Transformation. It’s a word that has served as a driving force at Assurant for decades. In 2020, COVID-19 further accelerated the transformation of the automotive industry, presenting challenges and opportunities for everyone. At Assurant, we are always transforming our business to better serve our partners and their customers, and the news I am sharing with you today is another demonstration of that guiding principle.

Behind Our Transformation

In 2018, Assurant Global Automotive made the first in a series of moves to transform our market approach by acquiring The Warranty Group (TWG), the parent company of Resource Automotive. At the time, senior leaders across Assurant including myself, wrote an open letter to the Automotive industry sharing how this acquisition would transform the way Assurant did business, and how our new size, scale, technology, and product offerings would take our clients to the next level.

Over the last two years, we have successfully integrated TWG into the Assurant family, and as a result are now retiring the Resource Automotive name. We are excited to introduce Assurant Dealer Services and Assurant Agent Services – one of our direct to dealer channels and our agent business within Assurant Global Automotive. Though the name has changed, the expertise and client focus that began as Ryan and Associates more than 55 years ago remains in our DNA.

What to Expect from Assurant Dealer and Agent Services

This transformation is more than a simple name change. It’s a better reflection of our current product and service offering that has continued to expand beyond protection products and the F&I office. It’s a reiteration of our commitment and mission to best help our clients in ways no competitor can.

We stand ready in this new year to address your needs and implement new tools and services that will maximize your profits and enhance the customer experience. Our continued focus on leveraging insights, technology such as digital capabilities, and artificial intelligence, will unlock even more value, and make doing business with Assurant simpler and easier. Through our 2020 acquisition of American Financial & Automotive Services (AFAS) we will expand award-winning training programs that will keep your team ahead of the competition and integrate the best of each company’s product and service offerings.

Looking Ahead into the Rest of 2021

As you plan ahead for 2021 and beyond, I ask you to think differently about Assurant and the ways we are transforming the automotive business - and to challenge us about how we can do more in partnership with you to support you and your customers. We remain committed to serving you by staying close to your business, sharpening our ability to anticipate your needs, and then moving with the speed and agility to help you succeed. And if there is some need you have that we can help you address and you don’t see it in our toolkit, pick up the phone and give me a call or challenge one of our team members to help you find a solution. I promise, it’ll be one of the best phone calls you make all year.

John Laudenslager
President, Assurant Global Automotive