Scratch & Dent Insurance

Scratch and Dent Insurance covers the cost of repairing minor cosmetic damage to your car’s bodywork. This may include dings, dents and chips or scratches to the paintwork or the bumpers.

The definition of minor cosmetic damage is as follows:

·       A chip, minor dent, light scratch and/or scuffed bumper caused by a single incident, where the total damaged area is no larger than 30cm in diameter or 3mm in depth and, in the case of a chip(s) is no larger than 1.5cm in diameter or 3mm in depth.

A minor dent is defined as:

·       A dented area on the vehicle up to a maximum of 30cm in diameter or 3mm in depth.

Any one claim on your chip and dent insurance is limited to one minor cosmetic damage repair, unless in the case of multiple damages caused by a single incident where the total end-to-end size of the furthermost points of the combined damaged area is no larger than 30cm in diameter or 3mm in depth.

Any damage that exceeds these limits or is estimated to take longer than four hours to repair will not be considered to be minor cosmetic damage.

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No, Scratch and Dent Insurance does not include any damage to your windscreen.

Even if the damage to your car’s bodywork is relatively small, it could prove expensive to repair. Furthermore, if you opt to leave the damage unattended, it may deteriorate and cause you a greater financial headache further down the line. But with a Scratch and Dent Insurance policy from Direct Gap, you can rest assured that the costs of repairing any minor cosmetic damage will be covered in full.

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Most motor insurance policies will cover you for any minor cosmetic damage to your car, but taking out Scratch and Dent Insurance can still prove a prudent decision. Minor cosmetic repairs are likely to cost less than your excess, so it makes sense to protect yourself with this type of policy and avoid risking your no-claims bonus for relatively minor repairs.

No, Gap Insurance and cosmetic car insurance are two completely different products. Gap Insurance is designed to cover the difference between your motor insurers’ settlement at the point your vehicle is declared a total loss and its value when you first purchased it, or the amount owing to the finance company.

Minor cosmetic damage can only be covered by taking out Scratch and Dent Insurance.

No; scratch insurance can be taken out as long as your vehicle is not over 7 years old and has not covered more than 100,000 miles. Please see your policy wording for a full list of exclusions.

Yes. It doesn’t matter to us whether you purchased your car through a finance agreement or outright in cash, Scratch and Dent Insurance is available to you as long as it is bought in conjunction with a Gap Insurance policy.

Yes, even if your vehicle’s bodywork becomes damaged by an incident that was your fault, you will be covered by your cosmetic car insurance. However, please note that you will not be covered if the damage occurs as a result of fraud, false actions or dishonesty. Please consult your policy wording for a full list of exclusions.

When taking out car scratch insurance, your vehicle can be no more than seven years old and must have covered fewer than 100,000 miles at the policy purchase date.

Yes, your car scratch insurance will include anyone who is covered by your comprehensive motor policy as a named driver.

Scratch and Dent Insurance must be purchased within 180 days of delivery of the vehicle.

The policy should always be in the name of the owner / hirer or registered keeper of the vehicle.

Yes. For the first 14 days following the inception of your car’s Scratch and Dent Insurance, no claim will be accepted. This also applies to all Alloy Wheel and Tyre Insurance policies.

The cost of your scratch, chip and dent insurance will depend on the make and model of your vehicle and the length of policy you wish to take out. Our prices start from just £299 but you can get a tailored quote in a matter of seconds by hitting the button below.

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Policy documents together with confirmation of payment are sent by email as soon as you purchase your car scratch insurance.

If your car’s bodywork becomes damaged, you’ll need to call the administrator on 0161 451 4803 within 30 days of the incident occurring.

You’ll be asked to supply information such as your policy number and vehicle registration and, if your claim is accepted, you’ll be put in touch with an approved repairer to arrange for the work to be carried out.

Please see your policy documentation for claim limit details.

No, you can make a claim on your scratch insurance without affecting your motor insurance policy.

No, there are no excesses to pay on our policies.

Your cosmetic car insurance policy will not cover you for any damage to horizontal flat surfaces such as the roof or bonnet; for any distortions, rips, tears or perforations; or if any repair work is carried out without the prior authorisation of the administrator.

These are just a few examples of the exclusions that apply to your Scratch and Dent Insurance. For a full list, please see your policy wording document.

We want to make your life as straightforward as possible, and taking out scratch, chip and dent insurance is perfectly simple. You can calculate your quote online – all you need is to enter your desired length of policy and the model of your car.

Alternatively, you can always contact us and a member of our expert team will guide you through the process with a minimum of fuss. You can get in touch via telephone on 01422 756100 or by emailing enquiries@directgap.co.uk.

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We are an internet-based provider which means we have lower overheads than motor dealers. As a result of the high volume of insurance that we sell, we are able to provide quality policies at the keenest prices.

You can be confident that our prices are lower than those quoted by dealers and many other websites. Paying less than you have been quoted elsewhere in no way means that you are buying an inferior product, it just means that they are making more profit from your purchase!

Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd (Malta Company Registration Number C 84703), Office 13, SOHO Office The Strand, Fawwara Building, Triq I-Imsida, Gzira, GZR 1401, Malta. Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd is authorized under the Insurance Business Act 1998 of the laws of Malta to carry out general business, and is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority, Triq l-Imdina, Zone 1, Central Business District, Birkirkara, CBD 1010, Malta. Deemed authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 805770, and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details of the Temporary Permission Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website. Annual reports on our solvency and financial position can be found at https:// www.fortegra.eu/solvency-and-financial-condition-report.

The United Kingdom, excluding the Isle of Wight and the Islands of Scotland (including Shetland, Orkney, the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides). Please note that this means the Isle of Man is also excluded.

No; your Scratch and Dent Insurance is not transferrable. If you do change your vehicle, you may claim a refund on your policy on a pro rata basis, as long as no claims have been made. Please note there is also a £35 cancellation fee.

If you decide you no longer want or need cosmetic car insurance, we offer the option to cancel within a 30-day grace period, which is more than twice the legal requirement of 14 days. If you cancel within this time, you will receive a full refund. After those 30 days, you will be charged a £35 administration fee and refunded on a pro rata basis.