Report Explores Critical Trends That Will Shape the Auto Claims and Collision Repair Industry

CCC Intelligent Solutions’ Crash Course Q3 2024 Report identifies key trends that will shape the auto claims and collision repair industry in 2025, examining challenges such as inflation, labor shortages, the growing impact of EVs, and rising repair costs. It also offers insights to help insurers and repairers navigate the complexities of the coming year.

 

“2025 will present unique challenges and opportunities for the auto claims and repair industries,” said Kyle Krumlauf, director of industry analytics at CCC and co-author of Crash Course. “From rising repair costs and labor shortages to the growing complexity of vehicles and supply chain disruptions, staying ahead of these trends is critical to the industry’s viability. Our Q3 report provides key insights and strategies the industry can use to overcome these challenges and succeed in an increasingly competitive market."

 

Crash Course is based on data from 300 million claims-related transactions and millions of bodily injury and personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments (MedPay) casualty claims processed by CCC customers.

 

Key Findings of Crash Course Q3 2024:

 

Rising Repair Costs and Vehicle Complexity: The total cost of repair (TCOR) increased by 3.7% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, driven primarily by labor and parts costs. Labor rates rose by 4.9% year-over-year, placing additional financial strain on repair shops and insurers. The growing complexity of vehicles, particularly with the increased adoption of EVs, is resulting in more parts and labor hours per repair.

 

Electric Vehicles (EVs): EVs now represent 2.4% of all repairable claims in the first half of 2024, up from 1.6% in the same period in 2023. However, EV repairs remain more expensive than non-EVs, with the average repair cost for an EV 46.9% higher than that of a non-EV. Labor accounts for 43.3% of total EV repair costs in vehicles three years or newer, compared to 36.5% for non-EVs.

 

Inflation and Casualty Costs: Persistent inflation is continuing to drive up industry costs, particularly in casualty claims. Third-party medical bill line severity has risen by 5.4% and first-party medical bill line severity has increased 6.1% since the first half of 2023. Uninsured and underinsured motorist injury claim submissions have also increased significantly along with insurance premiums for consumers.

 

Total Loss Frequency: CCC data reveals a 1.8% year-over-year increase in vehicles flagged by carriers as total losses in 2024, primarily due to the continued erosion of used vehicle values and a maturing vehicle pool. Seventy-three percent of valuations are for vehicles seven years or older, reflecting the aging nature of the U.S. car fleet.

 

Previously published annually, Crash Course is being released quarterly in 2024 to provide more frequent updates on key trends and insights. The Q3 2024 report is the 31st edition of Crash Course and part of CCC’s ongoing commitment to advancing industry knowledge and helping its customers turn data into confident action and crucial moments into intelligent experiences.

 

Download the full report at cccis.com/reports/crash-course-2024.