3rd Priority – Vehicle Sales and F&I Compliance Checkup Are your Desk and F&I personnel familiar with the state and federal laws governing all phases of vehicle sale consummation and financial services transactions? Do they comply with them in their day-to-day practices? Solution AFIP Certification, the industry-standard for comprehensive regulation education, delivers live interactive instruction that incorporates behavior modification training. It provides students with a working knowledge that helps translate rules into practices. To earn Basic Certification, candidates must pass a 200-question proctored exam with 150 federal law questions, 25 state law questions and 25 ethics questions – and signify a commitment to abide by AFIP’s Code of Ethics. AFIP bestows a professional designation on successful candidates depending on the certification tier achieved – e.g., Certified Professional in Financial Services (CPFS) for the first level. In addition to dealership personnel, AFIP certifies select captive and institutional finance source dealer contact personnel, aftermarket product provider employees, and independent general agents. AFIP has completed more than 70,000 certifications to date. The industry member special price for a basic course is $695, plus shipping. During the pandemic, AFIP’s Virtual Classroom Certification Boot Camp has become the preferred training venue. Candidates attend three 2.50-hour sessions from Tuesday through Thursday, followed by a final exam review on Friday. We typically offer morning and afternoon sessions to give trainees scheduling flexibility. The proctored exam is completed online. A score of 80% or higher is required on all three modules. The course includes the CARLAW F&I Legal Desk Book, access to CounselorLibrary.com for state laws, a Reynolds Document Solutions contract covenant tutorial provided by Terry O’Loughlin, JD, MBA, and a comprehensive multimedia online training platform. The AFIP certification program operates under the legal guidance of Hudson Cook, LLP. On a closing note… I’ve been calling on car dealers in one form or another for 45 years. If I made them money, they remembered my name. If I kept them out of trouble with regulators, I kept their business. David Robertson is the executive director of AFIP the Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals and regularly contributes his decades of knowledge to various publications. He also lends his expertise at speaking engagements throughout the industry. When needed, he also serves as an expert witness in court proceedings involving automobile compliance cases. 13
14 Publizr Home