If you have no primary insurance that is paying out actual cash value (ACV) for your vehicle after it is declared a total loss than your GAP insurance would not usually be able to be used.
Gap insurance is there to cover the difference between the actual cash value paid out for your car after it is totaled out and the balance of your loan so if there is no coverage to pay out the ACV then gap will not pay out. Gap insurance is not there to pay the whole remainder of your loan at the time of an accident just the portion above the ACV of your vehicle. This coverage is thus good for those who owe more on a car than it is worth.
As you know liability only covers the damages you cause to others, whether it be bodily injury (BI) or property damage (PD). Liability coverages do not protect your own vehicle in any way. You need physical damage coverages of collision and comprehensive for this.
[Let CarInsurance.com help you find affordable auto insurance now.] Gap insurance policies differ depending upon the company offering the coverage. If you want to have this type of coverage on your vehicle you should read through the terms of the GAP policy you are looking into to find out what claims they will accept and what can be denied.
When a carrier offers GAP insurance it typically has this set as the first eligibility guideline:
Eligibility only extends to a policy providing comprehensive and collision coverage. Coverage applies only in the event of a premature termination of the loan or lease due to a total loss covered under comprehensive or collision. Coverage does not apply to overdue payments, penalty charges assessed for excessive mileage or excessive wear and tear, etc.
Other notable GAP exclusions:
- Overdue lease/loan payments
- Financial penalties imposed under a lease for excessive use
- Security deposits not refunded by the lessor
- Costs for extended warranties, credit life insurance, or other insurance purchased with the loan or lease
- Amounts deducted by the primary insurer for wear and tear, prior damage, towing, and storage
- Carry-over balances from previous loans or leases
- Equipment added to the car by the buyer, meaning that only factory-installed equipment is covered
If you have gap insurance on your vehicle then you need to carry the required physical damage coverages so that your GAP coverage can be used if necessary. If you owe on a lease or loan normally your lien holder will require you to carry collision and comprehensive and can place forced insurance on you if you do not. This type of insurance is expensive and does not really protect you in any way, just the lien holder's asset - the car.
Make sure you have the right coverages on your vehicle so if you are in a total loss situation you will not have to continue to pay on a car that you no longer have use of.
Does GAP cover my vehicle if is a total loss and I only have comprehensive coverage on my primary insurance?
It would depend upon if the total loss of your vehicle was covered by the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy whether your gap coverage will work on your car or not.
If your car was totaled out due to it being stolen, flood waters, hail damage or another peril covered under your comprehensive (OTC- other than collision) coverage and your insurance company is paying out actual cash value (ACV) for the vehicle then your GAP policy should be able to be used.
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If your car was deemed a total loss due to an at-fault accident that you had and you would need collision coverage, which you do not have on the vehicle, in order to receive an actual cash value settlement from your insurer then gap insurance would not normally be able to be used since your primary insurer did not pay out ACV.
Gap insurance is to pay the different between the settlement ACV amount on your vehicle and the remaining loan balance. If ACV is not paid out by an auto insurance company then your a GAP insurance policy will not usually be able to be used. To find out the terms of your gap policy read through it and speak to the GAP insurer. | 
