Norcross, Ga., Feb. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- APCO Holdings, LLC's EasyCare and GWC Warranty brands, providers of F&I products offered by franchised and independent dealers across the country, have collaborated with the Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals (AFIP) to lead certification courses designed to give dealership professionals the knowledge they need to maintain the compliance requirements of complex, highly-regulated vehicle purchase transactions. EasyCare and GWC’s training team is certified to present the AFIP certification course for F&I managers, sales professionals, and other dealership staff—with the exam proctored by AFIP itself.
Founded in 1989, AFIP is the nonprofit, non-aligned sanctioning body for in-store sales and financial services personnel in the United States. The organization created the AFIP certification curriculum to focus on federal and state laws that govern in-dealership financial services. This prestigious training program equips students with a skill set that will allow them to be more efficient and ethical in a career within the finance and insurance industry—giving dealers another building block to create trust and lifelong customers. AFIP Certification can also be used as proof of knowledge of F&I law and ethics to help settle employee disputes and serves as the cornerstone for a dealership compliance management system (CMS).
"The retail automotive industry is one of the most highly regulated in the country, and non-compliance can create immense financial exposure for dealers," says Scot Eisenfelder, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Planning. "By bringing this program to our partners, our industry-renowned training team, backed by AFIP's expertise in state and federal compliance regulations, will help ensure that professionals who complete the course are armed with the knowledge to meet the challenge and protect their dealerships’ reputations."
EasyCare and GWC will offer AFIP Certification classes covering three levels of certification: Basic, Senior, and Master, with the first class scheduled for March 15-16 in Atlanta, Ga. Dealers and F&I professionals can find future dates on the EasyCare and GWC Warranty websites. Courses will be scheduled around in-person F&I training classes where possible to make traveling more convenient for students.
"With this program, dealers can gain peace of mind of knowing their staff has the resources necessary to follow all federal and state regulations and can pass that reassurance to customers, who will feel more at ease knowing they are working with someone trained in both compliance and ethical considerations," says Jeremy Beck, Vice President, Sales Operations.
About EasyCare
Since 1984, EasyCare has been helping some of the most successful dealerships in the nation drive results in their stores with a full suite of F&I products, forward-thinking training, dealership development, consultative participation programs, and a best-in-class claims experience. EasyCare has the only F&I products named a "MotorTrend Recommended Best Buy" for franchised dealers and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. EasyCare is part of the APCO Holdings, LLC, family of brands, which has protected over 11 million customers and paid over $3.5 billion in claims. For more information about EasyCare, please visit easycare.com. For more information about the APCO Holdings family of brands, please visit apcoholdings.com.
About GWC
Since 1995, GWC Warranty has provided dealerships of all sizes with the right F&I solutions for used vehicles, with the vehicle protection products, training, and profit-building programs to help dealers optimize every sale and a best-in-class claims experience that helps strengthen dealership reputations. GWC is part of APCO Holdings, LLC, also home to the EasyCare and MemberCare brands and other private label automobile manufacturer products. For over 25 years, the APCO family of brands has served over 11 million customers and paid over $3.5 billion in claims, with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. GWC, EasyCare, and MemberCare are the only "MotorTrend Recommended Best Buy" brands in the automotive aftermarket. For more information about GWC Warranty, please visit gwcwarranty.com. For more information about the APCO Holdings brands, please visit apcoholdings.com.
About AFIP
AFIP provides recurrent state and federal regulation certification education for independent and franchised dealer personnel. AFIP also certifies select funding source and aftermarket product provider field operatives, as well as independent general agents. Its certification track is implemented by live instruction and affirmed by independently proctored testing. Certification is revoked for those who violate the AFIP code of ethics. For more information, visit afip.com.