In a recent release from J.D. Power and Associates, a survey of over 3700 auto insurance customers who filed an auto claim in the past six months show downward trends when it comes to satisfaction of the process. Repair times for vehicles were up nearly a full day. Appraisal satisfaction dropped 16 points.  This is yet another confirmation that customer service is key and getting files done fast and professionally is essential.  Click here for the release.

This coming Monday April 16th, a California state Senate committee will review SB1460 which basically would legally place certified aftermarket parts equal to OEM. Click here for the bill information.

In this article about the recent Texas tornado losses, claims counts in auto are heavy. Data provided shows a large amount of hail losses as many vehicles are undriveable. ACD’s field teams in Texas have responded rapidly to assist in the processing of our clients claims. Click here for the full story we found.

In this article we found, the Used Car market is hot in Texas. As U.S. Auto sales nationwide are on the rise, CarMax data shows 4th quarter profits up 7%. Also with gas prices rising, Hybrid prices are going up as consumers seek out fuel efficiency.

In this article we found, new car prices are on the rise. Consumers are buying more upgrades and packages.  Dealer discounts incentives are down yet sales are up. According data on U.S. auto sales are up 1.3 million in sales in March 2012 compared to a year ago. Click here for the full story.

AutoClaims Direct has recently added two additional members to the corporate headquarters in Carlsbad,CA.  Annalissa Reis comes to ACD with a background in Recovery Services and Ed Lim brings over 11 years of experience from Progressive Insurance in multiple capacities from auto damage appraising, team leader, litigation and subrogation.

Yes, that’s how many miles a 93 year old lady put on her 1964 Mercury Comet. In this interesting story, it’s amazing how long this vehicle lasted. The key was being meticulous about maintenance. Click here for the story.

In Idaho, you don’t have to carry around a piece of paper in your car anymore proving you have auto insurance. If you need to show an officer or provide proof of insurance, a PDF on your cell phone or a phone app will suffice. Idaho takes a leap forward in a simple innovative solution. Click here for the article we found.

In this article, the future of driverless cars may be here sooner than we think. While technology is amazing, is a self driving car really the future? Who will be at fault when two driverless cars are in an accident or one driver is hit by a autonomously driven vehicle? There is definitely a lot that needs to be fleshed out but the future of claims might look very different. Click here for the article we found.

The Bureau of Labor of Statistics CPI scores show auto body repair costs still rising while auto insurance rates decline a bit. Attached are the most recent graphs released today.