Travelers Acceptance and American General Financial Services Announce Strategic Alliance for Canadian Home Improvement Business

    VANCOUVER, April 7 /CNW/ - Travelers Acceptance Corporation today
announced the formation of a strategic alliance with American General
Financial Services (AGFS), one of the largest consumer finance organizations
in the United States. Under the agreement, Travelers Acceptance will provide
finance options for Canadian consumers who are customers of U.S.
manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for which American General
Financial Services provides consumer financing. The strategic alliance will
operate via the Travelers Home Improvement Finance Program.
    The alliance will broaden the scope of Travelers Acceptance
consumer-based retail solutions in the growing home improvements products and
services industries in Canada, as well as enable American General Financial
Services to provide more complete services to its vendor base in Canada, where
American General Financial Services does not provide retail financing.
    "We welcome the opportunity to work with American General Financial
Services to expand and deliver value and choice to Canadians with point of
sale financing in the burgeoning home improvements industry," said Karl
Sigerist, President and Chief Executive Officer for Travelers Acceptance
Corporation. "In Canada there is an unprecedented trend for Canadians to seek
to improve their lifestyles and property values with home enhancing products
and services."

    Travelers Acceptance Corporation has since 1974 been engaged by small and
medium size businesses to provide financial choice and the generation of value
through the application of experience, service and innovation to arrange,
structure and fund unique indirect consumer financing solutions that close
more sales, increase the businesses customer base and overall profitability.
Travelers Acceptance Corporation consults with its business clients to create
term financing solutions and services specifically tailored to providers and
consumers of products and services in tuition, automotive aftermarket,
vacation ownership, healthcare, membership, Consumer Durables, retail, power
products and home improvement businesses. For more information about Travelers
Consumer Finance, visit www.travelersacceptance.com

For further information: Jeff Holifield, American General Financial
Services, Inc., (812) 475-4414, jholifield@agfinance.com, www.agfinance.com;
Karl E. Sigerist, Travelers Acceptance Corporation, 800-667-6640,
ksigerist@travelersfinancial.com, www.travelersfinancial.com