Get Out of the "Danger Zone" - Why You Need Gap Auto Insurance
| GAP Auto Insurance Coverage |
Negative Equity
When your car is worth less than what you owe on it -- puts car buyers and lessees at risk because an auto
insurance policy won't pay out more for repairs or replacement than the auto is worth.
Here's an example of how negative equity happens:
Often, borrowers find themselves "upside down" (owing more than the auto is worth) through a combination of
factors, including:
Moving out of the danger zone of upside down debt is not as expensive as you might think. For less than the
cost of the average car payment you can protect your investment and your credit, and preserve your peace of
mind - all for a one time fee.
When your car is worth less than what you owe on it -- puts car buyers and lessees at risk because an auto
insurance policy won't pay out more for repairs or replacement than the auto is worth.
Here's an example of how negative equity happens:
- Your loan payoff $30,000
Your vehicle's actual cash value $26,000
The First GAP $4,000
Your deductible $500
The Second GAP $500
Your insurance settlement $25,500
The Total GAP $4,500
Often, borrowers find themselves "upside down" (owing more than the auto is worth) through a combination of
factors, including:
- Taking out a loan with an extended term A longer loan term not only means lower payments, it means
you build equity in the vehicle much more slowly.
- Depreciation All cars depreciate, but some lose value much more quickly than others. According to
some estimates, certain cars lose as much as 30% of their value within the first three months.
- Putting little or no money down If you finance all or nearly all the price of the car, you could be upside
down as soon as you drive home, because a new car depreciates most at the moment it becomes
"used."
- Borrowing more than the purchase price Borrowers who finance the tax, license, and registration, or
extras such as service plans and extended warranties, will find themselves upside down before leaving
the lot.
Moving out of the danger zone of upside down debt is not as expensive as you might think. For less than the
cost of the average car payment you can protect your investment and your credit, and preserve your peace of
mind - all for a one time fee.
What Causes The GAP In Insurance Coverage?
Unless you pay cash for your new car, or make a
substantial down payment, odds are your car loan is
"upside down" the minute you drive off the dealer's lot.
An "upside down" loan simply means the amount
borrowed to purchase an asset like an automobile
exceeds the value of the asset itself.
Most recently, you've probably heard the term used to
describe the hundreds of thousands of mortgages
now in default.
Unlike a home, the value of an automobile at any
point in its life is predetermined by a depreciation
schedule that takes into account make, model, year,
equipment, and mileage.
Unless you pay cash for your new car, or make a
substantial down payment, odds are your car loan is
"upside down" the minute you drive off the dealer's lot.
An "upside down" loan simply means the amount
borrowed to purchase an asset like an automobile
exceeds the value of the asset itself.
Most recently, you've probably heard the term used to
describe the hundreds of thousands of mortgages
now in default.
Unlike a home, the value of an automobile at any
point in its life is predetermined by a depreciation
schedule that takes into account make, model, year,
equipment, and mileage.