GAP is one of those policies whose point only becomes clear after a total loss. We explain how its three variants differ, what it really costs, and on which lease agreements it is close to essential.
GAP belongs to that group of policies whose purpose most business owners only grasp once it is too late to buy one. The mechanism it protects against is invisible day to day: the widening gap between what the car was worth on the day you took it, and what the insurer will pay out after a total loss or theft.
Where the gap comes from
Comprehensive cover pays out at the market value of the vehicle on the day of the loss, not on the day of purchase. A new car loses value fastest in its first two years — realistically 20–25% in the first year and another mid-teens percentage in the second.
If a car worth 180 000 zł is stolen after two years, comprehensive cover might pay 120 000 zł. Meanwhile the lease has an outstanding balance set by the schedule, which with a low deposit can be markedly higher. You pay the difference out of your own pocket — for a car you no longer have. That is precisely the gap GAP closes.
Three variants, three different promises
- Invoice GAP. Makes up the difference between the comprehensive payout and the value on the purchase invoice. The broadest cover and the one most often chosen for new cars.
- Casco GAP, also called financial GAP. Covers the difference between the payout and the outstanding lease balance. It protects the liability, not the value — after a loss you come out at zero, but without funds for another vehicle.
- Indexed GAP. Raises the comprehensive payout by a fixed percentage agreed in advance, usually 20–30% of market value. The cheapest option, but where value has fallen sharply it may not cover the whole gap.
What it costs
A single premium for three years of cover usually falls between 1,5% and 3% of the vehicle value, depending on the variant and the age of the car. For a car at 180 000 zł that is roughly 2 700–5 400 zł for the whole period, or 75–150 zł a month.
Set that against the potential loss. After two years with a low deposit the gap can reach 30 000–50 000 zł. The relationship between cost and risk here is clearly different from most add-on policies.
When GAP makes the most sense
It is not equally necessary on every agreement. It is worth considering above all when:
- the deposit was low, so the outstanding balance stays high for a long time,
- the car is new and in its steepest phase of depreciation,
- the agreement is long, over 48 or 60 months,
- the vehicle is in the premium segment, where the loss of value in absolute terms is largest.
On a car a few years old, bought with a high deposit on a short agreement, the gap is small enough that the cost of the policy stops being proportionate to the risk.
Check who the beneficiary of the GAP policy is. In a lease it is sometimes the lessor, in which case the payout closes your liability but never reaches you. With invoice GAP written in favour of the lessee, any surplus above the outstanding balance stays with you.
What to watch in the terms
The most common restrictions concern the age of the vehicle on the day the policy is taken out, the maximum benefit, and exclusions for losses caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol. It is also worth checking whether cover includes theft — not every GAP variant treats it the same way as a total loss.
Frequently asked questions
Is GAP compulsory in a lease?
Not by law. Some lessors nonetheless require it where the deposit is low or the vehicle expensive, writing that obligation into the agreement. Even when it is not required, on a new car with a low initial payment it is often the best-spent złoty in the whole insurance package.
How does invoice GAP differ from casco GAP?
Invoice GAP tops the payout up to the value on the purchase invoice, so after a loss you have the funds for a comparable car. Casco GAP tops it up only to the outstanding lease balance — the liability disappears, but it will not finance a replacement vehicle.
Can I buy GAP during the lease?
Usually yes, but only within a defined window and for a vehicle that has not exceeded the age limit in the terms. The later you leave it, the narrower the offer and the higher the premium, so the decision is best made when the agreement is signed.
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