In a review of repairable vehicles processed through AutoClaims Direct during 2008, damage inspection locations occurred 56% of the time at the vehicle owner’s residence. Nearly 20% of the time the damage inspection took place at a repair shop.
Data source: © 2008, AutoClaims Direct, DirectLink
AutoClaims Direct the leading provider of claims services to the auto insurance claims industry today announced the release of the corporation’s “Live Feed” solution. This web 2.0 technology, which is commonly found in the most advanced social networking websites allows clients to see all claim activity in real time as a running feed.
“Our testing over the past month received excellent reviews from all clients. Adjusters were able to manage their files much more efficiently. With the ability to quickly identify and prioritize their workflow, each adjuster experienced a higher and faster closing ratio.” Stated AutoClaims Direct CTO, Adam Nazar.
With the economic crisis hitting all facets of business, insurance claims departments are forced to do more with fewer resources. AutoClaims Direct fills the gap by providing a full auto damage appraisal field staff along with an advanced claims solution that gives desk adjusters the power to do much more without increased costs.
Efficiency and Measurable Results will become the key factors for claims offices looking to be successful during this time. “What sets our firm apart from anyone else in the industry is that we continually seek to provide solutions that maximize adjuster efficiency at no additional costs to the client”, added Nazar.
AutoClaims Direct is currently putting the finishing touches on a complete claims translation service which will provide language translations for adjusters handling auto claims first throughout California and eventually nationwide. The company plans to release this new program in late January.
AutoClaims Direct is a business service and auto appraisal firm that provides the insurance industry with a complete claims management service and auto appraisal company. AutoClaims Direct’s clients are insurance companies, fleet management companies and third party administrators. AutoClaims Direct’s revolutionary “DirectLink” application streamlines the claims handling process, rapidly reducing cycle times and average loss paid. The corporation handles auto appraisals, desk audits and lease returns.
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For more info contact 888.403.4223 x 706 or visit www.autoclaimsdirect.com
While gas prices have seen a dramatic drop and retail stores are lowering prices, there is one place consumers and insurance carriers won’t see a bargain and that is in Auto Body repair costs. The Consumer price index which we chart quarterly from the government shows the increase as well. In California we pulled some data and here’s what we found.
The most expensive counties to have auto body repair done is Solano, Sonoma and San Francisco. Body rates are anywhere from $85.00 an hour to $110.
The counties with the lowest repair costs are Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside. The average body labor rates range between $38 to $45 an hour.
The disparity between Northern and Southern California rates has existed for some time and they can also vary greatly from dealership shops vs. small independents.
Data source: © 2008, AutoClaims Direct, DirectLink
Providing top notch customer service during the months of November and December is crucial to any auto insurance claims office. Vehicle owners are often busy but still want to have their claim resolved in a timely manner. AutoClaims Direct tracks any auto damage appraisal that exceeds 72 hours and provides a full accounting of why the file exceeded such time. During November and the current month of December just over 50% of all files that exceed 72 hours are due to a weekend or holiday. Additionally over 18% is due to a difficulty making contact with an owner. This chart shows that over 88% of the top 4 delays are out the insurers/appraisers control.
Data source: © 2008, AutoClaims Direct, DirectLink