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The CCC DRIVE solution announcement is a BIG deal, much more significant than some might imagine—and not just marketing hype. It actually marks the formal introduction of Telematics into the North American auto claims process—which European insurers have been doing effectively for many years. It will no doubt accelerate the emergence of competitive platforms as well as CCC partner integrations across the sprawling and mostly fragmented auto physical damage and claims service ecosystem.

CCC DRIVE represents the culmination of several years of strategic CCC acquisitions and development including; injury causation technology provider Injury Sciences in 2013, medical casualty and auto claims management provider Auto Injury Solutions (a former division of Concentra/Humana) in 2014 and, most recently, insurance-centric telematics startup DriveFactor in 2015.

Coupled with its own internal development of sophisticated BI and advanced analytics applications purpose-built with and for auto insurers, CCC DRIVE has the potential to transform the still mostly inefficient auto claims process. This also marks the first real opportunity for U.S. auto insurers to leverage telematics and these related technologies on a single platform to finally begin to control and reduce auto claims loss costs, which have been rising at an alarming rate. Insurers thus have an opportunity improve their operating results in a constantly changing and increasingly an ultra-competitive market.

First-Mover Advantage

Private-equity backed CCC is uniquely positioned to succeed and take a first mover advantage with this new platform. The company has the advantages of dominant market share, long standing relationships, and a reputation for innovation. A majority of U.S. auto insurers and collision repairers use CCC’s auto physical damage, collision repair and claims management products and solutions.

I fully expect to see OEMs—and others with large vested interests in the potentially lucrative and strategic future of connected automobiles, mobility, communications, telematics, accident avoidance, crash and injury data, vehicle repair, car rental and auto claims services of all other types—continue to stake their claim in this modern “gold rush” where accident data is the gold.

“Digital Gold Rush” Drives Claims Tech Disruption, Accelerated Vendor M&A