SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 4, 2013) - Mitchell, a leading provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries, today announced a multi-year partnership with Auto-Owners Insurance, a multi-line property and casualty and life insurer serving customers in 26 states nationwide. The insurer will now leverage Mitchell's WorkCenter™ Total Loss, the industry's highly trusted and verifiable total loss vehicle valuation solution developed in conjunction with customer satisfaction and vehicle pricing expert J.D. Power and Associates.
Mitchell's Total Loss technology is a flexible, data-driven solution that allows insurers to close claims quickly and effectively, eliminating the pain points that cause the most customer frustration during the total loss claim process. According to a 2011 J.D. Power and Associates study, total vehicle loss claimants average 811 on a 1,000-point satisfaction scale, 42 points lower than those consumers whose vehicle is repaired, underscoring the severity of these respective consumer frustrations.
"We strive to continuously improve in the service we provide, and we feel that WorkCenter Total Loss will enable Auto-Owners to enhance the customer experience while assisting our claim representatives in settling claims promptly and fairly," said Jake Block, Assistant Vice President of Claims at Auto-Owners Insurance Company.
After testing the solution in three states, Auto-Owners realized that WorkCenter produced accurate valuations, and increased first-call settlement rates and overall consumer satisfaction with the total loss claims process. Mitchell's solution also ensured that the company was able to easily comply with all Department of Insurance regulations, a key performance standard for claims solutions.
"Mitchell and Auto-Owners share a culture of putting the customer first and this belief serves as a foundation for how we work with our partners and customers, and in how we deliver our products," said Scott Kozak, Senior Vice President of Sales and Service, Auto Physical Damage at Mitchell. "Auto-Owners has been rated 'Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Claims Experience' five years in a row by J.D. Power and Associates, and this announcement is a testament to both companies' commitment to the consumer."
Mitchell WorkCenter is an open, modular and end-to-end physical damage claims settlement solution that powers all of an insurer's physical damage claims processing needs including dispatch, appraisal, total loss, repair management, review and customer satisfaction reporting. To learn more, please go to Mitchell.com/WorkCenter.
About Mitchell
Mitchell empowers clients to achieve measurably better outcomes. Providing unparalleled breadth of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries, Mitchell is uniquely able to simplify and accelerate the claims management and collision repair processes.
As a leading provider of Property & Casualty claims technology solutions, Mitchell processes over 50 million transactions annually for over 300 insurance companies/claims payers and over 30,000 collision repair facilities throughout North America. Founded in 1946, Mitchell is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has 1,700 employees. The company is privately owned primarily by the Aurora Capital Group, a Los Angeles-based investment group. For more information about Mitchell, visit www.mitchell.com.
About Auto-Owners Insurance
Auto-Owners Insurance Group is comprised of five property and casualty companies and one life/health/annuity insurer and is recognized for exceptional financial strength and stability among the nation's largest insurers. Auto-Owners has underwriting, marketing and claims offices in Michigan, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin, with more than 80 claims branches.
The Companies are represented by more than 6,300 independent agencies, selling personal and commercial property/casualty and life, health and annuity insurance in 26 states.