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Who is Universal Lenders LLC?
Universal Lenders provides 0% promotional programs for dealers who sell extended service contracts and other protection products on your vehicle, RV, Boat, or Motorcycle (colloquially referred to as “warranties” or “extended warranties”).
When you purchased a “warranty” or other protection product from your dealer, instead of paying the dealer in cash up front for the entire purchase price of the policy(s), you elected to make monthly payments and the dealer had you sign a payment contract.
Universal Lenders is the company that collects payments from you, on behalf of the dealer, for your purchase. We maintain and service your payment account until your account is paid off.
If you have questions about your account or payment plan that are not answered here, please contact us.
ABOUT YOUR WARRANTY (coverage, eligibility, repairs, claims)
Your dealer should have provided you with a copy of your entire warranty or service contract policy, which is generally anywhere from 5-30 pages long and contains a lot of information about what IS and ISN’T covered. The warranty company (Administrator) information and phone number is listed on your policy.
► Universal Lenders IS NOT the warranty company or service contract administrator ◄
We have limited information that was provided to us about your purchase, solely to effect and set up and collect your payments. However we know very little about your actual warranty or service contract policy other than how much you agreed to pay for it and how much you currently owe on it. Since we have a nationwide network of dealers that sell thousands of different types of warranties, it is impossible for us to know exactly how every policy works, or specifically, how yours works. We simply are not qualified to provide answers relating to your warranty, service contract or protection product. (We would hate to give you the wrong information!) As such, we are unable to answer questions about your warranty or service contract.
Any questions relating to your protection product policy (such as terms, eligibility, coverage, or to initiate repair claims) must be directed to either the warranty company, product Administrator, or your selling Dealer.
If requested, we can provide your dealer’s information to you, and we can usually provide you with the name and phone # to your warranty company. WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF YOUR POLICY(S). The file copy that we have is only a 1-page application or declarations that we are provided to verify the sale amounts; we do not have a copy of your entire policy. If requested, we will provide you with our file copy(s) of your policy(s), for a $15 retrieval fee as specified in our customary fee policy. However, the dealer or warranty company/administrator should be able to provide you with copies of the entire policy for no charge. Contact Us for additional information.
Make a Payment & How to Pay
Online/Web Payments
WE REGRET THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT ONLINE PAYMENTS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE
We understand that most companies accept online payments. However, please consider the following:
► Companies that accept online payments are also more prone to security risks and breaches of your financial data and banking information.
► We do not process any of your personal, financial or banking information on servers that have direct access to the public internet. We believe this is the best way to keep your information safe!
► Aside, keep in mind that we do not charge any interest and you have a 0% payment plan. The systems, infrastructure and network security required to maintain an online payment portal is well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars! Quite simply, if we had to pay for all of that, we would pass the costs on to you… probably by charging interest. And so we ask: Would you rather have an interest-free payment plan, or be able to pay online with a 24.99% APR attached? (We like the idea of ZERO interest a lot better).
Payments by PHONE
Payments can be made by telephone by calling our office during regular business hours.
(MON – FRI, 9AM to 6PM CST)
Our phone number is (866) 954-1050
There is a convenience fee to pay by phone:
► For ACH/Electronic Check Payment, the fee is $15.00
►For Credit/Debit Card Payments, the fee is the greater of $15, or 3% of the payment amount (for payments over $500)
►There is a separate fee for each payment transaction (that is, per account and/or per method of payment). For example, if you are paying on 2 separate accounts with 1 card, or splitting a payment on 1 account across 2 different debit cards, there will be 2 separate convenience fees charged since it constitutes 2 separate payment transactions.
Additional provisions when making payment by telephone:
► We do not issue payment receipts. When you pay by electronic methods, your bank or credit card issuer will show the payment in their systems as soon as the same the payment is processed. Most people have online access to their bank accounts and can view the transaction in real time. Nonetheless, your bank statement or credit card statement, showing the credit or debit, constitutes your official proof and evidence of payment.
► We do not generate or provide confirmation numbers. At the time you make a phone payment, you can note the name of our employee, their extension, and the date/time you called. If for any reason the payment must be researched in the future, our phone system can retrieve a record of the call by the a combination of the aforementioned information.
► We are not forcing you to pay a fee to make your payment. Our processing of payments by phone is a courtesy and convenience that we are under no obligation to provide, however we offer to process a payment by phone in exchange for the above-described fee. Accordingly, if you choose to pay by phone, then you also choose to pay the associated fee. You may choose alternative methods of payment, such as mail, in order to avoid the fee.
Payments by MAIL
Payments can be by sending a check, money order, or other bank draft to one of the following addresses.
If by regular mail, please send to:
UNIVERSAL LENDERS LLC
PO BOX 4179
OAK PARK, IL 60303-4179
If sending by overnight, registered, certified, priority or courier service, please send to:
UNIVERSAL LENDERS LLC
1011 LAKE ST STE 303
OAK PARK, IL 60301-1138
Additional provisions when sending payment via mail:
► Please note your account number on your check or money order. If you do not know your account number, please call our office at (866) 954-1050. When sending a money order or bank draft, please keep a copy or receipt for your records.
► If sending by regular mail, please allow for at least 5 business days mailing time. There is a 10-day grace period from when your payment is due before we charge a late fee, which is more than enough time to allow for mailing when mailed on the payment due date. You cannot mail your payment on the 10th day and expect to save a late charge – we do not go by the post-mark date. Payments received more than 10 days late will be assessed late charges, regardless of the post-mark.
► If you have more than 1 account, you must send a separate check for each account that you want to make payment on. We cannot post the same check across multiple accounts. Checks mailed contrary to this provision will be either: 1) not cashed; or 2) entirely applied to 1 account, at our discretion, leaving any other account(s) unapplied and unpaid. In this event, unpaid accounts will be treated in accordance with our standard collection procedure relating to delinquent and defaulted accounts.
► We do not have control over the post office or any delays caused in transit while in custody of the U.S. mails. Nonetheless your payments are due per the terms of the contract and any other defult/cure period that elapses. Warranties are cancelled for non-payment when they are more than 30 days past due. If your account is in jeapodary of being cancelled for non-payment, WE MUST RECEIVE PAYMENT BY THE FINAL DATE INDICATED OR YOUR WARRANTY WILL BE CANCELLED. We strongly advise making the payment by phone, Priority/Certified/Registered Mail, or by Courier to ensure that your warranty is not cancelled.
► We pick up our mail from our PO Box daily, and mail is delivered to our office each day daily by the postal carrier. We post ALL payments as of the same day we receive them. We do not purposefully “hold onto” payments for any reason.
► DO NOT SEND CASH ! ! !
E-Pay/Bill-Pay Payments
We glady accept your bank’s E-Pay/Bill-Pay Payments.
When setting up a payment profile with your bank’s bill payment service, please MAKE SURE TO LIST YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER on the payment record, and have your bank send the payment to:
UNIVERSAL LENDERS LLC
PO BOX 4179
OAK PARK, IL 60303-4179
Additional provisions when setting up payments through your bank’s bill payment service:
► Most banks offer a bill payment service (“E-Pay” or “Bill-Pay”, etc) that allows you to pay your bills online, through your bank’s website. If you have a checking or savings account, you probably have this service available to you. Some credit cards offer the bill payment service as well. Please contact your financial institution or credit card issuer to see if a bill payment service is available to you, and for instructions on how to use it.
► When setting up a payment profile with your bank, please provide them with your account number so they can put it on the payments. If you do not know your account number, please call our office at (866) 954-1050.
► When using bill payment services through your bank, PLEASE NOTE: While you transaction and initiate the payment online or through your bank’s phone app, YOUR BANK DOES NOT SEND US THE FUNDS ELECTRONICALLY. Your bank processes a paper check, and mails it to us. Accordingly, you must allow for mailing time when initially a payment through your bank’s bill payment provider.
► Each bank operates differently. Some banks do not withdraw the money for your bill payments until we have actually received and cashed the check that they mail. HOWEVER some banks withdraw the funds from your account as soon as you create a bill payment through their system. They will still mail us a check and we still have yet to actually cash it. The fact that your bank has withdrawn money from your account does not necessarily mean that we have received they payment or cashed the check. When researching lost/missing/unposted bill payments, you should always contact your bank first to see if the bill payment check has actually been cashed by asking for a copy of the cancelled check. If we have received and cashed your bill payments, our endorsement will be on the back of the check.
Payments In-Person
WE ACCEPT PAYMENTS IN OUR OFFICE:
MON – FRI, 9AM to 6PM CST
UNIVERSAL LENDERS LLC
1011 LAKE ST STE 303
OAK PARK, IL 60303-1138
Additional provisions when making payments in person:
► WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH. (There is a bank in our lobby and several other banks in the surrounding area, as well as a 7-Eleven convenience store a few blocks away, which could convert cash into a money order for you).
► THERE IS A CONVENIENCE FEE TO PAY BY DEBIT/CREDIT CARD. The fee is $15 for ACH (electronic check), or the greater of $15 or 3% of the payment amount if paying by credit or debit card.
► If driving, there is parking behind our building. We are in the located in the Forsyth Building (Byline Bank) across from Lake Theater, on the corner of Lake Street and Forest Ave. Park in the rear and enter through the rear entrance; take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. We are Suite 303.
► By public transportation: CTA Green Line (Harlem Stop) or Metra/Union Pacific West (Oak Park Stop): We are 1 block east of the train station at Lake/Forest. CTA Blue Line (Harlem Stop): take Pace Bus 307 North to Harlem. We are 2 blocks east of the Harlem at Lake/Forest. Pace bus routes 318, 309, 313 and CTA route 90: Harlem/Forest stop on Lake Street.
PAYING OFF your account
THERE IS NO PRE-PAYMENT PENALTY TO PAY YOUR ACCOUNT OFF EARLY.
If you decide to pay off your account early:
► CONTACT US to obtain your final account balance and account number.
► Once you have confirmed your final balance, you can make the pay off by any method listed on our HOW TO PAY section.*
Additional provisions when paying off your account:
*If your account is on automatic payments:
► We regret that we are unable to process account payoffs using the automatic payment system, because our system is only capable of processing your regular payment amount, on you regular due date. For odd requests, such as payoffs, that fall outside the scope of “automatic”, you will need to make the payment using another method.
► If you or a third party is mailing a pay off to us, you must notify us to cancel automatic payments to ensure that we do not process additional payment(s) while your payment is in transit.
If you or a third party is mailing a payment to our office:
► Please be sure to allow for mailing time and that we receive the payment before any further late, delinquency, or cancellation charges apply. When we quote a pay off, we will always quote the payoff for at least 10 days to allow for mailing. However as time is of the essence, our previous statements or communications may become invalidated by the passage of time and additional fees that would become due under the contract if a payment is not received “on time.”
► We do not customarily mail receipts, statements, or letters after an account is paid in full. If requested, we will email you a paid-in-full statement for no charge. For printed/mailed statement or letters, there is a $15 maintenance fee pursuant to our customary fee policy. †
► If your payoff causes an overpayment or credit balance on your account, we will issue refunds pursuant to our refund policy.
► Credit Reporting: We will report the paid-in-full/closed status of your account after we receive your pay off. Please note that your credit report is not updated in real time and may take anywhere from 30-45 days to be updated after we receive your payment.
† Payments are applied on the date received; however, due to bank clearing and float times, funds may be uncollected. Some payment(s) may be subject to the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) or Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA, Regulation E). Any previous or current payment(s) that are returned, dishonored, charged-back or disputed with or by the payor bank or card issuer will render any “paid-in-full” statements we make as void, and additional NSF/Return/Decline fees may be assessed for payment(s) that are returned for any reason.
Manage Automatic Payments
ENROLL, SET UP, or CHANGE Automatic Payments
In order to ENROLL, SET UP, or CHANGE automatic payments, an authorization form will be required, along with your signature.
► We cannot set up or change your automatic payment information by phone.
► CLICK BELOW to view & download the autopay authorization form.
► RETURN THE FORM to us by emil, fax, mail, or by submitting to us through our CONTACT page.
DOWNLOAD Automatic Payment Authorization Form
Notes regarding AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS
What is the Automatic Payment Program? The Automatic Payment Program is a service from Universal Lenders LLC that allows you to make your payments automatically every month. Once you enroll we will automatically withdraw the payment from your checking or savings account, or charge it to your credit/debit card.
► When your due date falls on a non-banking day, we will process your payment the following business day.
► We will transmit your payment on your due date (or the following business day if weekend/holiday). Due to bank clearing & float times, it may take an additional 1-2 days before the payment is reflected on your actual bank account.
► If any payment is declined, returned, dishonored or charged back, then you will be terminated from the Automatic Payment Program. You will have to re-enroll if you want to go back on automatic payments.
► You may discontinue Automatic Payments at any time; however you must notify us at least 1 business day in advance of a scheduled payment in order to stop it from running. We will try to honor same-day requests but we cannot guarantee that requests made in the same day a payment is scheduled to run can or will be stopped.
Notes regarding CHANGES & UPDATES to your banking/card information
► If your banking information or credit/debit card information has changed, or you wish to switch payment methods for your automatic payments, we will still require a new authorization form with the new information.
► In order for any changes to take effect for your next payment, you must return the new authorization form to us at least 1 business day before your next payment is scheduled to run.
► If you are unable to get a new form filled out and returned prior to your next payment, then you should request to cancel automatic payments in the meantime, so as to avoid possible return/NSF fees.
►If you do not cancel automatic payments and you do not return a new authorization form to us at least 1 business day before your payment is due, then your automatic payment may be run as scheduled using the banking/card information on file. Universal Lenders will not be liable for any NSF or Overdraft fees your bank may charge you as a result of your failure to maintain your account, and furthermore your account may be removed from automatic payments and fees may be assessed if any payment is declined or returned unpaid by your financial institution. See FAQ regarding DECLINED or NSF/RETURNED Payments.
► Filling out the above below DOES NOT submit your information to us. You must return the form (signed) to us.
► Be sure to list your name as it appears on your account with us, and your account number on the form, so that we know who you are and can look up your account. If you do not know your account number, you may enter your billing address in the account number field, or contact us to obtain your account number. We cannot process forms that do not have a name and either account # or address.
► We provide the above PDF form, which can be printed or filled out using PDF filler software or applications. Most customers are able to do this on their phone or PC using any number of publicly available (free) apps.
► If printing, you can fill the form out by hand, and return the form electronically by either scanning it or taking a picture of it. Be sure that your camera resolution is set to “best” or “highest” quality so that the image is legible to us. Illegible (shrunken, pixelated, etc) forms may be rejected.
► If filling out the form digitally using a PDF editor, be sure to “Save” the file after entering information into it. You must then upload or attach the saved version (containing your saved information) in order for us to process.
Unfortunately, due to the unlimited number of operating systems, apps, and devices that customers use, we are unable to provide technical support or assist you with your particular device or software. If you are unable to utilize the form that we’ve provided below, you may contact us to have a form mailed to you, which you may fill out and mail back to us. Otherwise we suggest contacting your local library, office supply or shipping store, or you may return to your dealer who can always assist you.
POSTPONE or MOVE Automatic Payment Day
Universal Lenders offers the automatic payment program as a courtesy to those customers who don’t want to worry about making their payments every month. This service and our ability to offer it depend on the very nature and definition of the word: “automatic.” That is, simply, automatic payments need to run automatically.
We cannot postpone, delay, extend, or change any individual payment date.
If your payments cannot run automatically on your due date, you should request to cancel automatic payments in order to prevent a payment from running. At your option and request, at a later date, you can re-enroll in automatic payments by filling out a new authorization form.
Permanant Due Date Changes:
While we cannot change/postpone any single or particular payment date, if a certain day of the month works better for your regular payments, we may be able to modify and permanently change your due date to a different day of each month. See our account service section regarding Due Date Changes to see if that option is available to you.
CANCEL or STOP Automatic Payments
To CANCEL your automatic payments:
► CONTACT US to request that automatic payments be stopped.
► We will process your request upon receipt, and no further automatic payments will be drafted in the future.
► You may discontinue Automatic Payments at any time; however you must notify us at least 1 business day in advance of a scheduled payment in order to prevent it from running.
► We will try to honor same-day requests, but we cannot guarantee that requests made in the same day a payment is scheduled to run can, or will, be stopped. Unfortunately once a payment is released to the bank or credit card processor for collection, it cannot be reversed.
► If you decide to cancel your warranty, you must notify us to stop automatic payments. Your agreements with Universal require you to notify us if you elect to cancel. Pick up a phone… call us… send us a message… We promise that we really don’t want to keep charging you for payments after you’ve decided to cancel, but we do not know that you’ve cancelled unless you tell us!
► Universal Lenders will not be liable for automatic payments that are processed without sufficient advance notice contrary to the above policy, nor will we be responsible for NSF or Overdraft fees that your bank may charge you in relation to any payment we process for lack of timely advance notice.
DECLINED or NSF/RETURNED Payments
Universal Lenders will run your automatic payment as scheduled, unless you notify us at least 1 business day in advance of your request to cancel automatic payments. (For payments due on weekends or bank holidays, the payment will be run the next business day). Customers should make sure that funds are available on the payment due date. We make no particular guarantee as to what time of day automatic payments will be ran, and we cannot make special accommodations for individual accounts.
If a payment is declined or returned/rejected for any reason, your account will be removed from automatic payments, and a $25 return fee will be assessed.
It is not our intent or purpose to cause you NSF or Overdraft fees, as the Automatic Payment Program is purely meant to be a courtesy and a convenience. If being on automatic payments is likely to be a problem, we suggest that you cancel automatic payments and make payment on your account via alternative methods.
AFTER AN ACCOUNT IS REMOVED FROM AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS, if you wish to resume automatic payments, you will need to rectify the situation with your bank or card issuer and re-enroll in automatic payments by filling out a new authorization form.
For your own financial protection and safeguards, we do not store or retain your banking information after an account is removed from automatic payments. Our office and our staff cannot “just” put your account back on automatic payments, because we no longer have your banking information. Accordingly, you must fill out, sign, and return a new authorization form if you want to be re-enrolled in automatic payments after being removed for declined/returned payments.
Warning: Read before using a SAVINGS accounts
When you fill out an automatic payment authorization, you are directing and instructing Universal Lenders to withdraw payments using the banking information you provide to us. Accordingly, if you instruct us to take a payment using your savings account, we will follow your instructions. However:
► Federal Law limits you to 6 ACH withdrawals per month from your SAVINGS accounts
► Some financial institutions do not allow debits from a savings account.
If we process a debit to your savings account, and your financial institution returns it for any reason, please be advised that we charge a $25 fee for returned payments, as stipulated in your payment authorization. You may wish to consider using your checking account instead, to avoid possible ramifications with your bank. You can read more about Regulation D and the 6 withdrawal limit here: https://wallethacks.com/limit-6-ach-transfers-savings-account-rule/
CANCEL your Service Contract or Warranty Policy
Since our dealers sell hundreds of different types of service contracts and protection products, you should refer to the specific cancellation provisions contained in your contract/policy that your dealer sold you. Some products may not be cancelled.
In order to cancel your warranty or service contract, your written cancellation request form is required, along with your signature.
► CONTACT THE DEALER THAT SOLD YOU THE POLICY to request a cancellation
The dealer will have the necessary forms for you to fill out and sign in order to request a cancellation. Your current vehicle mileage will be required. The dealer will process the cancellation with the warranty administrator. You should make sure that the dealer gives you a copy of the cancellation form(s) that you sign.
► Ensure that you or your dealer submits a copy of your cancellation request to Universal Lenders in order to stop the billing process
► Your payment contract requires you to notify us if you decide to cancel. Most times the dealer will notify us for you, however if your dealer fails to notify us, you still have an obligation to notify us that you cancelled. Upon receipt of your written cancellation request, we will freeze and flag your account with Universal as a pending cancellation while we wait for the dealership to process and pay off your account.
► You should also follow up with Universal to make sure that we’ve received your cancellation request from the dealer. Send us a copy of the request to Universal Lenders by using the our CONTACT page.
► If your account is on automatic payments . . .
You must inform Universal that you have requested cancellation so that we can stop the automatic payments from coming out of your bank account or being charged to your credit/debit card.
► Call us at (866) 954-1050 or contact us to request that we stop automatic payments.
We promise that we really don’t want to keep charging you for payments after you’ve decided to cancel, but we will not know that you’ve cancelled unless you tell us that you’ve cancelled.
► If we are not notified of a cancellation by you or the dealer, automatic payments will continue to run as scheduled, and will only be refunded as described below and in our refund policy.
► IMPORTANT: Until the dealership processes your cancellation request and forwards the cancellation refund to Universal, your account remains open.
DOWNLOAD Cancellation Request
As a courtesy, Universal Lenders LLC will forward your cancellation request to your selling dealership if you complete the Cancellation Request Form above. Note that mileage is usually required, and the dealership will be unable to process without your current odometer reading.
► Your contract with Universal requires your participation and cooperation in order to effect cancellation. If the dealership is unable to process your request due to your omission, error, or refusal to participate in the cancellation process as required, then payments may continue to become due as scheduled and delinquent accounts may be reported to the credit bureaus.
Account & Customer Service ► Policies & Procedures
The ZERO Plan® is not your traditional 0% Payment Option!
Automotive, Power Sports, RV, Mobile Home, Exotic, New Home
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE ZERO Plan?
► Funding within 7 Business Days
► 100% Refund of Fees in the event of Cancellations
► Up to 42 Customer Payments
► Low Cancellations – Low Chargebacks – We Collect!
► All F&I Products, Cancellable or Non-Cancellable, Are Eligible – Not Just Service Contracts
More Reasons to Choose ZERO Plan!
► Industry-First Sales Tool to Drive Revenue from Cash Buyers or Service Drive
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● Darwin ● Vision Menu ●
● MenuMetric ● Impact ●
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RETAILERS
See how The ZERO Plan® Beats the Competition
ADMINISTRATORS
See Why the ZERO Plan® is the Administrators Choice
To send us a message/inquiry/question/comment, please use the form below to contact us.
Office Hours :
9am to 6pm Central
Monday thru Friday
(Closed Weekends)
Phone :
+1 (866) 954-1050 (Toll-Free)
+1 (773) 889-1050 (Local)
Fax :
+1 (844) 338-3585 (Toll-Free)
+1 (773) 889-4508 (Local)
Payments / Correspondence :
Please Mail to
UNIVERSAL LENDERS LLC
PO BOX 4179
OARK PARK, IL 60303-4179
Office Address :
for courier service
1011 LAKE ST STE 303
OAK PARK, IL 60301-1138