Insurance Auto Auctions Announces Fourth Quarter Results

Business Wire, March 14, 2005

WESTCHESTER, Ill. -- Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (Nasdaq:IAAI), a leading provider of automotive salvage and claims processing services in the United States, today reported higher net earnings for the quarter ended December 26, 2004. The Company recorded net earnings of $4.0 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, versus a net loss of $0.3 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the same quarter a year ago. Revenues for the quarter were $62.2 million compared with $51.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2003. Fee income in the fourth quarter increased to $53.7 million versus $43.5 million in the fourth quarter of last year.

"In the fourth quarter we were once again able to grow sales and earnings as our products and service offerings continued to be well received in the marketplace," said Tom O'Brien, CEO. "Our customers have been pleased with the improvements we have made to the business over the past several quarters and we have been rewarded with another quarter of double-digit volume growth over the prior year, both on a same-store as well as on an overall basis. This volume growth was the result of market share gains made earlier in the year combined with our ability to generate higher net returns for our suppliers."

Full-Year 2004 Results

The Company reported full-year 2004 net earnings of $12.3 million, or $1.04 per diluted share, versus net earnings of $2.3 million, or $0.20 cents per diluted share, for 2003. Revenues for the year were $240.2 million, a 15 percent increase over revenues of $209.7 million in 2003. Fee income during the year increased to $208.7 million versus $169.7 million in 2003.

"We are pleased with our 2004 results, not only from a financial perspective, but also because of the customer relationships we were able to solidify throughout the year," said O'Brien. "The initiatives we had implemented in prior years had a direct impact on our success in generating higher volumes, increasing our market share and driving higher net returns, each of which translated into better results for IAA. We also kept our eye on growing strategically, adding four new locations during the year that all fit our acquisition and greenfield investment criteria. Furthermore, a portion of our success is attributable to a strong commitment to our comprehensive bidding philosophy in which we supplement live auctions throughout our nationwide network of branches with proxy as well as real-time, Internet bidding capabilities, which our customers continue to strongly support."

Merger Announcement

The Company previously announced that it signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by affiliates of Kelso & Company, a New York based private equity investment firm. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain terms and conditions customary for transactions of this type, including stockholder approval and the completion of financing. Stockholder approval will be solicited by IAA by means of a proxy statement, which will be mailed to IAA stockholders upon the completion of the required Securities and Exchange Commission filing and review process. Additional information regarding the announcement was released in a Form 8-K filed in conjunction with that announcement.

About Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., founded in 1982, a leader in automotive total loss and specialty salvage services in the United States, provides insurance companies with cost-effective, turnkey solutions to process and sell total-loss and recovered-theft vehicles. The Company currently has 78 sites across the United States.

Safe Harbor Statement

This Report contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, expressed, or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements by use of words such as "may, will, should, anticipates, believes, expects, plans, future, intends, could, estimate, predict, projects, targeting, potential or contingent," the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed or implied herein. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2004 and subsequent quarterly reports. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publish, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason.

Additional information about Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. is available on the World Wide Web at www.iaai.com