Ford Credit and GMAC are moving more aggressively into the vehicle insurance market, using dealers and the Internet as referral and information depots.

This past summer, Ford Credit launched a customer information pilot at five Ohio and four Illinois dealerships. The pilot is testing consumer inquiry data among five insurance providers, an increase of four from the joint venture started three years ago between Ford Credit and The Hartford Financial Services, Hartford, Conn.

“Approximately 60,000 policies have been sold through Ford dealerships and Ford owner mailings to The Hartford,” said Tom Ferries, director of operations for Ford’s Choice Insurance Program. “Our expanded program is designed to be operational nationwide in 2004, with kiosks at dealerships for taking customer applications to the insurers’ agents and getting rate quotes back in 15 minutes or less.”

GMAC is taking a different tack. It has opened a Web site on which more than 10,000 policies have been sold through GMAC Insurance Holdings. Gary Kusumi, director of personal lines for the GMAC affiliate, says no date has been set for a larger rollout or links to dealer Web sites, but the initiative is “in place” to give GM owners a one-stop shopping mode for all their vehicle needs.

At a Ford pilot dealer, Liberty Ford-Lincoln Mercury, Vermilion, Ohio, finance director Tom Schrader said the customers had obtained annual premium quotes on the kiosk of between $300 and $400 a year less than what they are paying. “That’s the key,” he told

Others insurers added by Ford are Travelers Property Casualty, Leader Group, Infinity Group and eSurance.