Auto insurance companies are more frequently using software to determine your car's actual cash value.  According to one manufacturer of this new software, approximately 80 percent of all auto insurers use its "total-loss" valuation program to calculate a vehicle's total-loss value. (Others use software from other manufacturers.)   There are several very significant problems with your automobile insurer using this software.

First, some "total-loss" software determines a "target value" that's based on a 90-day history of total-loss valuations done in your area.  Representatives of the software manufacturer may then contact local dealerships to find vehicles similar to yours that match the "target value."  The effect is that the value of your car may be pre-determined by the computer software.  

Secondly, the "total-loss" software picks from only a select percentage of all possible cars — that is, the lowest-priced cars — allowing insurers to ultimately reduce their payment to you.

Some "total-loss" software manufacturers promise huge savings to auto insurers if they will agree to buy their software.  The incentive of the software manufacturer then is to keep vehicle prices low.

Parry Deering Futscher & Sparks represents the plaintiff in several lawsuits which challenge the use and  design of "total-loss" software.

The following is a listing of the cases in which Parry Deering Futscher & Sparks is currently involved representing the plaintiff or the class. 

·         Sintes v. USAA Casualty Insurance Company and CCC Information Services, Inc.
State of Florida, Hillsborough County, 13^th Judicial Circuit, Case No. 00006308