Kia Continues Partnership with JM&A Group to Offer Added Protections for Car Buyers

Business Wire

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kia Motors America (KMA) has renewed its agreement with JM&A Group, one of the largest independent providers of finance and insurance (F&I) products in the automotive industry. Together, they will continue delivering top-rated service contracts and added protections for Kia customers.

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JM&A Group and KIA executives celebrate five years of partnership. (Photo: Business Wire)

KMA first partnered with JM&A in 2007 to grow its dealer programs using branded F&I products and extended warranty services known as the Kia Distinction. Today, 716 Kia dealers provide customers with at least one of JM&A’s industry-leading products. Of those, more than 400 are enrolled in five service offerings.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Kia,” said Forrest Heathcott, President of JM&A Group. “We have great momentum and expect another excellent performance year. JM&A remains committed to providing automotive dealers with strategic support and we look forward to helping Kia maintain superior performance and growth.”

Kia’s suite of branded products includes vehicle protection plan, maintenance plan, road hazard tire coverage, Term Care Select, Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) and CPO Wrap programs, as well as Paintless Dent Removal coverage, an added benefit for consumers who want to maintain their vehicles’ appearance over time.

JM&A also provides Kia dealers with F&I Training in associate development, consumer-friendly sales methods, compliance, marketing and e-contracting. Over the last eight years, the partnership has helped Kia build customer loyalty, boost dealer profitability and establish its CPO program as the industry standard among non-luxury vehicle brands. Kia Distinction product sales have increased by 25 percent and the Kia CPO program continues to experience retail growth at 43 percent.

“Our customers’ satisfaction and peace of mind is our highest priority, and providing our dealers with the best possible F&I products and training in the industry helps us ensure that the needs of Kia customers will be met,” said, David Carp, Director of Fleet, Remarketing & CPO, Kia Motors of North America. “We look forward to continuing this relationship with JM&A and utilizing the tools they help us provide our dealers.”

About JM&A Group

JM&A Group consists of four companies that provide more than 3,000 dealerships with a variety of products and services, such as new and used vehicle protection plans, used vehicle certification programs, pre-paid maintenance plans, GAP protection programs and F&I training for sales and service departments and consulting services. With 37 years of experience, JM&A Group’s inter-related companies assisted dealers in selling more than 3.2 million vehicle-related service and maintenance contracts in 2014. JM&A Group is a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises, Inc., a diversified automotive corporation headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla. JM Family is ranked No. 23 on Forbes’ list of “America’s Largest Private Companies.” The company is also ranked No. 34 by FORTUNE® as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For®, its 17^th consecutive year on the list.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900¹ flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle², Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

¹ 2015 K900 V8 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.

² Soul EV in select markets with limited availability.