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Does GAP Insurance cover you if your car is stolen?
Vehicle theft is an everyday concern for car owners. One of the most common questions we are asked is 'Does GAP Insurance cover you if your car is stolen?'
In short, the answer should nearly always be 'yes' but there are a few caveats to consider. 
GAP Insurance should cover you if the vehicle is stolen if:
- Your motor insurance company covers you for the incident, writes off the vehicle, and pays out the market replacement value as a settlement.
- You have all locks and alarms activated on the vehicle.
- You have not provided access to the keys to someone else which leads the vehicle to be stolen.
To illustrate further please consider the following examples.
GAP Insurance and car theft: Example One
Your park your car on your driveway at night. You lock your car, set any alarms and immobilisers, and leave the car fully secure.
You take the keys to the car inside your house, lock the front door, and put the keys in a safe place.
During the night someone breaks into your house, finds your car keys, and steals the car using them.
Does GAP Insurance cover this type of incident?
Yes, it should. The key proviso is that your motor insurer also covers this, writes the car off as a total loss, and pays out the current market value of the vehicle in a settlement, then you can claim your GAP Insurance.
From the GAP Insurance point of view, you have taken all reasonable care of your vehicle, locked and set all alarms and deterrents.
GAP Insurance and car theft: Example two
You drive your car into the petrol station, stop and fill up with fuel. You walk off to pay but leave the car open and the keys in the ignition.
Someone jumps into the car and drives it away without your consent.
Does GAP Insurance work in this type of incident?
In our view, no it would not. We would expect a motor insurance company to say you have not protected your vehicle and therefore contributed to the vehicle being stolen. In that circumstance, the motor insurer is not likely to pay out any settlement.
Also, most GAP Insurance policies can contain terms that mean the situation described is not covered.
With GapInsurance123 this clause can be found in the policy terms under section 4, What is not covered. It states
"Any claim if the total loss was the result of theft when your
vehicle was left unoccupied (that is, nobody is inside it) and is
left unlocked, with the windows or roof open or with the keys
inside or on it"
So the simple answer is if you take good care of your vehicle, ensure it is locked and the keys are safely away from it, AND your main motor insurance company covers you for the incident, then making a claim on your GAP Insurance should be fine.
GAP Insurance - theft with keys covered as standard - but how 'standard' is this?
GapInsurance123 GAP Insurance covers your vehicle if your vehicle is stolen with the use of the keys (subject to the criteria laid out above).
This is good news for our customers, but how unique is this feature? 
More than one online competitor claims that 'theft with keys' is some kind of specialist feature. We have even seen some GAP providers using this term as a justification for why their policy price is higher than some others.
We have also seen a few GAP Insurance reviews where 'theft with keys' cover is lauded as a feature of the policy.
So just how unique is a GAP Insurance policy with 'theft with keys' being covered?
In our view, not very unique at all!
It would be easy for us to try to make out that having this feature means that you have bought a Gap policy 'superior' to others available. However, we do not think this is the case. Indeed, we cannot recall any GAP Insurance policy that specifically excludes all claims where the vehicle has been stolen using the keys.
There may be terms and conditions that have to be met, just like the GapInsurance123 policy, but a vehicle theft where the keys have first been stolen should be covered by a GAP Insurance claim.
Please do not be fooled into thinking a 'theft with keys' feature is in any way unique or special. It certainly should not be at the forefront of your mind when you are looking to buy GAP Insurance cover.
Can you get GAP Insurance after your car is stolen?
This is another question we have been asked many times. Someone may be in the situation that they have been in an accident, or the vehicle has suffered a fire or a theft, and the motor insurer is writing off the vehicle. Faced with a financial shortfall on the vehicle, someone without Gap cover may think they could take one out there and then.
Unfortunately, and perhaps obviously, the simple answer is you cannot buy GAP Insurance after an event has happened.
The premise of most insurance is that it can protect you against an event that MAY happen, not one that already has happened.
Keyless theft - how does GAP Insurance work?
Vehicle security has become increasingly more sophisticated over the years. Today, many cars do not have a traditional key and blade to enter the vehicle or start the engine. Instead, clever electronics can detect the presence of the keyfob, and allows the car to open and the engine to be started.
The issue is that the thieves who target cars have developed ways of bypassing these systems, enabling them to gain access and steal the vehicle without the use of the keyfob.
'Keyless' theft is said to account for more than 90% of all vehicle thefts these days, and the numbers seem to be rising year by year.
So would GAP Insurance cover you if the vehicle is stolen without the use of a physical key? Again, the answer should be yes as long as your motor insurer covers the incident, and pays out the market value if they write off the vehicle. You must ensure your vehicle is locked, alarmed and all other security features enabled. Your keys must also be in a safe place.
GAP Insurance can cover you if your car is stolen 
The basics are that if you adhere to the terms of your motor insurance and the Gap cover then your GAP Insurance should cover you for theft of your vehicle. Check any GAP Insurance provider for the terms and conditions and if you are in any doubt about GapInsurance123 coverage please just give us a ring.
GAP Insurance is designed to cover you if your vehicle is written off (stolen, accident, fire, or flood) by your motor insurer, and declared a total loss. However, you must have bought the policy before any incident happens that you wish to claim. This would be the same if you bought a Lease & Contract Hire GAP Insurance policy, Return to Invoice GAP Insurance or Vehicle Replacement GAP Insurance cover.
Whether you are looking to protect the value of your vehicle, pay off any outstanding finance, or have enough to pay for a replacement vehicle, a GAP Insurance policy can be a costs effective way. Theft should not cause you an issue with a claim either.
GAP Insurance and car theft - FAQs
1. Does GAP protect against theft?
Yes, GAP Insurance typically covers theft. If your vehicle is stolen and your primary motor insurance declares it a total loss, your GAP Insurance should cover the difference between the market value of the vehicle at the time of the theft and the original purchase price or the outstanding finance amount.
2. Will insurance payout if the car is stolen?
Yes, if your car is stolen, your comprehensive car insurance should pay out the current market value of the vehicle at the time it was stolen. There may be some exceptional situations where your main motor insurer would not cover theft, for example:
- you leave the car unlocked
- you provide open access to the keys
- your alarm and/or immobiliser is not set
3. What part of the insurance policy covers theft?
Theft is usually covered under the comprehensive or third party, fire and theft section of a motor insurance policy. This means you'll be covered if your car is stolen, or damaged by something other than a collision.
If you have third-party-only cover (the legal minimum requirement) then cover with theft is not covered.
4. What happens if my car is stolen on finance?
If your financed car is stolen, you should report the theft to the police and your insurance company immediately. If your insurance company declares the car a total loss, they will pay the current market value of the car to your finance company. If there's a shortfall, GAP Insurance can help cover the difference.
5. Who pays if a stolen car hits my car?
If a stolen car hits your car, your insurance company should cover the damages under your collision coverage. You need to check your particular motor insurers terms and conditions
6. Does car theft affect no claims?
Yes, making a claim for a stolen car can affect your no-claims bonus, unless you have a protected no-claims discount with your motor insurance policy.
7. Does a GAP Insurance claim work any differently if a car is stolen rather than in an accident?
Yes. If your car is stolen, and covered by a GAP Insurance policy, then you would need to ensure you report the theft to the Police and get a Crime Reference Number.
8. What happens with GAP Insurance if the car is stolen but then recovered?
When a car theft occurs but the car is then recovered, whether you would claim on your GAP Insurance policy depends on what your main motor insurance does. If the car is deemed to be beyond economic repair, and the vehicle is written off then you can claim on the GAP cover to top up your motor insurer's settlement. If the vehicle is repaired and given back to you, or the motor insurer does not pay out a market value settlement if they write it off, no GAP Insurance claim can be made.
9. Is a stolen car classed as a write-off?
Yes, if a stolen car is not recovered, it is typically classified as a 'total loss' or 'write-off' by the insurance company.
10. Will my insurance pay off my finance?
Your insurance will pay the current market value of the car if it's stolen or written off. If the payout is less than what you owe on your finance agreement, you'll be responsible for paying the difference unless you have a suitable GAP Insurance cover in place.
So if you are looking at GAP Insurance and are concerned about if theft is covered then we hope we have answered all your questions here. If we can help further please contact us and if you simply want a GAP Insurance quote then please call or click online at GAPInsurance123.
Updated 9/6/23, written by Mark Griffiths
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Quick simple process, appreciate note about 12 month vehicle replacement may be covered on my insurance already, it was.
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Very quick an easy, but the only slight disappointment is that is no where to get your existing customer discount on the web site. You have to phone for that and if you need the cover to start at the weekend you miss out. Shame.
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