ISO Expands A-Plus Auto Database to Cross-Check Vehicles Stolen and Shipped from Mexico to U.S.

January 1, 2011 / 2 min read

JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 15, 2005 — An ISO loss-history database may now be used to track down cars stolen in Mexico and shipped to the U.S. ISO's Automobile-Property Loss Underwriting Service (A-PLUSTM) database has been enhanced to cross-check for automobiles reported stolen in Mexico and transported to the U.S.

The Mexico Theft Alert service is available through an agreement between ISO and the Coordinating Office of Insured Risks and the Mexican Association of Insurance Companies (OCRA-AMIS). Starting today, all auto insurers that contribute automobile loss-history claims information to the ISO database will be able to participate in the new A-PLUS service.

Companies ordering A-PLUS auto reports will automatically have new searches performed against a database maintained and housed at ISO. The database containing the vehicle identification numbers of all vehicles reported stolen in Mexico will cross-check for any matches of cars brought into the U.S.

If the database returns a match, the information on the report will be enhanced to include make, model and model year information about the stolen car. A-PLUS will inform the U.S. insurer that the vehicle being underwritten has been reported stolen and provide the carrier information to notify OCRA, which is responsible for vehicle recoveries.

"A-PLUS is committed to helping law enforcement authorities clamp down on cross-border vehicle thefts and assisting insurers address the issue of fraud at the time of underwriting versus the time when a claim is filed," said Steve Craig, A-PLUS general manager. "The A-PLUS auto database has more than 90 percent market share of vehicle claims as measured by direct written premium countrywide. The database uses sophisticated algorithms and newly implemented recursive search techniques, which are augmented by new recursive match reason codes, to identify loss-history information and cross-check for stolen vehicles. The Mexico Theft Alert service will now help insurers fight back more vigorously with this new information," Craig added.

For more information on the new and enhanced A-PLUS services, please contact Steve Craig at 201-469-3174, or send an e-mail to scraig@iso.com.

About ISO
ISO is a leading provider of products and services that help measure, manage and reduce risk. ISO provides data, analytics and decision-support solutions to professionals in many fields, including insurance, finance, real estate, health services, government and human resources. Professionals use ISO's databases and services to classify and evaluate a variety of risks and detect potential fraud. In the U.S. and around the world, ISO's services help customers protect people, property and financial assets.

Release: Immediate

Contacts:
Giuseppe Barone / Erica Helton
MWW Group (for ISO)
201-507-9500
gbarone@mww.com / ehelton@mww.com