2016 saw the rapid increase in the use of photo and virtual estimating for auto body repairs, as the process rose from less than one percent to nearly four percent of all appraisals over the course of one year. Staff and direct repair program shop appraisals both declined in 2016, with this decrease accounting for the spread of photo and virtual estimating. Industry experts view this trend as following new practices recently implemented by Allstate, which cut staff positions and began adopting this strategy.