Specialized Dealer Solutions

What Specialized Dealer Solutions does

Specialized Dealer Solutions is a privately held F&I (Finance & Insurance) product provider based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, founded in 2019. The company sells a broad menu of dealer-facing protection products — including GAP, vehicle service contracts (VSC), reinsurance/holdback (RHT), prepaid maintenance, limited warranty, appearance packages, theft protection, key replacement, identity theft recovery, paintless dent removal, and excess wear & tear coverage — to both franchised and independent auto dealers across the United States. The firm also offers customized product design on request.

All products are underwritten by A-rated insurance carriers, and SDS is not tied to a single underwriter, allowing it to shop coverage across carriers and tailor offerings by dealer. The business model is built around four profit structures: commission-based agency sales, retro (profit-sharing), reinsurance arrangements, and dealer-owned warranty companies (DOWC). This structure lets the firm serve dealers that want a simple agency relationship as well as larger dealer groups seeking ownership economics on backend F&I income.

Go-to-market is sales-led. The firm operates with a small headcount in the 1-10 range, has not raised external capital, has no disclosed investors or M&A activity, and has Bob Mayo listed as Principal. There are no disclosed revenue, funding, or growth metrics, and no indication of proprietary technology, AI tooling, or platform architecture beyond conventional F&I administration.

Name

Specialized Dealer Solutions

Legal name

Specialized Dealer Solutions

Website

https://specializeddealersolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Specialized Dealer Solutions is a Fort Lauderdale-based F&I product provider, founded in 2019, that supplies franchised and independent auto dealers with GAP, VSC, maintenance, and ancillary protection products backed by A-rated insurers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Auto Dealer Finance & Insurance Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Carriers (5241), Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers (42312)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Dealer-Sold & F&I Administered Service Contracts (Dealer Obligors) (FSAJALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

GAP & Vehicle Protection Products (GAP Waiver/Insurance, Lease/Loan Protection) (FSAJALAC), Auto Ancillary Warranties (Tire & Wheel, Paintless Dent, Key/Remote, Windshield) (FSAJALAB), Vehicle Protection & Add-on Product Financing (Warranties, GAP, Service Plans) (FSAKADAL)

Keywords

• F&I products
• Auto dealer services
• GAP insurance
• Vehicle service contracts
• Dealer consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. F&I Product Sales: SDS generates revenue by providing F&I products and services to auto dealers. The company offers various profit structures for dealers including straight commission, retro, reinsurance, and DOWC (Dealer Owned Warranty Company) arrangements. Products include GAP, VSC, warranties, maintenance plans, and ancillary protection products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Specialized Dealer Solutions (SDS) provides consulting, advisory, and agency services to franchised and independent auto dealers, with a focus on F&I (Finance & Insurance) products. The company distributes a comprehensive suite of vehicle protection products including Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP), Vehicle Service Contracts (VSC), Road Hazard Tire & Wheel Coverage, Prepaid Maintenance, Limited Warranties, and ancillary protection products such as Theft Protection, Key Replacement, Identity Theft Recovery, Paintless Dent Removal, and Excess Wear & Tear coverage. All major products are backed by A-rated insurers, and dealers can select from multiple profit structures including straight commission, retro, reinsurance, and Dealer Owned Warranty Company (DOWC) arrangements.

Product overview

Specialized Dealer Solutions provides a comprehensive portfolio of F&I (Finance & Insurance) products for franchised and independent auto dealers. The offering consists of a core suite of vehicle protection products including Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP), Vehicle Service Contracts (VSC), Road Hazard Tire & Wheel Coverage, Prepaid Maintenance, Limited Warranty, and Appearance Packages, supplemented by additional protection products such as Theft Protection, Key Replacement, Identity Theft Recovery, Paintless Dent Removal, and Excess Wear & Tear coverage. All major products are backed by A-rated insurers. The company also offers Customized Products allowing dealers to create bundled packages and give-away programs to differentiate from competitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) GAP insurance product covering basic, standard and enhanced options, backed by an A-rated insurer. Features include term limits up to 96 months, 125% and 150% MSRP coverage, maximum amount financed of $125,000, and commercial usage including Uber and Lyft. Sold to auto dealers to offer their vehicle-financing customers.
• Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) Vehicle service contracts offering a wide range of coverage levels and term/mileage options for new, pre-owned, certified pre-owned, lease vehicles, powertrain wraps, and powersports vehicles, backed by an A-rated insurer. Sold to franchised and independent auto dealers.
• Road Hazard Tire & Wheel Coverage (RHT) Coverage for tire and wheel repair and replacement including valve stems, mounting and balancing, with optional rental car coverage and zero deductible. Sold to auto dealers to offer their vehicle customers.
• Prepaid Maintenance Fully customizable maintenance plans including give-aways, with dealer-controlled services, intervals, and Service Department reimbursement rates. Includes manufacturer wrap and enhanced retention programs. Sold to franchised and independent auto dealers.
• Limited Warranty Short-term Used Vehicle Limited Warranties as well as 10/20 year or Lifetime New and Used Vehicle Limited Warranties with various coverage and deductible options. Sold to auto dealers.
• Appearance Packages Paint and fabric/leather protection for terms up to 7 years covering exterior (acid rain, bird droppings, tree sap, UV rays) and interior (stains, fading, discoloration, rips and tears). Options include exterior-only, interior-only, or combined packages. Sold to auto dealers.
• Theft Protection Window etching and body labeling with theft benefits ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 depending on state regulations, with options to pre-load inventory. Sold to auto dealers.
• Key Replacement Comprehensive key replacement package covering lost, stolen or damaged vehicle key/fob, replacement of other keys on key ring, home and car lock out, 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, and emergency battery service. Sold to auto dealers.
• Identity Theft Recovery (IDR) Identity theft protection with certified recovery advocate, internet monitoring, lost wallet services, and $25,000 expense reimbursement. Can be included in customized give-away programs. Sold to auto dealers.
• Paintless Dent Removal Comprehensive repair coverage for terms from 12 to 72 months, with all repairs performed by Certified PDR technicians at customer's home or place of employment. Sold to auto dealers.
• Excess Wear & Tear (EWT)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Safe-Guard Products International: Specialty provider of F&I products including GAP, VSC, tire & wheel, key replacement, and paintless dent removal for auto dealers. Closely overlaps SDS's product set and dealer-channel distribution model.
• JM&A Group: One of the largest F&I product and training providers to franchised auto dealers in the U.S., offering VSC, GAP, and ancillary protection products backed by major insurers. Directly comparable to SDS as both serve franchised dealer networks with full F&I menus through agency relationships.
• EasyCare / APCO Holdings: Long-standing F&I product provider offering VSC, GAP, prepaid maintenance, and ancillary protection products to franchised and independent dealers. Comparable product portfolio and dealer-channel go-to-market as SDS.

Others

• RouteOne (F&I Solutions): F&I and credit application platform connecting dealers, lenders, and F&I product providers. Represents a structural risk to traditional F&I agencies like SDS as dealers consolidate on integrated digital F&I menu and eRating platforms.

Broad incumbents

• Allstate Dealer Services: Allstate's F&I product division offering GAP, VSC, and ancillary products through dealer relationships nationwide. Larger incumbent with carrier-backed balance sheet and broader brand recognition competing for the same dealer accounts as SDS.
• Assurant Dealer Services: Division of Assurant providing VSC, GAP, and ancillary F&I products to auto dealers at scale, backed by A-rated carriers. Competes with SDS on the same dealer channel but with substantially larger resources, proprietary technology, and OEM relationships.
• Zurich F&I (Zurich North America): Large carrier-backed F&I program offering VSC, GAP, and ancillary products through agency and direct dealer relationships. Larger incumbent competing with SDS for dealer accounts but with carrier balance-sheet backing and broader program capabilities.

Emerging players

• Premier Dealer Services: Independent F&I agency offering VSC, GAP, and ancillary products to franchised and independent dealers with carrier-agnostic placement. Closely mirrors SDS's independent agency model and multi-carrier positioning.
• Dent Wizard International: Provider of paintless dent removal and other automotive appearance protection products sold through dealer and fleet channels. Comparable on the PDR and appearance protection portion of SDS's product catalog.
• PermaPlate (Marketing Holdings): Provider of paint and fabric protection plans, sound deadening, and other appearance/lifetime protection products sold through auto dealers. Overlaps with SDS's appearance packages and limited warranty offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialized-dealer-solutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Specialized Dealer Solutions