn’t demand personal information at this stage. You are then offered two different types of cover with a clear explanation. But the price is too high to be competitive and rises to £218.10 over 10 months. There’s only £250 excess cover, too.
gapinsure.com
- Premium: around £205.44
- Excess cover: £500
- Rating: 2.0 stars
Load Gapinsure from a search engine and the page makes you wait for a call or email to get a price. The home page allows a faster quote, but it’s not obvious. This quoted us £256.80. The e-mailed price gave 20 per cent off, at £205.44 – but that’s still the priciest here.
Verdict
Newcomer Moneymaxim takes the Best Buy, with the lowest quote and a simple-to-use site. If you need a higher excess cover, then we would suggest directgap.co.uk. For drivers wanting to pay monthly or bundle GAP with other insurance products, Motoreasy makes the most sense.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.
