In the UK, it is a legal requirement to have car insurance. However, there is a wide range of insurance policies you can look into, all of which provide different levels of protection for different aspects of your vehicle. This makes it hard to determine the best one for your needs. Read on to learn more about four possible insurance options and why these can protect you from significant financial harm in the long run.

Scratch & dent insurance

Scratches and dents might not be high on your list of priorities when looking at insurance options, but they can ruin the visual flow of your car. If you don't have a driveway and are forced to park on the roadside, this policy provides protection from the unavoidable knocks and bumps from other cars.

Many people are not aware of this specific type of insurance, which means they pay to repair scratches and dents out of their own pocket. However, it can be time-consuming gathering quotes from different body shops and it's usually inconvenient to be without your car while you wait for the repair to be completed. With scratch and dent insurance, you can park and drive with confidence knowing that, should an accident or bump occur, you can get the damage repaired quickly.

"All cars depreciate in value over time. In fact, driving a brand new vehicle off the forecourt causes its value to almost halve within an instant. This means that getting car insurance for the value of your car is unlikely to cover the cost of your next purchase, with your pre-owned vehicle not matching up to forecourt equivalents."

Tyre insurance

It's impossible to predict what hazards you'll come across when on the roads, with nuts, bolts, nails or screws often causing immediate damage to tyres. Tyre insurance ensures that if you suffer a flat tyre or a structural failure in the tyre, you will be compensated for the cost of replacing the tyre and any damage caused by the carcass of the damaged tyre.

As well as accidental damage, tyre insurance often covers malicious damage too. This includes damage or deflation to the tyre or the valve which has been caused intentionally by a third party. However, in order to claim against malicious damage, you may be required to report the incident to the police and provide a crime reference number to your insurer at the time of making a claim.

Return to invoice GAP insurance

All cars depreciate in value over time. In fact, driving a brand new vehicle off the forecourt causes its value to almost halve within an instant. This means that getting car insurance for the value of your car is unlikely to cover the cost of your next purchase, with your pre-owned vehicle not matching up to forecourt equivalents.

If you find yourself in an accident that writes your car off, Return to Invoice GAP insurance (also known as RTI GAP insurance) pays you the equivalent of your initial spend on the car. Although your old car is still gone, you have the funds to replace it with one of similar value without impacting your personal finances too much.

Vehicle replacement GAP insurance

Perfect for rare cars, vehicle replacement GAP insurance is designed so that if your current car is written off in an incident, you can replace it with an identical model. A rare car is difficult to replace and prices can spike without warning, making them almost impossible to replace if your insurance payout is lower than the value of the car.

This means that spending a little more on vehicle replacement GAP insurance can get you a car model that you love rather than having to settle for something you don't. Especially useful when you're buying classic cars, supercars or have made modifications to your current car's specification, car enthusiasts need to look into this policy in order to protect their collection.

Choose Direct Gap

If you're interested in any of the insurance products above to help protect your car, get in touch with the Direct Gap team today. We can offer a wide range of packages to keep your vehicle protected, and ensure that you have all of the funding you require to get back on the road after an accident or knock. Give our friendly team of experts a call today to find out more about what we have to offer and how we can keep your finances secure in the worst-case scenario.