News Room

February 14, 2002

New Membership Product from Assurant Combines Best of Home and Auto Protection Programs

Ideal Offering for Lenders Seeking to Fill Income Gap

ATLANTA/MIAMI … Assurant Group, the leader in affinity marketing to lending institutions, has developed an innovative membership program for homeowners and car owners that rewards them with year-round cash rebates, a variety of discounts and services, and access to a wide range of experts to help them deal with ownership and maintenance issues.

Home & Auto Protector is intended to serve as a supplement or enhancement to standard homeowners and auto insurance policies. It is designed be sold point-of-sale to consumers in connection with home mortgages, home equity loans, manufactured housing loans, and auto and other installment loans.
"We expect that Home & Auto Protector will be especially attractive to new homeowners, single parents and car buyers because of the easy access it provides to experts in home and auto repair," said Allen F. Tuthill, senior vice president and channel executive for Assurant’s specialty finance business.

"One of a new homeowner’s or car owner’s biggest fears is having no one to turn to when something goes wrong. This program provides 24/7 free access to professional tradesmen, auto mechanics, even lawyers."

Flexibility in pricing, offers and marketing

Tuthill said Home and Auto Protector is a solid marketing opportunity for lenders who are looking for revenue enhancement, program flexibility and marketing control. "Home and Auto delivers all that and more," Tuthill said, "with competitive pricing strategies, benefit flexibility, private-label branding, results-driven marketing and regulatory support."

Members also will realize the flexibility of the program. They can purchase Home Protector or Auto Protector separately or as a combination program. Individual, single parent and family versions are available.

Tuthill said that with available rebates, members could receive more than half the purchase price back in cash in one year without making a telephone call or otherwise tapping into one of the many assistance networks. Each Home Protector membership includes a variety of rebates and savings, an extensive array of services – personal, home and auto-related – plus educational helps, individual and family protection benefits, and more.

However, customer value and the loyalty born from that is the core of the program, Tuthill said. "If you deliver value-rich, affordable benefits to the member – and your client, as well – they will be your customer forever. That is our primary intent with Home and Auto Protector."

To discuss Home and Auto Protector with a sales consultant, contact Allen F. Tuthill, senior vice president, or Jon Hayes, vice president and national sales manager, at 770.763.1316.

About Assurant Group

Assurant Group partners with financial institutions, auto dealers, retailers, utilities and others to leverage their relationships with consumers to distribute products and services using its technology, processing and marketing capabilities. Its member companies are leading providers of specialty insurance, extended service contracts and membership programs. Assurant has more than 5,000 employees and operations in 10 states, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.

Assurant is part of Fortis, Inc., a financial services company that, through its operating companies and affiliates, has built leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments. Fortis, Inc. is part of Fortis, a financial services provider active in the fields of insurance, banking and investment. As of second quarter, 2001, Fortis had total assets in excess of $400 billion. Fortis ranks 31st based on assets and 73rd based on revenues on the Fortune ‘Global 500’ and 42nd based on revenues on the Forbes ‘International 500’ list (July 23, 2001).

Assurant Group is a service mark of Fortis, Inc.

Media contact

James A. Sykes
Director, Corporate Communications
Assurant Solutions
260 Interstate N. Circle, SE
Atlanta, Ga. 30339-2111
Telephone: 770.763.1015
FAX: 770.859.4325
E-mail: james.sykes@assurant.com

Reference: 0203