How PowerBand Is Reshaping the Auto Warranty Market Through Strategic CARco Partnership

The automotive protection products landscape just got a significant shake-up. PowerBand Solutions has partnered with Comprehensive Auto Resources Company (CARco), one of America’s largest vehicle protection administrators, to roll out its cloud-based transaction platform across dealerships nationwide. Here’s what this means for the market.

The Partnership That’s Changing the Game

CARco doesn’t operate at a small scale. The company manages more than 100,000 vehicle protection products monthly across the United States through its network of over 1,000 agents. Now, they’re bringing their extensive portfolio directly onto PowerBand’s digital platform, working alongside D&P Holdings, a Texas-based firm managing automotive warranties for more than 850 dealerships in all 50 states.

The collaboration is significant because it addresses a real consumer pain point: buying vehicle protection products traditionally required visiting dealerships or dealing with separate vendors. PowerBand’s approach eliminates that friction. From a smartphone or tablet, consumers can now browse, purchase, and lease vehicles while simultaneously accessing a full suite of protection options—gap insurance, tire & wheel coverage, theft protection, and total loss protection products.

Why CARco’s Move Matters

Charlie Caronia, CARco’s President and CEO, frames this shift strategically: the pandemic accelerated demand for contactless, digital-first transactions. CARco recognized that their traditional agent network, while robust, needed modernization. By integrating with PowerBand’s platform, they’re positioning themselves for the next era of automotive retail.

Consider the numbers: CARco has been operating since 2004 and built its reputation on gap insurance offerings when the product was still relatively new to the market. Over time, they expanded into theft protection, tire & wheel road hazard coverage, and other ancillary products. This partnership allows them to reach far more consumers through digital channels without abandoning their established agent relationships.

The Technology Backbone: MUSA’s Role

PowerBand acquired a 60% stake in MUSA Holdings in July 2019. MUSA operates an advanced leasing platform that processes applications, auto-calculates terms, makes approval decisions, and pre-fills contracts—often within seconds. The efficiency here is noteworthy: MUSA’s technology impressed Tesla Motors enough to secure a national leasing partnership in 2018.

Now, that same leasing capability is being integrated into PowerBand’s broader ecosystem. When dealerships and consumers use DRIVRZ (PowerBand’s trademarked transaction platform), they’re accessing technology proven to handle complex automotive transactions at scale.

The Broader Market Impact

What PowerBand is building extends beyond just CARco. D&P Holdings, operating through The Hanover Insurance Group (valued at $3.8 billion), brings additional credibility and product depth. Between CARco’s extensive agent network and D&P’s dealership relationships, PowerBand now has distribution reach into thousands of locations.

The company’s vision is clear: enable buy, sell, trade, finance, and lease transactions for new and used vehicles—electric or traditional—entirely through digital devices from anywhere. Consumers avoid dealership visits. Dealers streamline operations. Insurance agents adapt to new channels rather than becoming obsolete.

What’s Next

PowerBand’s leasing platform is launching shortly. With CARco bringing product breadth and MUSA providing technological muscle, the platform is positioned to capture meaningful market share in a traditionally fragmented automotive retail ecosystem. Whether this partnership successfully scales across North America and globally remains to be seen, but the strategic alignment is compelling: three players addressing real consumer and dealer pain points simultaneously.