CCC Thought Leadership Publication “Crash Course 2008 – Fall Update”
Captures Forces Driving Volatile Marketplace

 

Chicago – Oct. 14, 2008 – CCC Information Services Inc. Lead Analyst Susanna Gotsch connects key elements of the auto-physical damage industry to longer-term trends with the publication, Crash Course 2008 – Fall Update.  As rising inflation and slowing economic growth has led consumers and businesses to spend less, the automotive market has seen its nearly ten-year long run of 16 million plus new vehicle sales come to an end.  Automakers are scrambling to adjust production and vehicle introduction schedules to meet new demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to Gotsch’s research, insurers and repairers will eventually see the downstream impact of changing consumer preference through several factors, including:

  • A growing number of total loss vehicles, as consumers hold onto vehicles longer and repair costs continue to rise;
  • The potential for heavier losses with the resurgence in growth of small vehicles; and,
  • A continued decline in overall accident frequency as changes in variables such as driver age and behavior, vehicle safety, vehicle population and other factors drive this trend. 


“Overall economic activity in the second half of 2008 has been incredibly active, to say the least,” said Debbie Day, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. “Susanna’s research does an excellent job of taking a recent overall macroeconomic view and demonstrating how it’s inextricably linked to our industry.”


To receive a PDF copy of the document, go to www.cccis.com, and click on Insights > Crash Course. The original CCC Crash Course document, released in February, is still available online as well.

About CCC
CCC Information Services Inc. provides leading automotive claims and repair solutions that drive efficiencies and enable its clients to make smarter decisions in every step of the process. CCC delivers integrated products and deep industry insight to clients through its network of insurers, repair facilities and information providers. CCC’s network includes 350 insurance carriers, in excess of 22,000 repair facilities and information from more than 30 data providers that has resulted in the industry’s most comprehensive data warehouse of claims file information. For more information about CCC Information Services Inc., visit our Web site at www.cccis.com or contact John Harris of CCC at 312-229-2693.