Ccc Information Services Inc.

David C Wong

Jeff P Chen

A communications network for processing insurance claims of objects. The communications network including claim terminals and repair terminals, each having a processor, a display monitor, and a mass storage device, for inputting and sending object-identification data, parts graphics images, and images from the claims terminals to the repair terminals through a communications channel. The repair terminals compute repair and replacement estimates and send the estimates to the claim terminal. The object-identification data include information stored in digital form for a multiplicity of objects. The sum of the costs for repairing an object or a part of an object versus the cost for replacing the object or the part of a object is compared. An imaging device may be used for capturing an electronic image in digital form of the damaged object. The display monitor displays the electronic image along with lists of parts of the damaged object, a parts description, or with a selected first part and a parts graphics image. A method for processing insurance claims of objects is also provided.

Insurance claims estimate, text, and graphics network and method

A computer system including a processor, a display monitor and a mass storage device serving as a main memory for storing digital data. The digital data include information stored in digital form for a multiplicity of vehicles. A data base is provided of a plurality of groups of parts, a plurality of associated parts graphics, and a plurality of costs for repairing the parts and for replacing groups of parts. The method and apparatus include inputting vehicle-identification data of a damaged vehicle to the processor. The display monitor displays a list of groups of parts for the damaged vehicle. In response to selecting a particular group of parts, a parts description from the data base of the first group of parts is then displayed. A parts graphic may be displayed from the list of groups of parts, along with costs data including parts costs, repair time and painting time. The method and apparatus compare the sum of the costs for repairing a part of a vehicle versus the cost for replacing a part of a vehicle. Additionally, overlapping costs between two or more panels are determined, and subtracted from the total cost to repair. An electronic camera may be used for taking an electronic photograph in digital form of the damaged vehicle. The electronic photograph is transferred from the camera through a data port to the memory of the processor.

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Duarte, CA, United States of America

David C Wong