How Do I Know If I Have Gap Insurance?

Last Updated on December 31, 2025

Gap insurance (also called loan/lease payoff coverage) helps pay the difference between your vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV) and what you still owe on your auto loan or lease if the car is totaled or stolen.

If you’re wondering, “Do I have gap insurance?” the fastest way to confirm is to check your auto policy paperwork (especially the declarations page) and your loan/lease documents—or call your insurer or lender and ask them directly.

Here’s exactly how to check if you have gap insurance, where it shows up, and how to avoid paying for duplicate coverage.

Key Takeaways

• You can usually confirm gap insurance by checking your auto insurance declarations page, your loan/lease contract, or by calling your insurer or lender directly.
• Gap insurance typically applies only after a total loss (like a severe accident or theft) and helps cover the difference between your vehicle’s ACV payout and your loan/lease payoff amount.
• Gap coverage may be sold by your dealership/lender or offered as an add-on through your auto insurer—so you need to check both places to know where you’re paying for it.
• Avoid paying for gap twice: having two gap policies is usually redundant and won’t increase your payout in a total-loss claim.

Quick Ways to Check If You Have Gap Insurance

You can usually confirm gap coverage in under 10 minutes by doing one of the following:

• Look at your auto insurance declarations page (it lists your coverages and endorsements)
• Search your loan or lease paperwork for terms like “GAP,” “gap waiver,” or “loan/lease payoff”
• Open your insurer’s app/online account and look under endorsements or optional coverages
• Call your insurer, lender, or dealership and ask: “Do I currently have GAP or loan/lease payoff coverage?”

Check Your Auto Insurance Declarations Page

Your declarations page is the easiest place to confirm whether you bought gap coverage through your insurance company. It’s the summary page that lists your drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles, and endorsements. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, start here: insurance policy declarations page.

On your dec page or within your online policy documents, gap insurance might be listed as:

• GAP coverage
• Loan/lease payoff
• Auto loan/lease protection
• A specific “endorsement” attached to your policy

If you don’t see anything like this, it doesn’t automatically mean you have no gap coverage—it may be included in your lease/loan instead (or offered through the dealership).

Check Your Lease or Loan Documents

If you are leasing or financing a vehicle, gap coverage is commonly required by the contract or strongly recommended early in the loan term.

Start by reviewing your lease or loan contract. Some agreements include gap automatically, while others list it as an optional add-on you accepted (and paid for).

Tip: If you have a stack of dealership paperwork, search for keywords like “GAP,” “GAP waiver,” “debt cancellation,” or “loan/lease payoff.”

Call Your Lender or Lienholder to Confirm

If you’re still unsure after checking documents, call the lender and ask whether gap coverage is included in your agreement or currently active. The lender (or lienholder) can usually tell you whether they require it and whether it’s part of your payments.

If your contract requires gap coverage and you don’t maintain the required protections, some lenders can add coverage to protect the vehicle as collateral—often at a higher cost. That’s one reason it helps to understand things like collateral protection insurance and what your lender can do if you don’t meet the agreement terms.

Check With the Dealership You Bought From

Dealers often sell gap coverage at the time of purchase, and it may be rolled into your monthly payment. If you bought from a retailer like CarMax or an online seller like Carvana, your purchase/finance paperwork may spell out whether gap is included or optional.

Ask the finance office for a copy of your signed add-on menu (or agreement) and confirm whether a gap product was selected.

Do You Actually Need Gap Insurance?

Gap insurance is not required by state law, but it can be required by a lender or lease agreement. Even when it isn’t required, it can be a smart financial safety net in the early years of a loan or lease—when you can owe more than the vehicle is worth.

You’re more likely to need or want gap coverage if:

• You made a small down payment (or rolled fees/negative equity into the loan)
• You chose a longer loan term (which can slow how quickly you build equity)
• You’re leasing (many leases include it or require it)
• You bought a newer vehicle and are worried about early depreciation

Gap insurance can also apply in some used-car situations, depending on your loan balance versus the car’s value. If you’re on the fence, read: Is gap insurance worth it on a used car?

If you’re buying new, you may also want to compare gap coverage to other protections that can reduce out-of-pocket costs after a total loss. Here’s a helpful overview: special car insurance coverage options for new cars.

How to Add Gap Insurance (and Where to Buy It)

You can typically buy gap coverage either through your auto insurer or through the dealership/lender. In many cases, adding it to your personal auto policy is straightforward and may be less expensive than rolling it into your loan—though the best option depends on how each product works and what it covers.

If you’re comparing options, start here: buying gap insurance through a dealership.

Many major insurers offer some version of gap coverage, including Allstate and Progressive. You can also compare providers here: the top 5 companies to buy gap insurance from.

Important: Insurer-based gap coverage is often an endorsement with specific rules and limits. For example, some companies cap how much extra they’ll pay above the vehicle’s value. If you’re considering a carrier’s option, review how it works in your state—Progressive discusses its loan/lease payoff option in our Progressive auto insurance review.

Avoid Paying for Two Gap Insurance Policies

It’s more common than you’d think to pay for gap twice—once through the dealership/lender and again through your insurer. Double coverage usually doesn’t double your payout, so it’s typically just wasted money.

If you find you have two gap policies, ask which one is actually needed for your contract and whether either one can be canceled (and whether any refund is available).

How Gap Insurance Works After a Total Loss

Gap coverage is designed for total-loss situations—like a severe accident or if your vehicle is stolen. Your auto insurer pays the car’s actual cash value (minus your deductible, if applicable). Gap coverage then helps cover the remaining balance you still owe on the loan/lease.

It’s also important to understand what gap insurance does not do. A standard insurance policy (and many gap products) generally won’t cover things like missed payments, late fees, extended warranties, or other add-ons—coverage is typically limited to the qualifying “gap” between the settlement and the payoff.

FAQs on How to Check If You Have Gap Insurance

Final Word: How to Check If You Have Gap Insurance

To check whether you have gap insurance, review your auto policy (especially the declarations page) and your loan/lease documents. If you still can’t find it, call your insurer and lender and ask them to confirm in writing whether gap coverage is active and where it’s being billed.

Once you know you have it, set a reminder to re-check later—many drivers can drop gap coverage once their loan balance falls below the vehicle’s value.