It takes only an instant to create a claim. With a bellowedoath, squealing brakes, rending metal, and breaking glass, the deedis done.

Unfortunately, processing the resulting claims is often notquite so simple and, next to settlement amounts, it isclaim-processing speed that is most closely related to customersatisfaction. Despite insurers' past resistance, therefore, manyare turning to technology. In doing so, they are discovering that asignificant return on investment can be realized when claimadjusters are equipped with the right tools.

In a study conducted in October 2004, Gartner Distributionreported that only about 11 percent of property and casualtycompanies provided wireless technologies to their claim adjusters.Today, however, insurers are finding new ways of using wirelesstechnologies to cut costs and improve claim cycle times. Withbandwidth and security issues having been overcome in the last fewyears, implementations of wireless technologies in the insuranceindustry are on the rise.