
Safelite Solutions Becomes NICB "Strategic
Partner"
December 13, 2011
Safelites third-party glass claims administration division,
Safelite Solutions, has become what the National Insurance Crime
Bureau (NICB) is calling its first Strategic Partner,
according to a joint
release issued by both NICB and Safelite. The partnership also
includes Alliance Claims Solutions of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which
the company acquired
in 2009. According to the release, the partnership will allow
Safelite to more seamlessly share information with NICB, as
permitted by its insurance clients, to track suspicious claims.
In a video
produced by NICB and Safelite to share information about the partnership,
Safelite Solutions senior vice president Pete Pearson says in the
past the company has provided information about potentially fraudulent
claims to insurers, who could then report these to NICB. With the
partnership, this will change, Pearson says.
Now when we see trends or anything that looks a little bit
suspicious, we can provide that data directly to [NICB] and [NICB]
can conduct an investigation and shine a spotlight on these things
that might be questionable, says Pearson.
In the video, Pearson refers to windshield bulliesa
term made popular by a public
service announcement the two groups produced together last December.
Over the past several months, we have had the opportunity
to work with Safelite on issues related to fraudulent auto glass
claims on behalf of our member companies, and we have great respect
for their dedication to fighting fraud in the glass repair and replacement
industry, says NICB president and CEO Joe Wehrle in the release.
We are particularly excited about working with Safelite
Solutions to include the claims data in our analysis and investigations,
and we believe this will be extremely valuable in helping reduce
fraud and minimizing its impact on the overall cost of glass claims.
While the release announcing the partnership notes the rising number
of questionable auto glass claims from 228 in 2008 to
2,142 in 2010, the latest third-quarter
2011 report from NICB actually shows a 68-percent drop from
last year in this area.
NICB, an insurer group, defines questionable claims
as "claims that NICB member insurance companies refer to NICB
for closer review and investigation based upon one or more indicators
of possible fraud."
Terms of the partnership have not been disclosed. Stay tuned to
www.glassBYTEs.com for more information as it becomes available.
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