New technology from Nationwide has allowed car owners to track their auto claims while the vehicle is being repaired, and the company believes the service may lessen the number of times the customer needs to visit the shop. According to the insurer, more than 22,000 automobile owners are monitoring their damaged vehicle repairs online through Nationwide AutoWatch, an Internet-based software tool offered by the carrier.

"Vehicle owners feel very strongly about their cars, and they want to know what's happening while their cars are in the shop," says Terry Fortner, Nationwide associate vice president of claims. "This Web-based service allows policyholders to log on at their leisure and monitor their vehicle at different points during the repair process."

A recent survey conducted for Nationwide by Taylor Nelson Sofres, a market research and information group, found more than 50 percent of respondents would be likely to visit a Web site to check on their vehicles' repair progress. Additionally, 72 percent of respondents said if visual updates of the repairs were available online, the shop would be more accountable.