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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is the figure quoted a one off payment or an annual premium?

    The figure quoted is a one off payment and represents the total cost for the policy.

  • What vehicles are excluded on your policy?

    Aston Martin, Bentley, Bristol, Cosworth, De Tomaso, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Rolls Royce, any Commercial Vehicle, Motorcycle, Motor Scooter/Moped, any left hand drive vehicle and a
    vehicle which does not meet UK or EC approval or is not commercially available in the UK direct from a manufacturer or its authorised importer or dealer, any taxi, mini cab, driving tuition vehicle, courier or delivery vehicle of any type or any private or
    public rental vehicle or any rally, competition or off-road vehicle of any type.

  • How much cover do I need?

    Purely as a guide, you could assume a vehicle 2 years old would be worth about 65% of its original value, for 3 years you could assume 45% - 50% and for 4 years you could assume 35%-45%

    If the car is on a lease (Contract Hire), it is worth checking with the leasing company their policy on charges if the contract is settled early. Many leasing companies charge 50%-60% of outstanding rentals whilst some will charge you 100% of outstanding rentals.

  • Why do I need GAP Insurance?

    GAP Insurance is designed to protect you against financial loss. In the event of a total loss claim your comprehensive insurer will only pay you market value for your car at the time the car is written off. This leaves you exposed to any remaining finance settlement charges or the substantial loss suffered with the vehicle value depreciation. If your car is on contract hire or a non-regulated purchase agreement, you may be faced with a bill of up to 100% of the outstanding payments.

  • I own the car and have it insured in my name but my husband is a named driver. Is he covered?

    Our GAP Insurance Policies cover all named drivers on your motor insurance policy.

  • Is the insurer UK based?

    Yes, Jubilee, part of the LLOYD'S OF LONDON syndicate, is an A+ rated UK based insurer, that is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Their FCA number is: 226696 and can be checked on the Financial Service Register.

  • I own the car but I am not the main user on the insurance policy, in whose name do I apply for GAP?

    The registered owner or keeper or a named driver on the Fully Comprehensive cover needs to be the applicant for the GAP insurance policy

  • Are there any implications with an underwriter not being U.K. based?

    Buying from a UK insurer that is directly authorised and regulated by the FCA, which in turn offers you policy protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, will give you the security you need. Consumers considering or currently doing business with passported EEA firms ('EEA Authorised') will be covered in a similar way under the same scheme, however the FCA suggest you may wish to ask for further information from the firm or its UK branch about its complaints and compensation arrangements.

  • Which policy should I buy if my car is on finance?

    If the car were on a purchased based finance arrangement, Back to Invoice+ or Vehicle Replacement Insurance would be appropriate. Back to Invoice+ will either pay back to your invoice price or settle the finance - whichever the greater. With a Vehicle Replacement Insurance, although the agreement may need to be settled, you will receive the full value of a replacement vehicle.

  • Is Finance GAP the same as Contract Hire GAP?

    This depends on the supplier but you really need to double check the small print. Our contract hire GAP specifically covers up to 100% of outstanding rentals and any potential differences in residual value.

  • When do I have to take out a GAP Insurance policy?

    You must apply for a policy within 90 days of delivery of your vehicle if you would like a Vehicle Replacement or Agreed Value GAP policies. You are able to take a Back to Invoice policy for up to 180 days. This is the case even if your primary insurer offers a replacement facility in the first year. In this case, providing you make a claim in the first year, we will transfer the whole policy to the replacement vehicle.

  • I own my car outright, which GAP Insurance do I apply for?

    If your car is new or up to 7 years old and purchased within the last 90 days we are able to offer you Vehicle Replacement+ Insurance - this policy replaces new for old or to the age of the car that you originally insured. For new or used cars up to the age of 10 years, we offer Back to Invoice+ which pays the difference between the primary insurer's market value settlement and your original invoice price.

  • Am I covered for theft if the keys are stolen from my house?

    This is an important question, as some GAP policies do not provide cover in this instance. All our GAP Insurance Policies do cover you if your house is broken into and your car keys stolen.

  • Will my comprehensive insurance company pay off the finance house if my car is written off?

    Your primary insurer will normally pay you the current market value of the car and that is all. If this is insufficient to clear any outstanding finance, our Back to Invoice+ and Vehicle Replacement+ policies will clear this.

  • Is my GAP Insurance protected?

    The insurer of these policies, Jubilee, part of the LLOYD'S OF LONDON syndicate, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which means that your policy is protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

  • I bought my car from a private individual, can I still have GAP insurance?

    We are able to offer Agreed Value GAP in this instance, provided the car has been bought within 90 days, but not any other type of policy.

  • I bought my vehicle more than 90 days ago, can I still buy GAP Insurance?

    If your car was purchased more than 90 days ago we may still be able to offer you a Back to Invoice policy for up to 180 days after delivery. If you have purchased your vehicle more than 180 days ago we are unable to offer you a policy at this time.

  • Is my car covered for GAP Insurance if I take the car abroad?

    Yes, so long as you comply with any restrictions your Fully Comprehensive Policy enforces for a UK registered and domiciled car, then the GAP Insurance will be valid. Please note that GAP Insurance only pays out if the primary insurer accept the insured loss under a fully comprehensive policy.

  • Is there anything which shouldn't be included in the invoice price and so would not be covered by the ALA GAP policy?

    Yes. Things we aren't able to cover include, but are not limited to, extended warranty charges, insurance products, administration fees, road fund licence and paint protection. If you are not certain whether to include something in the invoice price then please call us on the number above.

  • Is my GAP insurance policy protected if the insurer goes bust?

    The insurer of these policies, Jubilee, part of the LLOYDS OF LONDON syndicate, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If the underwriter is unable to meet its obligations under this insurance you may be able to claim compensation under the the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The first £2000 of a claim is protected in full .For amounts above this threshold, 90% of the remainder will be met.

  • Is Agreed Value GAP the same as Comprehensive car insurance?

    No, Agreed Value GAP(AVG) is not your car insurance. This type of GAP insurance will, in the event of total loss, cover the difference between your comprehensive insurance settlement and the Glass's Guide retail valuation of your car at the time you took out the AVG policy.

  • Does the £250 contribution to my Comprehensive Insurance pay out on every claim that I have?

    No, the limit of £250 is only paid out in the event of total loss claim.This is a maximum amount, if your excess is £150, we pay you £150.

  • Is there a minimum age I can buy GAP Insurance?

    Seventeen with a provisional or full driving licence on a fully comprehensive insurance policy.

  • I have bought a car for my daughter and plan to pass ownership to her at a later date, will the GAP Insurance remain valid?

    Whilst the car is owned by you, the GAP Insurance needs to be taken out in your name and your daughter will need to be a named driver on your Fully Comprehensive policy. When passing ownership of the car to your daughter, you have to remain as a named driver on her Fully Comprehensive policy, otherwise the policy will lapse.

  • My Comprehensive Insurer is offering me a 'new for old' replacement for the first year, why do I still need GAP insurance in the first year?

    In order that we can replace the vehicle 'new for old' for up to 4 years, the policy has to be purchased within 90 days of delivery. Alternatively we may still be able to cover you Back to Invoice and this policy can be purchased for up to 180 days. In the event of a total loss claim in the first year, we will transfer the whole of this policy on to your replacement vehicle. You also need to consider that your insurer may not replace your vehicle due to a clause within the policy e.g. there will be a maximum pro rata mileage allowance and if this is exceeded, the policy could just pay you the current market value.

  • Some competitors of ALA will defer the start of a vehicle replacement policy for the first year to coincide with my comprehensive insurer's offer of a 'new for old' replacement for the first year - why doesn't ALA?

    If your GAP policy is deferred for 12 months and you have a total loss claim, your Comprehensive Insurer may refuse to replace new for old due to a breach of a clause. It is then most unlikely that the deferred GAP Insurance policy will activate either - leaving you with no GAP cover whatsoever!

  • Are there any instances where GAP insurance doesn't pay out?

    Yes, if your Fully Comprehensive Insurance provider refuses your claim, the GAP insurance will not settle. Two examples of this may be if you leave the keys in the ignition and the car is stolen or if you cause the vehicle to be written off under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

  • I bought my car through the Motability scheme, can I buy GAP Insurance?

    It is our understanding that you may not require GAP Insurance as your car is fully protected with the insurance proveded under the Mobility scheme. Please check the Mobility provider for confirmation

  • Is it free to transfer my policy should I change my vehicle within the length of the policy cover?

    Yes it is,we will transfer the balance in monetary terms on a pro rata basis from your old policy and take this off the balance of the new policy with no additional fee.
    If there is a proportion of the original premium left after transfer this cannot unfortunately be refunded.

    This is subject to ALA's Fair Usage Terms.

  • What are ALA's Fair Usage Terms?

    These include, but are not restricted to:
    A policy may not be transferred more than twice in a 12 month period
    Multiple discount codes may not be used including cash back offers and discount codes.
    Discount codes that are not directly associated with a cash back site may not be used in conjunction for an ALA purchase.
    Our price guarantee does not extend to sales prices.

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