HENDERSON, Nev. — Prevent-A-Theft and Motor Dealer Services Group, a

nationwide provider of finance and insurance (F&I) products, is now

offering an Unemployment Protection Program that will help make payments for

both new- and used-car purchases in the event a buyer becomes involuntary

unemployed. The program is available for all financed purchases for all brands

and lenders.

In January, Hyundai released its Hyundai Assurance Program,

which offered consumers a 12-month vehicle return program. Since then, the automaker

temporarily expanded the program to include up to three months of payments. While

auto sales fell 37.1 percent industry wide in January, Hyundai’s incentive

program was credited in large part with boosting the brand’s U.S. sales to 24,512

units in January, a 14.3 percent increase from a year ago.

Now battling the same declines, General Motors and Ford

Motor Co. are offering programs to make car payments for customers who lose

their jobs. With both the GM Total Confidence Program, and the Ford Advantage

Plan, the dealers are restricted to new GM and Ford vehicles only.

With the Prevent-A-Theft and Motor Dealer Services Group’s Unemployment

Protection Program, dealers can cover either new or used vehicles sold with

finance plans. The Unemployment Protection payments can be made directly to the

customer’s lender or directly to the customer to do with as they please. The

program is insured by a nationally recognized insurance company with an AM Best

A rating.