As the trend of customizing electronics systems in automobilesexpands, so does the number of claims. According to CCC InformationServices Inc., in 2004, an estimated 400,000 claims involvingmobile electronics were filed. To help expedite these claims, CCCsigned an agreement with First Choice Solutions (FCS), a providerof mobile-electronics claims-handling technology and services tothe insurance industry. This is the second such vendor agreementfor CCC within the claims marketplace for mobile electronics. CCCsupplies information technology software and services to theauto-claims and collision-repair industries.

Under the agreement, CCC's customers will send claims for mobileelectronic systems to FCS via CCC Autoverse Claim Management--CCC'sWeb solution designed to dispatch, receive, review, and concludethe process of a claim. Users can access an electronic claimfolder, giving them a common area in which to enter, retrieve, andaugment pertinent information relating to the claim.

Following receipt of the claim, FCS contacts the insured toverify the correct make and model of the mobile electronicequipment through its proprietary WebCars estimating technology.WebCars tracks each electronic component model by its features andmatches it to a newer model of equal features to determine areplacement. FCS also has access to many mobile-electronicsmanufacturers. Once the replacement equipment is determined, FCSprovides installation options through a nationwide network of morethan 3,000 installation facilities.