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Letter to the Editor

Mitchell International Signs Major Contract With Members of the Great American Insurance Group

SAN DIEGO -- The Infinity Group Inc. and Leader Group Inc. have signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with Mitchell International for use of a broad range of technologies -- including Mitchell's partial loss, total loss and casualty claim solutions.

According to Infinity Group sources, Mitchell's ability to provide a comprehensive solution as well as the innovation reflected in iNTOTAL -- Mitchell's total loss settlement solution -- were the key factors in the decision to switch to Mitchell. Infinity Group and Leader Group are members of the Great American Insurance Group, one of the 30 largest property/casualty insurance groups in the United States.

"The total scope of Mitchell's solution, including their medical as well as their auto collision estimating solutions, made Mitchell very attractive to us," said William Dibble, vice president and secretary of Infinity Group.

Tony Aquila, Mitchell's executive vice president of sales, marketing and product management, said the contract reflects Mitchell's strategy to provide its customers enterprise-wide technology solutions.

"We recognize the value that enterprise-wide solutions would provide to our customers," he said, noting the industry currently lacks solutions that integrate across all insurance company operations.

Enterprise-wide solutions offer customers improved cycle times, enhanced customer satisfaction, lower costs and improved process and workflow efficiencies.

"The Infinity and Leader Groups' contract underscores the depth and breadth of our technology solutions and reflects that we are quickly moving toward delivering enterprise-wide solutions," Aquila said.

Under the three-year contract, about 300 total users at Infinity and Leader Groups will utilize Mitchell's UltraMate, the Windows-based collision estimating system, MAPP, an alternate parts software product, AIM Online, a real-time claims management product, iNTOTAL, a total loss settlement solution, and Mitchell Medical's Decision Point, a suite of bill review software.

Dibble said iNTOTAL played significantly in the insurers' decision to adopt Mitchell solutions. "We were very impressed with Mitchell's iNTOTAL because of the accuracy of its total loss valuations," he said.

iNTOTAL's team of market valuation researchers thoroughly verify the comparable vehicle data used in the market value calculation.

"This is extremely important in individualizing a total loss (settlement) figure for the customer," Dibble continued. He said this results in accurate, supportable settlement values, which leads to greater customer satisfaction.

In addition to the Infinity and Leader Groups, the contract also includes the renewal of Decision Point for three other Great American Insurance Group units -- Atlanta Casualty Group, Windsor Auto and Great American Insurance Company. These companies previously used Decision Point's PC-based solution and will now move to the new Internet-based version along with the Infinity and Leader Groups.

Mike Hallenberger, Mitchell's senior vice president of insurance sales, said Mitchell is delighted to work with the Great American Insurance Group companies and noted the contract reflects positively on Mitchell's solutions.

"Great American's renewal and expanded use of Decision Point is a compliment to the product's effectiveness and value," he said. "And to have the Infinity and Leader Groups select iNTOTAL, after using and evaluating other total loss products, underscores the unique value this innovative solution provides to Mitchell's customers."

Mitchell International, founded in 1946 and with headquarters in San Diego, facilitates several million electronic transactions between more than 16,000 business partners each month. Mitchell's own parts and labor database provides a critical connectivity point between shops and insurers.

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