Mercedes GAP Insurance
Mercedes-Benz is one of the three brands that come up most often in our GAP theft claims, alongside Ford and BMW. It was the fifth most stolen car brand in the UK in 2025, and because Mercedes models cost more to replace, the shortfall when one is written off tends to be larger too.
Across all makes, the average of our ten largest GAP payouts in 2025 was £27,995, up from £23,913 the year before. That is the scale of the gap a motor insurer's market value settlement can leave on a newer, higher-value car.
Mercedes GAP insurance from MotorEasy covers it. It is available on Mercedes-Benz cars under eight years old with fewer than 100,000 miles and an insured value below £75,000, whether bought new, approved used, privately or on a lease.
Pop in your registration for an instant price, or call us free on 0800 131 0001.
How quickly does a Mercedes lose value?
There is no single answer for Mercedes, because the range runs from the A-Class to the S-Class and from petrol to fully electric. What is consistent is that the amount of money involved is larger than on a mainstream car, so a similar percentage drop leaves a bigger gap in pounds.
Used Mercedes are where a lot of the risk sits
Many Mercedes owners buy at two or three years old, after the steepest early depreciation. That lowers the purchase price, but the car still carries on losing value while you own it, and a used Mercedes bought from a dealer can be covered by Return to Invoice for six months after purchase.
What the gap looks like on a used Mercedes
The figures below are illustrative. They show how the two main types of cover work, not the value of any particular car.
| C-Class bought from a dealer, stolen 10 months later | GLC bought privately, written off 18 months after cover started | |
| Type of cover | Return to Invoice | Return to Value |
| Protected figure | £38,000 invoice price | £34,000 value when cover started |
| Insurer's settlement | £31,000 | £27,500 |
| GAP payment | £7,000 | £6,500 |
Both payments are subject to the claim limit on your policy schedule, and on top of each we contribute up to £500 towards your motor insurance excess.
Is GAP insurance worth it for a Mercedes?
For most Mercedes owners with a car under five years old, there is a strong case, for three reasons.
- The sums are bigger. A shortfall of 20% on a £45,000 car is £9,000, which few people can cover without notice
- Theft risk is real. Mercedes is among the most stolen brands in the UK and among the most common in our GAP theft claims
- Finance and leasing are common. If a Mercedes on PCP or a lease is written off early, the amount owed can exceed the insurer's payout
It is less compelling on an older, lower-value A-Class or B-Class you own outright, where the gap is smaller.
When cover is not available
We cover Mercedes models with an insured value below £75,000. That excludes the S-Class, the G-Class and the more powerful AMG models, which need specialist cover.
Which type of GAP cover suits your Mercedes?
| Cover | Best for | What it pays |
| Return to Invoice | A new or approved used Mercedes bought from a VAT-registered dealer in the last six months | The difference between the insurer's settlement and the invoice price or the finance settlement, whichever is greater |
| Return to Value | A Mercedes you have owned for over six months, or one bought privately | The difference between the insurer's settlement and the car's value when your policy started |
| Contract hire and lease | A leased Mercedes, personal or business | The difference between the insurer's settlement and the early termination amount, plus up to £3,000 towards your initial rental |
If you are weighing up a dealer's GAP policy against ours, check what it actually pays. A policy that only covers the finance shortfall does less than Return to Invoice, which pays the greater of the finance gap or the invoice gap.
Does Mercedes GAP insurance cover theft?
Yes. Theft is covered alongside accidental damage, fire and water damage, and for Mercedes owners it is often the more likely route to a total loss.
What the figures show
Our analysis of DVLA data found 3,856 Mercedes-Benz cars were stolen in the UK in 2025, making it the fifth most stolen brand. In 2024, three Mercedes models were among the 15 most stolen in the country, according to DVLA figures analysed by What Car?: the C-Class with 1,123 thefts, the E-Class with 802 and the A-Class with 690.
There is some better news. C-Class thefts fell by 26% in 2025, dropping it to 14th, which What Car? puts down partly to manufacturers' work on theft prevention. But across all makes, 37% of our 100 largest GAP claims in 2025 were theft-related, so it remains the risk to plan for.
Keyless entry and theft claims
Many Mercedes models use keyless entry, which relay thieves target by boosting the key's signal. A signal-blocking pouch for the key is a simple step. For a claim to be paid, the theft must be reported to the police, and the car must not have been left unlocked or with the key inside.
GAP insurance for electric and hybrid Mercedes models
Electric cars have a reputation for losing value quickly, and some do. Mercedes shows that it is not universal. In The Electric Car Scheme's 2025 analysis of UK used EV prices, the Mercedes EQC depreciated more slowly than any other electric model studied, at 5.99% a year.
That does not remove the case for GAP on an electric Mercedes. Plenty of EQ models cost more than their petrol equivalents to begin with, so even a modest percentage drop is a large sum. And the flagship EQS sits above our £75,000 limit.
If you run an electric or plug-in hybrid Mercedes, GAP works the same way as on a petrol car. Our electric car GAP insurance guide covers the points specific to EVs.
What MotorEasy Mercedes GAP insurance covers
Defaqto rates our GAP insurance 5 stars. Here is how that cover applies to a Mercedes.
What we pay for
- A total loss through theft, accidental damage, fire or water damage
- Upgraded wheels and other options, where fitted at the factory or by the dealer
- Your motor insurance excess, up to £500
- Protection wherever you drive in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and European Union for a limited time
- £150 if your insurer pays more than market value and there is no shortfall
What we do not
- Mercedes models with an insured value of £75,000 or more, or cars not listed in Glass's Guide
- Any claim without fully comprehensive motor insurance, or where your insurer offers a replacement car instead of a cash settlement
- A theft the police have not been told about, or one where the car was unlocked or the key left in it
- Cars used as taxis, couriers or emergency vehicles, and losses during racing, competitions or off-road driving
- On-the-road charges such as first registration, road tax and plates, or dealer-sold extras like paint protection
The claim limit is on your quote and policy schedule. Full terms are in the policy document.
How much does Mercedes GAP insurance cost?
Your price reflects the value of the car, the type of cover and the policy length, so a used A-Class and a new GLC on a four-year agreement will be priced differently. Cover starts from £4.30 a month, and monthly payments cost nothing extra.
How to make a claim
Most important: speak to us before you accept your motor insurer's settlement offer.
- Get a crime reference number from the police if the car was stolen
- Wait for your insurer to confirm the total loss and make their offer
- Start your GAP claim before you accept. Sign in to your MotorEasy account, open My Purchased Products and select Start Claim, or call 0800 131 0001
- Send the documents your policy lists, which are set out in your policy document
Report your claim within 60 days of the loss. Approved claims are normally paid within 24 hours.
Get your Mercedes GAP insurance quote
Your registration is all we need to show a price, or ring 0800 131 0001 free if you would like help choosing cover for your Mercedes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as your motor insurer settles it as a total loss, the theft is reported to the police and the car was locked. Relay theft does not involve leaving the car unlocked or the key inside, so it is not excluded on those grounds.
It depends on the insured value. AMG Line trim on a C-Class or GLC is usually well within our £75,000 limit. The more powerful AMG models often are not. Your quote will confirm whether your car qualifies.
If you bought it from a VAT-registered dealer within the last six months, Return to Invoice protects the price you paid. If it has been longer, Return to Value protects the car's value on the day your policy starts.
Return to Invoice pays whichever is greater: the gap between your insurer's settlement and your finance settlement figure, or the gap to your original invoice price, up to your claim limit. If your Mercedes is leased, lease GAP covers the early termination amount instead.
Yes. Cover applies in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the EU, so a write-off on a European road trip is covered in the same way as one at home.
No. GAP only pays out when the car is a total loss. Repairs and mechanical failures are covered by a warranty. See our Mercedes warranty page, and our analysis of real Mercedes claims data for the repairs that come up most.
