Do I need to buy a gap insurance for my prius?

I don't understand your second paragraph. Gap insurance is usually bought by people who are 'upside-down' on their loan, meaning the totaled value of the car is less than owed. Gap insurance would cover that difference. Your down-payment puts you out of that category, so gap insurance has NO value to you, today.

There is a wrinkle to this, though. Lets say you own the car for awhile before the big accident, and collect a couple of dings along the way. When your car is appraised, those dings will reduce your car's value -- perhaps to below what you owe. That difference would be paid by gap insurance.

Would I buy it ? Hell no. Do I think it is reasonable for you to buy it ? Very doubtful.

 

i agree, there's no point to gap insurance- especially if you put down a good sized down payment on the car.

we put nothing down and still only were upside down for about 8 months (with a 6 month payment deferment!) so i don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

I've never heard of gap insurance in 40 years of driving. It sounds like a way to line Insurance companies' pockets. I have bought extended warranties, and gotten my $ worth from them, but gap insurance? No.

 

Just to add my 2 cents. I did take out gap insurance, it was offered to me by both my credit union and my insurance company. I took it out through my insurance company ( Amica Mutual- great company, always highest rated by Consumer Reports)- it cost less than $25.00 for the whole YEAR ( not a typo - the whole year)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jennjay @ Jul 10 2006, 05:35 PM) [snapback]284079[/snapback]</div>

That would be $25 wasted every year in the OP's case because he is not upside-down on his loan now, and will in all likelihood never be.

The entire notion of gap insurance is silly in today's loan environment in the US. People with upside-down loans simply roll the debt into their next car purchase as a matter of course. OP put down ~ 20%, so he is not even *close* to belonging to the financialy foolish group who are the somewhat legitimate prey of gap insurance: those buying expensive consumer goods on debt without personal financial reserves *and* lousy credit.

 

I have gap insurance on my car because it only cost $250.00 for the entire 84 month loan, and because, the value of a 2006 Prius is likely to take a big dip when the 2009 "100 MPG" Prius hits the streets. Thats only 3 years away.

 

Although I am purchasing my car, info for car value from the Automotive Lease Guide is what most dealers base depreciation on. Our Prii lose about 23% in the first year. Inexpensive gap insurance is certainly worthwhile for the first few years of ownership to cover this difference just in case. It can be dropped when no longer necessary. Some of us may not be wealthy enough to put down large down payments or our credit is so good that the interest rate on the car is better than on most other things so we take out longer loans

 

JennJay, when is the last time you saw a used '06 Prius on a dealer lot for 30% off msrp (20% + dealer markup)?

Me neither.

 

The problem is if you get in an accident, what the insurance company gives you for the car may be very different from what it can be sold for. Enough said

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jennjay @ Jul 11 2006, 12:18 AM) [snapback]284289[/snapback]</div>

That is not the problem at all. Compensation is according to fair market value. NOT what you can sell it for; but what it will cost you to replace in kind. You find that out by finding a car similar to yours for sale -- at a dealer.