GAP insurance?

[minicore]

Quote: Originally Posted by Adrian Plant (original)

Does the MINI gap insurance cover you for damage to your car? Someone had keyed the rear of my wife's new countryman we have had a few quotes for the work that have come in around £500.

As far as I'm aware, GAP only covers a total loss (so write-off or unrecovered theft of vehicle).

Sorry to hear about the keying though.

Some insurers waive the excess for malicious damage?

[MINIman1187]

All GAP insurance covers is if the vehicle is stolen or totaled. I have it on my Cooper S and it was only an extra $15 (USD) per month for me. With the car not having an alarm, I thought it would be wise to have.

Quote: Originally Posted by Lawrothegreat (original)

This is a difficult one. I've bought two MINIs now and I haven't taken out GAP insurance on either.

While most drivers will be involved in numerous minor accidents throughout their lives, most people will not write off a car or have one stolen. I haven't taken out GAP insurance on the basis that if it costs approximately £100 per year, and I'm buying and running cars for a period of fifty years (I'm currently 26) then that gives me £5,000 to play with if things go wrong (assuming inflation of GAP insurance cost matches inflation of cost of fallout).

In many ways if you shop around GAP is probably worth the money, but if I have a nasty accident a few £000s will be the least of my worries no matter how financially deprived I am.

but that IS over 50 years... you are not going to ever have that money at one time, unless you start saving now and spend it when your 76... GAP is great to have if you want to have no worries about the payments if your MINI gets totaled or stolen... if it gets totaled or stolen w/o GAP, then whatever the insurance doesn't pay YOU still owe to the bank and paying for a car you don't even own anymore sucks!

[uzubairu]

I've never had GAP insurance (I thought it was always linked to cars purchased on finance), but after reading this thread and getting some quotes, I have been quite surprised at how little I can get it for.
Thanks for your input.

I am certain the dealer won't be able to match the quotes I've received so I won't waste time at the dealership haggling tomorrow and just purchase it tonight online.

[blade929]

We have just taken out "MINI" / BMW Gap from the dealer.

Find out what you can get it for online, then go in while doing the deal on the car armed with this Info. It is easy to get them to match the online quotes

[creedR56]

I just bought a MINI in Russia where they also refer to it as GAP - cost 17,000 rubles (approx £350).

[AMAUTOS7]

Didnt u get free smart repair with you GAP?

[Sesqui89]

I unfortunately wrote my first Mini off a few years ago and suffered pretty badly financially for it. A GAP policy is definitely something I will be going for this time around!

[starzz121]

i took Mini's own Gap insurance £217 for 3 years. least i know if i have a right odd i will get the price i paid for it.

its only £18 a month and peice of mind if i hadnt got finance i wouldnt of taken it.

[ReaperRCJS]

I have taken the GAP from my mini dealer; as when I shopped around with a car years ago I thought I was getting a good deal; however when my car was written off I then had the issue that they were 2 separate companies and it was a nightmare; in the end the GAP didn't pay the full amount and I was left paying out the shortfall (small amount sure but not what I signed up for!).

So If its from the same company as the finance you have the added piece of mind and loads less paperwork!