What to do when a Westlake Financial account holder dies

No. The balance owed on a Westlake retail installment contract does not disappear when the borrower dies; it becomes an obligation of the estate. The estate resolves it by paying off the loan, refinancing it in a qualified party's name, or selling the vehicle and applying the proceeds. Because the vehicle secures the loan, it can be repossessed if the account falls behind, so payments should be kept current while the estate is settled.

When two owners are on the title, the surviving account holder sends a signed letter to Westlake Title Maintenance at titlemaintenance@westlakefinancial.com requesting the deceased party be removed due to death. The letter must state the reason for the name removal, include the 17-digit VIN and account number, list the name and address of the local DMV/Tax Collector's Office/Title Agency, and include a photocopy of the death certificate. Westlake then sends the necessary documents to that office; it can take up to 40 days for the DMV to receive them.

If there is only one account holder and that person is now deceased, Westlake will not process a title name change. The next of kin should contact Customer Service at 888-739-9192 for guidance on resolving the account. Westlake assists with title name changes only on active accounts, so the estate typically resolves the loan by paying it off, refinancing, or selling the vehicle.

No. An auto loan is a debt, not an asset, so there is no payable-on-death, transfer-on-death, or beneficiary designation. When the borrower dies, the obligation becomes part of the estate. Westlake holds a lien on the vehicle (recorded electronically as an ELT lienholder in most states) until the balance is paid, at which point the lien is released and the vehicle can be retitled through the estate or sold.

Westlake asks for the death certificate for the deceased borrower (a photocopy is accepted for a title-removal letter). To remove a deceased co-owner from a two-owner title, it also requires a signed letter stating the reason for removal, the 17-digit VIN and account number, and the name and address of the local DMV/Tax Collector's Office/Title Agency. If the deceased was the sole account holder, the next of kin contacts Customer Service at 888-739-9192, which explains what is needed to resolve the account.

Call Westlake Customer Service (Auto Loans) at 888-739-9192, Monday through Friday 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM PT and Saturday and Sunday 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM PT. For a two-owner title-removal request, email a signed letter and a photocopy of the death certificate to Westlake Title Maintenance at titlemaintenance@westlakefinancial.com. Include the 17-digit VIN and account number so documents can be matched to the account.