Cotelligent Invests in Bluebook Claims Hub

Cotelligent, a Web services and mobile business solutions provider, has entered into a strategic alliance with Bluebook International to develop B.E.S.T.NET, a Microsoft .NET-based Web services claims solution for insurance carriers. The claims solution will include a claims management hub and portal to connect adjusters, vendors, agents and policyholders. Cotelligent has made a $5.1 million equity investment in Bluebook and will provide development and implementation expertise.

Bluebook, a Lake Forest, CA-based property and casualty insurance estimation solutions provider, originally sought out Cotelligent as a development partner to build the B.E.S.T.NET solution, based on its B.E.S.T. (Bluebook Estimating Software Technology) software package and its claims processing, auditing, process consulting and training expertise. Characterizing B.E.S.T.NET as a "revolutionary portal for the insurance industry," James Lavelle, chairman and CEO of Irvine, CA-based Cotelligent, says "as we got better acquainted and learned about the magnitude of the Bluebook opportunity we felt compelled to get involved to whatever extent we could."

In addition to the equity stake in Bluebook resulting from its investment, Cotelligent will enjoy preferred status as a vendor, according to Mark Josipovich, Bluebook's president and CEO. "We're looking to Cotelligent to provide expertise on the infrastructure side, specific to development and implementation," he says. "There aren't many companies that have the level of expertise in .NET that Cotelligent has." Cotelligent will place close to 200 employees at Bluebook's disposal for integration/implementation duties, according to Josipovich.

B.E.S.T.NET and its portal component, B.E.S.T.Central, are scheduled for release in October for use in personal lines property and casualty, workers' compensation, liability and commercial property, reports Josipovich. "Automotive is at least six months to a year out," he adds.

Cotelligent's Lavelle founds his optimism about the alliance partly on a synergy between the two partners. "There are things that Bluebook does extremely well-especially with regard to its remarkable reputation in the insurance industry-and there are things that Cotelligent does well, in terms of infrastructure," he says. Add to that, he continues, "the fact that Bluebook technology partners Microsoft, Cisco and HP/Compaq have taken a very high level of interest in the Bluebook's success over the last six months, working toward completing B.E.S.T.NET in Microsoft's .NET language, and you've got yourself a pretty rosy picture for the future."

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio