What’s New: In brief (May 25, 2006)

Crawford Adjusters Canada plans to conduct a pilot project utilizing SMART Insurance Technology, a portal managed by CGI Insurance Business Services. Crawford’s proprietary CMS Claims Management System will interface with the SMART portal to automate and streamline the communication process between claims adjusters and other participants on a claim. Crawford will be evaluating the portal’s ability to drive quality customer service and efficiency throughout the pilot project. “This pilot project will give us hands-on experience with an innovative tool that has lots of potential to streamline the claims handling process,” John Sharoun, Crawford Adjusters Canada’s chief executive officer, says. Stephen Anderson, senior vice president of Corporate Markets at Crawford and a member of the team launching the pilot commented “We will be evaluating the portal’s ability to shorten the repair cycle of automobile physical damage claims and reduce our telephone adjusters’ reliance on telephone calls and voicemail to adjudicate claims.”

Correction:
An aritcle originally posted on May 12, 2006 stated that the ICBC changed its policy for private passenger vehicle use on school trips. In fact, this change was made by the Greater Victoria School District 61. The change therefore only affects schools within that district. Please note that ICBC’s involvement is limited to providing drivers with a copy of their driver abstract. These are available free of charge to all motorists at all ICBC Driver Service Centres. The original article should have read, according to the ICBC, as follows:
“Greater Victoria School District 61 policy okay’s private vehicles for school trips. School board volunteer driver procedures in Victoria have been revamped to comply with changes made this April by Greater Victoria School District (School District 61). Under the District’s changed policy it is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure that there is an adequate screening and authorization process for the use of volunteer drivers and their vehicles for curricular or extra-curricular activities. Volunteer drivers for the school board may have to pass a criminal record check and may be required to provide the school with a copy of their driving record/abstract. However Greater Victoria school trustee John Young recently raised concerns at a board meeting suggesting the use of private vehicles for student field trips should be discontinued. Young says the policy on school board field trip transportation is dangerous. He says student safety is not guaranteed under the District’s new policy. His reasoning is that the board cannot check the safety of the vehicle nor the quality of the motorist’s abilities. Currently there is no standard inspection of private vehicles transporting students to ensure they are safe. The school board voted against Young’s motion.”