P&A Online
February 2, 2011
Welcome to P&A Online, a monthly eMagazine dedicated to the interests and concerns of providers and administrators of automotive finance and insurance products.
P&A Online is your source for industry news and updates as well as original feature articles to keep you well-informed of best practices and trends.
Be sure to visit P&A's website at www.pa-magazine.com regularly for the latest updates.
Featured Articles
Closing Is Sweet Success
In the selling profession, closing is the winning score, the bottom line, the name of the game, the cutting edge, the point of it all. You may do everything else right up to the point of closing, but if you can’t ask for the business and wait for the client to answer, you’ll never do ... Read More »
Trade-In Value: Is A Protection Policy the Answer
The Age-Old Concern There are many thoughts that go through the mind of the potential vehicle buyer. Purchase criteria focus on the vehicle’s benefits and costs during the period of ownership, but the vehicle’s trade-in value often makes an appearance in a buyers’ list of top ten criteria. Most buyers have a repurchase horizon of ... Read More »
The World as We Know it Has Changed!
As Providers and TPAs it is very important your agents and sales people who represent your companies and products are servicing the dealer-clients well. This can be quite a challenging, almost a mountain-high hurdle in the world as we know it today. Over the past few years, many things about doing business in the automobile ... Read More »
A View From The Top
Successful Third-Party Administrators View Underwriters as Partners
As providers and administrators, one of the most important aspects of your day-to-day business is creating, maintaining, and sometimes (unfortunately) ending relationships with one another. The most difficult part of this process is maintaining these relationships. Why is this so important? Because, as research has proven time and again, maintaining a strong professional relationship is ... Read More »
Guest Blog
Keys to Success
Everyone wants to be successful in life. Beginning in childhood, we all dream of being the best at whatever we’re interested in doing. No one grows up with hopes of a baseball career as the worst player on the last place team. We do, however, dream about hitting the game-winning home run and pitching a ... Read More »
P&A Industry News
National Automotive Experts to Market and Distribute Diamon-Fusion
IRVINE – National Automotive Experts has partnered with Diamon-Fusion International Inc. (DFI Nanotechnology) and will market and distribute the Diamon-Fusion protective windshield coating product, replacement warranty and other products. National Automotive Experts and its network of agents, partner with hundreds of automotive dealers across the continental U.S. and offer access to products for the dealership ... Read More »
Safe-Guard’s Director of Training to Appear at 2011 NADA Convention
ATLANTA — It’s no secret that F&I departments have been heavily relied upon to fill dealerships’ profit gaps. With the current pressures in the industry and more restrictions on rate, getting $1,000 per vehicle retail requires a solid strategy. While many look to higher-cost products like vehicle service contracts, maintaining a two-plus product index can ... Read More »
Allstate Dealer Services Names New President
Douglas J. Herberger has been named president of Allstate Dealer Services. In this role, Herberger will be responsible for managing Allstate Dealer Service’s F&I products serving more than 5 million customers. He will report to Don Bailey, senior vice president of Emerging Businesses, and will join Allstate effective Feb. 1, 2011. “Allstate sees tremendous opportunity ... Read More »
The Warranty Group Announces Agreement with Coverdell
CHICAGO - Virginia Surety Company, Inc. (VSC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Warranty Group, Inc., today announced an agreement with Coverdell, Inc. to provide a customer loyalty program and support. Coverdell, a full-services marketing company, will offer "Shop Ship Protect," a program including price protection, extended warranty, purchase assurance and satisfaction ... Read More »
Automotive Industry News
U.S. Car Sales Rose 15% in January
Auto makers were on track to report about a 15% rise in U.S. new-vehicle sales in January, led by increased purchasing by consumers, a healthy sign for the industry’s recovery. General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC both reported Tuesday their sales of cars and light trucks rose 23% in January compared to the same ... Read More »
Toyota Post-Recall Rebound Aids Asia Carmakers’ Gains
Toyota Motor Corp. led U.S. gains for Asia-based automakers in January after sales rebounded from a recall that halted some deliveries a year earlier. The world’s largest automaker said yesterday sales in the U.S. jumped 17 percent last month, beating the 16 percent average of four estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Deliveries rose 13 percent for ... Read More »
Mercedes, BMW Start Sales Year Faster Than Toyota’s Lexus Brand
Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s namesake brand got a faster sales start on the new year than Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus, which has been the annual leader among luxury brands for 11 years, Bloomberg reported. Mercedes U.S. sales rose 11 percent from a year ago to 16,398 and BMW reported a 21 percent ... Read More »
Honda Reports 40 Percent Drop in Profit
Honda Motor Co. on Monday reported a drop in quarterly profit because of the strong Japanese yen, but it raised its full-year profit forecast in anticipation of further growth in U.S. auto sales. Honda, Japan’s third-largest automaker, predicted net income for the fiscal year ending March 31 would nearly double to 530 billion yen, or ... Read More »
Hyundai, Kia Boost Global Auto Sales on New Models, Rising Global Demand
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s two largest automakers, increased worldwide sales in January as new models and global economic recovery lifted demand. Hyundai sold 309,800 vehicles last month, 14 percent more than a year earlier, the Seoul-based carmaker said in a statement to the Korea Exchange. Kia, an affiliate of Hyundai, ... Read More »
GM’s U.S. Sales in January Top Estimates; Toyota Bounces Back
General Motors Co.’s U.S. sales in January rose more than analysts’ estimates, aided by bigger discounts, pickups and new models, and Toyota Motor Corp. rebounded from a year ago when a recall halted deliveries. GM sales in the month gained 22 percent to 178,896 vehicles, topping four analysts’ average estimate for a 9.2 percent increase. ... Read More »
GM Drops Request for Loans
DETROIT – General Motors Co. is withdrawing a request for $14.4 billion in low-cost Department of Energy loans, a move the auto maker hopes will win goodwill among consumers while furthering a strategy to end its practice of borrowing. The auto maker said Thursday it doesn’t need the loans, which it requested in 2009 as ... Read More »
Nissan Tops Honda in Sales
DETROIT — Nissan Motor Co. shot past rival Honda Motor Co. in global sales for the first time in decades to become Japan’s second-largest auto maker. Nissan’s vehicle sales jumped 36% in China, the largest single market for the auto maker, pushing well past Honda to become the world’s fifth-largest auto maker. Total sales were ... Read More »
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