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Intangible Assets
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]  
Intangible Assets Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are initially recorded at their acquisition cost, or fair value if acquired as part of a business combination, and amortized over their estimated useful lives. The gross amount of intangible assets during 2020 increased $162.8 million due primarily to our expenditures to develop internal use software and $41.4 million of assets acquired in business acquisitions.
Intangible assets consisted of the following:
 December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
(in millions)GrossAccumulated
Amortization
NetGrossAccumulated
Amortization
Net
Database and credit files$1,418.5 $(566.1)$852.4 $1,406.9 $(470.3)$936.6 
Internal use software1,387.3 (825.5)561.8 1,250.1 (705.5)544.6 
Customer relationships641.0 (217.7)423.3 630.9 (180.9)450.0 
Trademarks, copyrights and patents572.5 (131.4)441.1 573.0 (115.7)457.3 
Noncompete and other agreements17.5 (11.5)6.0 13.1 (9.7)3.4 
Total intangible assets$4,036.8 $(1,752.2)$2,284.6 $3,874.0 $(1,482.1)$2,391.9 
All amortizable intangibles are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Database and credit files are generally amortized over a 12 to 15 year period. Internal use software is generally amortized over 3 to 7 year period. Customer relationships are amortized over a 10 to 20 year period. Trademarks are generally amortized over a 40 year period. Copyrights, patents, noncompete and other agreements are amortized over varying periods based on their estimated economic life. The weighted average lives of our intangibles is approximately 15 years.
Amortization expense related to intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, was $271.3 million, $273.3 million and $230.3 million, respectively. Estimated future amortization expense related to intangible assets at December 31, 2020, is as follows:
(in millions) Annual
Amortization
Expense
2021$281.1 
2022269.6 
2023245.7 
2024217.5 
2025196.5 
Thereafter1,074.2 
Total future amortization expense$2,284.6