Universal Underwriters, a provider of automobile dealership insurance and F&I products, has agreed to participate in eAuto World's Detroit conference, April 10-12.

The eAuto World program is designed to promote continued learning for senior executives in the automotive industry. The Detroit conference will focus on how industry executives and front-line managers are putting information technology to work for them.

Universal Underwriters will participate in a panel discussion entitled "Turning the Dealer Web Site Into an F&I Moneymaker." Glenn Roberts, Northern Division finance and insurance divisional administrator, will participate on behalf of Universal Underwriters.

The panel discussion will take place on Wednesday, April 11, from 11:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. The panel will discuss trends in the automotive industry and how F&I is increasing as the center of the dealership's profit picture.

"The hype phase is over," Roberts said. "Now the race is on to structure legitimate business strategies that leverage the power of the Internet. Virtually every business will find itself transformed by e-commerce." Roberts believes that the businesses that adapt to this new medium will thrive, and those that do not will suffer.

"Initially the money expenditures to change business models will be very large, so it will behoove the auto dealers to align themselves with companies that not only have the vision but also the resources to carry this off," Roberts said.