Charter - Vehicle Damage & Imaging (VDI) Committee

Owned by Paulette Reed, created
Last updated: Jul 08, 2021
4 min read

Background

The purpose of this committee is to define business information passing between parties as it relates to the collision repair and related industries.  We are asking for responses and feedback from the industry at-large relative to the work the committee has done to date, and to emphasize the importance of continued work in this area. 

The first objective will be to develop a single focus of the committee’s scope, objectives and goals.  It is evident that a framework has already begun that can drive future progress, and success will be dependent upon an expanded active participation. 

The Vehicle Damage & Imaging Committee (VDI) was created as a merger of two former CIECA committees: Estimate Management Standard (EMS) and Repair Facility. These committees were responsible for developing the predominant standards that are in use at the time of this committee’s inception: EMS 2.6 and the various vehicle damage EDI Implementation Guides. 

The existing industry standards for Vehicle Damage Appraisal Assignment and Estimate are in EDI and dBase format.  The next generation standard will allow all participants in the industry the capability to send and receive data in XML format. The Vehicle Damage & Imaging committee is chartered with developing and maintaining the next generation XML standards that will be used by the collision industry in the appraisal of and/or restoration of a vehicle that has incurred a loss.  All standards will be based on the BMS (Business Message Specification) developed by CIECA. 

This document will use the term appraisal to represent both to an estimate and an evaluation.  The same process will be used for PDR (Paintless Dent Repair) communication. 

In 2010, a new project request began development within VDI. The project title is New Claim Service and the scope is to develop the capability to relate claims handling by multiple industry segments.  The focus is to create the ability to support a superordinate or parent level message and/or message components

Mission

CIECA’s Vehicle Damage & Imaging Committee’s goal is to develop and maintain messaging standards and codes aimed at the appraisal and/or restoration of a vehicle that has incurred a loss.  This includes but is not limited to work requests, appraisals, images, and repair invoices.  

All business needs will be identified to enable the vehicle damage assignment and estimate process to move electronically between parties.  Having standards allows the resolution of issues during the vehicle repair process, allows for accurate and timely transfer of funds, and reduces the need for multiple personal contacts.  

Consumers demand a more timely and efficient process, and setting standards is the first step toward this goal.

Scope & Objectives

The Vehicle Damage & Imaging Committee will focus on the potential and process of:

  • Determine the benefits to all industry segments

  • Provide industry definitions (including questions and answers) and process flows

  • Develop a standard format for data communications

  • Establishing relationships to existing data elements

  • Developing a business workflow and providing industry definitions for all entities involved in this process

  • Developing new message types, code lists and/or fields (as needed) to facilitate vehicle damage repair and valuation messages.

  • Integrating messages to include all aspects of the vehicle repair and valuation process to facilitate the vehicle’s repair or identification of a salvage vehicle.

  • Establishing Vehicle Damage & Imaging Implementation Guide(s)

  • Updating the BMS to support data elements and relationships from existing standards (e.g. EDI 124,272, 841, and 997, EMS 2.6)

Operating Guidelines

  • To incorporate all potential business entities in the business processes

  • To work with the group to respond to group goals and timelines

  • To provide an open working relationship with the Committee within the antitrust guidelines

  • To recognize existing standards and use those base standards to build the new standards and extend existing ones, using existing codes as well

Industry Segments Affected

  • VDI Provider: A Company whose main businesses concern is providing vehicle damage repairs to the collision repair industry. The provider can perform vehicle damage repairs solely or can coordinate repair operations on a vehicle in conjunction with conventional repairs.

  • Damage Appraisers: Any entity whose role is to estimate or appraise vehicle damage and/or record and process appraisal information.

  • Repair Facility: Any company whose business concern is to repair damaged vehicles.

  • Insurance Company:  Property and Casualty insurers in one or multiple lines of business who acts on behalf of their policy holder and impacted parties for the repair of vehicles.

  • Information Technology Providers: Any entity that develops and/or maintains applications and/or services related to damage appraisals, appraisal data communications and/or appraisal data consolidation. 

  • Data Recipients: Any company that utilizes vehicle damage appraisals, vehicle damage data communications and/or vehicle damage data. 

  • Glass Installers: Those companies whose main business is to install auto glass.

  • Glass Suppliers: Those companies whose main business is to supply auto glass to the Glass Installers.

  • Paint Vendors: Any company who provides paint to facilities to paint vehicles

  • Sublet Repair Vendors: Any company who does vehicle repair work on behalf of a repair facility

Reference materials



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