BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander US
announced today that the Company and its businesses have taken
immediate steps to assist customers affected by Hurricane Irma. As
it does when there is a FEMA-designated emergency, Santander US has
activated assistance programs to help affected customers living in
disaster zip codes identified by FEMA. The Company has also pledged
a total of $100,000 to local aid
relief organizations divided between the Miami Foundation, Habitat
for Humanity Puerto Rico and the American Red Cross chapter in
Puerto Rico. Santander is also
matching employee contributions to non-profit organizations aiding
in the recovery efforts.
"Once again a hurricane has turned the lives of so many people
upside down," said Scott Powell,
President and CEO of Santander US. "We want those directly impacted
by Hurricane Irma to be safe and we will assist them as they work
to move forward from this significant natural disaster." He
added, "Things like alternative payment arrangements can make all
the difference to individuals, businesses and families who need
time and resources to put their lives back together after an event
like this and we encourage customers with a need or a question to
reach out to us."
Santander US's Dallas-based
auto finance company, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC), has suspended
loan collection and automotive repossession activities in the
affected areas, and is offering temporary loan assistance to
customers in the form of loan modifications and suspended late
fees. As of Sept. 12, 2017, the 16
FEMA-designated affected areas account for approximately five
percent of SC's active retail and lease loan balance. That number
is subject to increase as FEMA continues to assess damage in the
wake of the storm. SC's portfolio of repossessed vehicles in the
hurricane-affected area is still being assessed. At this time, SC
has confirmed that vehicles at half of its auction vendors have not
incurred material damage.
Likewise, Santander Bank is
offering immediate assistance to its retail, small business and
commercial customers to include temporarily-reduced interest rates,
temporarily-suspended late fees, loan modifications and the
suspension of collection calls and auto repossessions.
The Miami headquarters of Banco
Santander International (BSI), the Company's private investment
bank, and Banco Santander Puerto Rico are both open for business.
Banco Santander Puerto Rico will continue to support its customers
by waiving any late fees incurred between September 5 - 11, 2017, including fees for any
transactions conducted by telephone with a banking customer
representative until September 15,
2017. The Bank is also working closely with its construction
industry customers and partners to assist them during Puerto Rico's recovery.
Santander Consumer International, Puerto Rico – a subsidiary of SC, and loan
servicing center for SC accounts – is open for business and is
following the SC protocols for Irma-affected
customers.
Affected Santander Bank customers
can contact a Customer Assistance Representative at 877.768.2265,
seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
ET for details on how Santander can help alleviate some of
their financial worries while they begin to recover from Irma's
devastating impact. Customers with hearing impairments can call
800.428.9121 (TTY/TDD), seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
Santander Consumer customers who have questions about their
accounts in the wake of Hurricane Irma may contact SC by phone at
888.222.4227 Monday through Thursday from 7
a.m. to 11 p.m. CT, Friday 7 a.m. to
9 p.m. CT and Saturday from 7 a.m. to
5 p.m. CT, or online at www.santanderconsumerusa.com.
Customers with Chrysler Capital accounts can reach a service agent
at 855.563.5635 Monday through Friday from 7
a.m. to 9 p.m. CT and Saturday from 7
a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, or online at www.chryslercapital.com.
Banco Santander Puerto Rico customers can contact a Banco en
Casa Customer Service Representative at 787.281.2000 or toll
free 800.726.8263, 24
hours a day, seven days a week, for
information on how the Bank can assist them during this difficult
time.
About Santander Holdings USA, Inc.
Santander Holdings
USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN)
(Santander), one of the most respected banking groups in the world
with more than 125 million customers in the U.K., Europe, Latin
America and the U.S. As the intermediate holding company for
Santander's U.S. businesses, SHUSA includes six financial
companies with more than 17,500 employees, 5.2 million customers
and assets of over $135.1 billion.
These include Santander Bank, N.A., one of the country's largest
retail and commercial banks by deposits; Santander Consumer USA
Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SC), an auto finance and consumer lending
company; Banco Santander International of Miami; Banco Santander Puerto Rico; Santander
Securities LLC of Boston; and
Santander Investment Securities Inc. of New York.
About Santander Consumer USA
Holdings Inc.
Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) is a
full-service, technology-driven consumer finance company focused on
vehicle finance, third-party servicing and delivering superior
service to our more than 2.7 million customers across the full
credit spectrum. The company, which began originating retail
installment contracts in 1997, has a managed asset portfolio of
approximately $50 billion (as of
June 30, 2017), and is headquartered
in Dallas.
(www.santanderconsumerusa.com)
Contacts:
|
SC Investor
Relations
|
Media
Relations
|
Evan
Black
|
Ann
Davis
|
800.493.8219
|
617.757.5891
|
InvestorRelations@santanderconsumerusa.com
|
ann.davis@santander.us
|
|
|
|
Laurie
Kight
|
|
214.801.6455
|
|
Media@santanderconsumerusa.com
|
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SOURCE Santander Consumer USA
Holdings Inc.