What to do when a Credit Acceptance account holder dies
Contact Credit Acceptance — 7-step process, 3 required documents, and credit acceptance does not publish a timeline for updating or settling a deceased customer's account. payoff quotes are provided immediately by phone or through the online portal, but are time-sensitive because interest accrues daily. once the balance is paid in full, credit acceptance releases its title lien; the lien-release and retitling timeline then follows the deceased borrower's state motor-vehicle title process.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service
Standard mailed payments: Credit Acceptance, P.O. Box 551888, Detroit, MI 48255-1888. Guaranteed funds / money orders and written correspondence: Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service
Standard mailed payments: Credit Acceptance, P.O. Box 551888, Detroit, MI 48255-1888. Guaranteed funds / money orders and written correspondence: Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service (no dedicated deceased-account department published)
Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034
Notifying Credit Acceptance of a death is not a claim for money — it is the step that stops the account, fixes the balance owed as of the date of death, and puts Credit Acceptance on notice as a creditor of the estate. The Credit Acceptance Customer Service (no dedicated deceased-account department published) (1-800-634-1506) handles it.
Before contacting Credit Acceptance, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Credit Acceptance:
Filing a claim
- Pay off the balance from estate funds, life insurance, or the proceeds of a sale; once the balance is satisfied Credit Acceptance releases its lien so the vehicle can be retitled through the estate or sold
- A survivor or heir who wants to keep the vehicle can refinance the balance in their own name through another lender and use that to pay Credit Acceptance off
- Sell the vehicle and use the proceeds to pay the loan balance
Required Documents
- Death certificate for the deceased borrower
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, or a small estate affidavit, if Credit Acceptance requires proof of authority to discuss or settle the account
- The Credit Acceptance account number
What to know at this institution
An auto loan is a debt, not an asset — it carries no payable-on-death, transfer-on-death, or beneficiary designation, and cannot be funded into a trust. Credit Acceptance publishes no dedicated deceased-account, estate, or bereavement process; the estate works the account through the general Customer Service line at 1-800-634-1506, where the caller reports the death, confirms what documentation is required, and requests the exact payoff. Because Credit Acceptance is recorded as the lienholder on the vehicle title, the lien is released only after the balance is paid in full; the vehicle can then be retitled to an heir or sold. GAP, when the borrower bought it through the dealer at financing, is administered by a third-party provider and may reduce the balance if the vehicle is a total loss. Credit Acceptance does not publish a deceased-customer claim form, so the survivor sends its own written notice plus the death certificate and any required estate documents (user-drafted).
Prepare your letter of instruction to Credit Acceptance
Credit Acceptance accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Credit Acceptance's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Credit Acceptance: Credit Acceptance does not publish a timeline for updating or settling a deceased customer's account. Payoff quotes are provided immediately by phone or through the online portal, but are time-sensitive because interest accrues daily. Once the balance is paid in full, Credit Acceptance releases its title lien; the lien-release and retitling timeline then follows the deceased borrower's state motor-vehicle title process. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Credit Acceptance requires Death certificate for the deceased borrower, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, or a small estate affidavit, if Credit Acceptance requires proof of authority to discuss or settle the account, and The Credit Acceptance account number to process a death claim. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
A Credit Acceptance auto loan is a debt that does not disappear on death; it is resolved by the estate. Have the death certificate ready, then call Customer Service at 1-800-634-1506 to report the death and request the exact payoff. The estate resolves the account by paying off the balance from estate funds, insurance, or a sale of the vehicle, or a survivor can refinance the balance in their own name through another lender. Credit Acceptance holds a lien on the vehicle title until the balance is paid, then releases it.
Credit Acceptance does not publish a dedicated deceased-account, estate, or bereavement process. The account is handled through its general Customer Service line at 1-800-634-1506 (representatives Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-11 p.m. ET and Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET). Call to report the death, confirm what documentation is required, and request the payoff amount.
No. The loan is a debt secured by the vehicle, and it becomes an obligation of the estate. It is not automatically forgiven. The estate resolves it by paying off the balance, refinancing, or selling the vehicle to satisfy the loan. If the borrower purchased Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) through the dealer and the vehicle is later a total loss, GAP may cover the gap between the loan balance and what primary insurance pays, but that is separate from any forgiveness on death.
Call Credit Acceptance Customer Service at 1-800-634-1506 to request the exact payoff amount, or log in to the customer portal or mobile app and navigate to the account details. Interest accrues daily, so a payoff quote is time-sensitive; ask for the good-through date and request an updated quote if the account is not paid right away.
A co-signer or co-borrower on a Credit Acceptance retail installment contract remains fully responsible for the loan after the other borrower dies. The surviving borrower can continue making payments, pay off the balance, or refinance in their own name. Because the loan is secured by the vehicle, keeping payments current matters, as missed payments can lead to repossession.
Have the death certificate and the Credit Acceptance account number ready before calling. To establish authority over the estate, Credit Acceptance may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (certified court-issued documents naming the executor or administrator), or a small estate affidavit where the estate's total assets fall under the dollar limit set by state statute. Confirm the exact requirements and where to send documents by calling Customer Service at 1-800-634-1506.
Credit Acceptance is recorded as the lienholder on the vehicle title and holds a legal claim to the vehicle until the loan is paid off. Once the balance is paid in full, it releases the lien so the vehicle can be retitled through the estate or sold. The lien-release and retitling steps then follow the deceased borrower's state motor-vehicle title process.
Credit Acceptance's Credit Acceptance Customer Service (no dedicated deceased-account department published) can be reached by phone at 1-800-634-1506 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Credit Acceptance primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service
Standard mailed payments: Credit Acceptance, P.O. Box 551888, Detroit, MI 48255-1888. Guaranteed funds / money orders and written correspondence: Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service
Standard mailed payments: Credit Acceptance, P.O. Box 551888, Detroit, MI 48255-1888. Guaranteed funds / money orders and written correspondence: Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034.
Credit Acceptance Customer Service (no dedicated deceased-account department published)
Credit Acceptance Corporation, 25505 West 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034
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