Secured v. Unsecured Debt
Debt is typically separated into one of two categories — secured or unsecured. The main difference is that a secured loan contains collateral as a form of security for the creditor. If you do not pay off your debt, the creditor can take the collateral. If you want to keep the collateral, you have to maintain some form of payment. Secured debt is typically not discharged through bankruptcy proceedings unless you elect to surrender the collateral.
Automobile and home loans are almost always secured loans.