Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services | 877-999-6442 | www.Michigan.gov/DIFS
Insurance
When you finance a car, the lender typically has
requirements about insurance coverage for the
vehicle in order to protect their interest in the
property. For instance, the lender can require
full insurance coverage on the vehicle over the
course of the loan.
Credit Life and Credit Disability Insurance are
optional insurance products that you can
purchase when buying a new vehicle. A Credit
Life policy would pay off all or some of your
loan in the event of your death and a Credit
Disability policy would make payments on the
loan if you were to become ill or injured and
cannot work. These optional insurance policies
can be expensive and, if financed as part of the
loan, they will increase your loan amount. If you
pay the loan off early or you decide you want to
cancel a Credit Life or Credit Disability policy,
you may be able to receive a pro-rated refund
for these policies. You should contact the
dealer and/or the sales finance company to
request the cancellation and inquire on any
refunds you may be due.
GAP Waiver
A Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) waiver is
between the dealer/lender and the customer,
which allows the lender to forgive all or part of
the remaining debt in the event of a covered
loss. With a GAP waiver, the lender agrees to
extinguish the borrower’s financial contractual
obligation under terms of the loan.
GAP Insurance
A GAP insurance policy is between the
customer and an insurance company. GAP
insurance generally covers the difference
between what is owed on the vehicle and the
actual cash value. Dealers often offer this
insurance to their customers at the time of the
purchase; however, you can also contact your
insurance agent to see if a GAP policy can be
added to your auto policy. If GAP is purchased
through the auto dealer it is usually paid up
front. For that reason, you may be eligible for a
refund if you sell, refinance, or pay your loan off
early. Refunds are issued by the dealer so you
will need to contact the dealer to inquire about
the refund.
Spot Delivery
The practice of “spot delivery” occurs when the
buyer and dealer sign the installment sales
contract and the buyer takes delivery of the
vehicle “on the spot,” prior to the seller
obtaining financing from a lender. The dealer
then may require the buyer to return the vehicle
or sign a new contract if they are unable to
obtain financing.
It is the position of DIFS that once a motor
vehicle loan is closed and the buyer takes
possession of the vehicle, the dealer cannot
rescind the contract or request the return of the
vehicle for any reason. Dealers are required to
ensure all conditions related to the closing of an
automobile purchase be met prior to the
borrower’s execution of the contract. If the
dealer is unable to secure financing, the dealer
must accept payments from the borrower until
they can secure financing on the borrower’s
behalf. New loan documents should not need to
be resigned nor should any terms of the
contract change from the original terms.
In the event that a dealer requires you to return
a vehicle, or sign a new contract, please feel
free to call DIFS at 877-999-6442 for
assistance.
About DIFS
The mission of the Michigan Department of
Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure
access to safe and secure insurance and
financial services fundamental for the
opportunity, security and success of Michigan
residents, while fostering economic growth and
sustainability in both industries. In addition, the
Department provides consumer protection,
outreach, and financial literacy and education
services to Michigan citizens. For more
information please contact DIFS at 877-999-
6442 or visit
www.michigan.gov/DIFS