GAPinsurance.co.uk

What GAPinsurance.co.uk does

GAPinsurance.co.uk is a UK-based direct-to-consumer online GAP insurance broker, founded in March 2004 by David Burns-Keane as the country's first independent online GAP insurance specialist. The company operates as a trading style of Pickles & Burns Ltd, an Appointed Representative of Frank Pickles (Insurance Brokers) Ltd (FCA No. 305297), selling four core GAP insurance products: Replacement GAP (brand-new equivalent vehicle cover within 90 days of first registration), Invoice GAP (original invoice price for new and used cars up to 10 years old), Contract Hire GAP (lease settlement shortfalls plus up to £3,000 initial rental), and Top-Up GAP (12-month renewable policy boosting total loss valuation by 25%). Add-on offerings include Total Loss Courtesy Car cover and Excess Protection, while Scratch & Dent and Tyre & Alloy products are listed but currently unavailable. Policies are underwritten by Arch Insurance (UK) Limited and Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd UK Branch, both A-rated carriers.

The business runs an e-commerce distribution model with instant online quotes in under 30 seconds and phone support Mon-Fri 09:30 to 17:00, positioning itself as a transparent, low-pressure alternative to motor dealer GAP insurance with claimed savings of up to 85% and an average customer saving of £241. The company is FCA-regulated, operates a 'no market value clauses' policy stance (since 2013), offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and holds the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award for 2026 alongside 5-star ratings on Feefo, TrustPilot and Facebook. Reported outcomes include a largest claim paid of £49,475 and an average claim paid of £6,897.

In February 2024 the Financial Conduct Authority intervened over concerns about GAP product value and dealer-led sales practices, forcing a complete sales suspension until mid-June 2024, after which sales resumed under a restructured dual-underwriter arrangement. Geographic eligibility is restricted to permanent UK residents and UK-registered vehicles. The company is a micro operation with 1-10 employees and a sister brand, DriveWISE.co.uk, offering Learner Driver Insurance.

Name

GAPinsurance.co.uk

Legal name

Pickles & Burns Ltd

Website

https://gapinsurance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GAPinsurance.co.uk is a UK-based, FCA-regulated direct-to-consumer online GAP insurance broker offering Replacement, Invoice, Contract Hire and Top-Up GAP policies to UK vehicle owners, operating as a trading style of Pickles & Burns Ltd since 2004.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

GAP Insurance

NAICS

Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

Gap Insurance (Auto Loan/Lease) (FSAJAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

GAP & Vehicle Protection Products (GAP Waiver/Insurance, Lease/Loan Protection) (FSAJALAC), Vehicle Protection & Add-on Product Financing (Warranties, GAP, Service Plans) (FSAKADAL)

Keywords

• Gap insurance products
• Motor insurance coverage
• Vehicle protection insurance
• Lease shortfall insurance
• Insurance broker services

Headquarters

HQ city

Holmfirth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. GAP Insurance Premiums: One-time or annual insurance premiums collected from customers for GAP insurance coverage. Policies cover the gap between motor insurer total loss valuation and vehicle purchase price, finance outstanding, or replacement cost. Revenue generated through policy sales across multiple GAP insurance product types.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GAPinsurance.co.uk is a UK direct-to-consumer GAP insurance broker that sells policies closing the financial shortfall between a motor insurer's total loss valuation and either the original invoice price, outstanding finance balance, lease settlement amount, or cost of a brand new replacement vehicle. Its core portfolio includes Replacement GAP, Invoice GAP, Contract Hire GAP, Top-Up GAP, and Excess Protection insurance, with a 28-day Total Loss Courtesy Car add-on option available on eligible policies.

Product overview

GAPinsurance.co.uk is a direct-to-consumer GAP insurance broker offering a portfolio of insurance products designed to protect vehicle owners against financial shortfall when their car is written off or stolen. The core product portfolio consists of four main GAP insurance types: Replacement GAP (highest coverage level, covering new car replacement cost), Invoice GAP (most popular, covering original purchase price), Contract Hire GAP (for lease vehicles, covering early termination shortfall), and Top-Up GAP (annual renewable, adding 25% to vehicle value). Additional offerings include Total Loss Courtesy Car (TLCc) add-on providing temporary replacement vehicle cover, and Excess Protection Insurance. Scratch & Dent and Tyre & Alloy Wheel insurance products are currently unavailable. The company operates as a trading style of Pickles & Burns Ltd, an Appointed Representative of Frank Pickles (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, with policies underwritten by Arch Insurance (UK) Limited and Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd UK Branch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DriveWISE.co.uk: Sister-brand offering Learner Driver Insurance and other related products.

Products and services

• Replacement GAP Insurance Most comprehensive form of GAP insurance combining Finance, Invoice and Replacement GAP into one policy. Covers the difference between the motor insurer's total loss valuation and the greater of outstanding finance, original invoice price, or cost of a brand new equivalent vehicle. Available for brand new cars within 90 days of first registration.
• Invoice GAP Insurance Secures the original invoice price paid for the vehicle. At claim, tops up the motor insurer's total loss valuation to the greater of finance outstanding or original invoice price. Available for new and used cars up to 10 years old, bought outright or on finance. Described as one of the most popular forms of GAP cover in the UK.
• Contract Hire GAP Insurance Designed for leased vehicles. Covers the shortfall between the motor insurer's total loss valuation and the leasing company's early termination amount, plus up to £3,000 of initial rental payment. Available for personal and business lease vehicles with at least 12 months remaining.
• Top-Up GAP Insurance 12-month renewable policy that increases the total loss valuation of a vehicle by 25%, up to a maximum of £10,000. Designed for cars up to £80,000 in value and 10 years old. Also includes up to £750 motor insurance excess cover.
• Excess Protection Insurance Insurance product that covers the policyholder's motor insurance excess in the event of a claim. Available as a standalone product through GAPinsurance.co.uk's sister brand DriveWISE.co.uk.
• Total Loss Courtesy Car (TLCc) Add-on cover providing a courtesy car for up to 28 days if the vehicle is declared a Total Loss. The car provided will be of similar engine size (max 2.0 litre manual) and insured. Available on eligible Arch-underwritten GAP insurance policies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers save average of £241 per policy compared to dealer GAP insurance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arch Insurance (UK) LimitedcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2024Primary underwriter for GAP insurance policies. Policies underwritten by Arch Insurance include eligible Contract Hire GAP and Top-Up GAP policies. Arch UK has 11 locations across the United Kingdom and is backed by parent company Arch Capital Group Ltd with more than £21 billion in capital as of 31st December 2023. Note: Arch currently excludes Tesla vehicles from Contract Hire GAP and Top-Up GAP products.
• Frank Pickles (Insurance Brokers) LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012GAPinsurance.co.uk is a trading style of Pickles & Burns Ltd, an Appointed Representative of Frank Pickles (Insurance Brokers) Ltd which is Authorised and Regulated by the FCA (No. 305297). The partnership with Andrew Pickles of Frank Pickles was established in 2012 when David re-acquired the GAPinsurance.co.uk brand. In August 2016, GAPinsurance.co.uk and its assets were acquired by Pickles & Burns Ltd.
• Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd UK BranchcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecondary underwriter for GAP insurance policies, depending on policy type and eligibility criteria. Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd UK Branch is the UK branch of Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd, part of the wider Helvetia group of companies providing international specialty insurance solutions.
• DriveWISE.co.ukminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister-brand operating as a separate website offering Learner Driver Insurance and other motor-related insurance products. Available via the DriveWISE.co.uk website for additional products not offered by GAPinsurance.co.uk.
• Financial Ombudsman ServiceminorOthersExternal dispute resolution service for customer complaints. Customers have the right to make complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service if agreement cannot be reached directly with GAPinsurance.co.uk.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Adrian Flux: Established UK specialist insurance broker offering GAP and related motor add-ons as part of a much wider non-standard and niche insurance portfolio.
• Hastings Direct: Large UK direct motor insurer with overlap on the customer base (UK vehicle owners) and capability to distribute GAP adjacent products at scale.
• Insurance Choice: UK multi-line insurance broker offering motor and GAP cover through a wider portfolio — broader incumbent with overlapping GAP capability but not GAP-specialist.
• Admiral: Major UK motor insurer; bundles or offers GAP adjacent products at scale via direct and price-comparison channels — broad incumbent with overlapping addressable customer.

Others

• Auto Trader: UK car marketplace with a finance and add-on product business; indirectly competes for the same vehicle-buyer attention and could distribute or substitute GAP products.
• Frank Pickles (Insurance Brokers) Ltd: Primary FCA principal of GAPinsurance.co.uk (Appointed Representative relationship) and an insurance broker; directly tied as the regulatory host and partner entity.

Direct peers

• Click4GAP: UK online GAP insurance retailer offering multiple GAP products (Finance, Invoice, Replacement, Contract Hire) via a direct website flow — directly comparable product, channel, and customer.
• ALA Insurance: UK-based direct-to-consumer GAP insurance specialist directly competing with GAPinsurance.co.uk on Replacement, Invoice, and Contract Hire GAP products sold online to vehicle buyers.
• MotorEasy: UK aftermarket motor product provider offering GAP insurance alongside warranties and servicing plans — close overlap on GAP product and UK consumer ICP.
• SureCover: UK specialist insurance broker offering GAP insurance (and other motor add-ons) directly to consumers — comparable product line and direct distribution model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gap_Insurance
• Facebookfacebook.com/gapinsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gapinsurance-co-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/gapinsurance.co.uk
• TikToktiktok.com/@gapinsurance

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GAPinsurance.co.uk