What is Unsecured Debt vs. Secured Debt?

One of our first conversations with a new client is to determine if their debt is secured or unsecured.  Many people don’t understand the difference which is completely understandable as it is a confusing topic.  Some items can be unsecured or secured depending how they were set up with a Credit Card company or financial institution. Here are the definitions:

Unsecured Debt

Unsecured debt refers to a debt that does not have any collateral or lien against an asset. For example, Credit Cards, Overdrafts, Personal Loans, Lines of Credits, Payday Loans, Department Store Cards, Student Loans and Government Debt are all types of Unsecured Debt.

Secured Debt

Secured debt refers to a debt that has collateral against it such as a vehicle or property. If the borrower defaults, the Creditor can take possession of the asset that it was secured by. For example, a house is collateral against a Mortgage and a vehicle is collateral for your vehicle loan. Line of Credits can also be secured by using your property and Credit Cards can be secured by cash deposits.

At Consumer Credit Counselling we can help you eliminate your unsecured debt and create a plan.  We are here to help and ready to answer your questions and get you on the road to become debt free.

Contact us at:

  • 1-800-565-4595
  • info@debtfreecanada.ca
  • Live Chat (link in page header)
  • Free Consultation form (bottom of page)