Why Crash Data Retrieval - Insurance Agencies

• Shorten claim cycle time 
• Increase customer service
• Quickly make accurate, defensible determinations where liability is questioned 
• Make rapid decisions on potentially fraudulent claims
• Detect the absence of "jump-in" passengers in a vehicle at the time of a crash 
• Determine if the driver and front seat passenger were belted
• Vehicle pre-impact speed 
• Driver braking or throttle before the crash 
• Crash severity 
• and many other valuable parameters

Recent Case:
"A vehicle owner presented a claim to recover damages his car sustained when it was " hit while parked and unattended" The Data retrieved with the CDR tool contradicts the owner's account of the loss. The EDR data indicates the vehicle was in motion when it was struck from behind and was accelerated forward. The data also suggests there were multiple occupants in the vehicle at the time of the loss.

This claim is potentially problematic as there are possibly occupants who could potentially file claims for injury. Not only does the CDR verify the loss did not occur as reported, it provides evidence there was another party in the vehicle. In this case the CDR tool has proven valuable in the detection of fraud and in allowing us to better asses our potential exposure. "

Recover crash data from more than
80 million cars, light trucks and SUVs including:

• Ford Vehicles
• General Motors (GM)
• and Chrysler
• View the complete vehicle coverage list

Available data collected is dependent on year, make and model of the involved vehicle(s). Currently, the Bosch Crash Data Retrieval System supports certain model year GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles.

Do you want to adopt a settlement posture without gathering ALL the potential evidence or knowing all the facts?

Insurance companies depend heavily on the field adjuster to investigate and assess damage to vehicles that are covered by an insurance policy. To properly investigate and assess a damaged vehicle, the field adjuster needs to collect ALL available evidence. Equipped with a Bosch CDR System Kit, the field adjuster has the piece of mind that crucial evidence was not left in the vehicle. This also provides a great service to the policyholder, who depends on a fair assessment of damages to recover from significant loss.

Don't let your field adjuster investigate another vehicle claim without equipping him/her with a crash data retrieval system kit.

Many claims adjusters and auto damage appraisers are equipped with laptop computers from which they can download the necessary forms and files from insurance company databases. They can use the same laptop to quickly download the crash data directly from the vehicle's DLC port. This new technologies allow for faster and more efficient processing of claims.

The Bosch CDR System images crash data directly from the involved passenger cars, light trucks, and SUVs to a laptop computer and compiles the information into a comprehensive Crash Data Retrieval system report. The CDR report can be a crucial tool used to more thoroughly allow for

• Better case evaluation
• Better settlement decisions
• Expediting the subrogation process

Is the crash data obtained admissible at trial?

Yes. In more than 25 criminal and civil cases around the US, Crash Data Retrieval system recovered data has been admitted as evidence along with expert opinion over objection and after extensive admissibility hearing and challenges.

Start learning and using this technology now. NHTSA 49 CFR Part 563 is coming.

In August 2006, NHTSA published a final rule specifying uniform requirements for the accuracy, collection, storage, survivability, and retrievability of onboard motor vehicle crash event data in passenger cars and other light vehicles voluntarily equipped with event data recorders (EDRs). The final rule was intended to standardize the data collected through EDRs so that it could be put to the most effective future use.

Compliance Dates: Except as provided below, light vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2012 that are equipped with an EDR and manufacturers of those vehicles must comply with this rule. However, vehicles that are manufactured in two or more stages or that are altered are not required to comply with the rule until September 1, 2013. Voluntary compliance is permitted before that date.

Summary: By September 1, 2012 all vehicles manufactured and sold in North America must be in compliance and the crash data be accessible with a commercially available tool.

>> Read the ruling update

Does crash data or "event data recorder data" violate the insured's "privacy rights?"

No.  The concept of "privacy" addresses an individual's control of information about themselves or activities conducted where there is an "expectation of privacy."  Simply put, in the context of "event data recorder (EDR) technology, there is no personal information recorded and driving down the road, where an eyewitness can otherwise observe the driving, clearly occurs in a place where there is "no expectation of privacy."  In fact, as part of NHTSA's "49CFR Part 563" there is the direction to put this information into the owner's manuals of cars with the capability of recording crash data:

"EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) are recorded.  However, other parties, such as law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation."

So what vehicles are currently covered?

To view a complete list of supported vehicles, please visit the "Vehicle Coverage" section.

For more information about the Crash Data Retrieval System, how to purchase, what you need and training opportunities, please call (800) 280-7940.