Information for Regulators
What is the VPA’s mission?
The Vehicle Protection Association (VPA) is a nonprofit trade organization actively serving the automotive service contract industry. Our membership is comprised of a range of industry stakeholders including service contract marketers, administrators, payment processing companies, insurers, and software providers.
​
The VPA’s ongoing mission is to promote regulatory compliance among our members, to protect and educate consumers, to provide resources for regulators, and to advocate for a higher standard of integrity throughout the industry.
​
How does the VPA protect consumers?
The VPA works to protect consumers in several ways. By requiring our members to adhere to VPA Standards of Conduct, we ensure that our member companies treat customers fairly and operate in compliance with industry standards.
​
The VPA provides a list of Certified VSC sellers who have passed a rigorous independent audit to consumers interested in purchasing a VSC. Customers can be confident that any of these companies will serve their needs ethically and will stand behind their products.
In addition to the work we do with our member companies, the VPA equips consumers with the tools and resources they need to make informed purchasing decisions. Armed with a better understanding of their rights and acceptable industry practices, consumers are better protected when they enter the marketplace and interact with automotive service contract providers.
​
In what ways does the VPA promote compliance among service contract providers?
The VPA advocates regulatory compliance among our members through several different mechanisms. All member organizations are required to comply with VPA Standards of Conduct and can be removed from membership if they fail to meet Standards requirements.
The VPA also requires members to comply with other criteria based on industry best practices, ethical codes and VPA telemarketing rules. For members seeking an added layer of accountability and transparency, we offer VPA Certification, a third-party review process that ensures full compliance with best practices and federal/state regulations.
​
How do VPA Standards of Conduct differ from federal and state regulations?
VPA Standards of Conduct are a self-regulatory resource designed to advance ethical business practices among our member organizations and the industry at large.
Our Standards of Conduct are not intended to replace or diminish federal and state regulations. Instead, VPA Standards of Conduct have been created to ensure that automotive service contract providers meet or exceed applicable regulations in the areas of contracts, advertising, data collection, customer service and more. If Standards of Conduct and federal or state regulations conflict in the area of policies and procedures, federal and state rules always prevail.
​
VPA Standards of Conduct actively encourage members to not only comply with government regulations, but to implement measures that exceed them in order to deliver an exceptional consumer experience.
​
How can the VPA assist industry regulators?
The VPA and government regulators share a commitment to ensuring a fair and ethical automotive service contract industry. We welcome constructive dialogue with industry regulators, recognizing that self-regulatory initiatives enhance consumer trust and are the most productive way to implement ethical standards throughout an industry.
​
We also invite regulators to schedule a briefing with a VPA representative to receive industry updates and an overview of current VPA initiatives.