The Drive Group of Progressive Insurance Companies expanded its partnership with Strategic Insurance Software to implement a real-time interface, using ACORD XML standards, that provides independent agents and brokers “one-click” access to the Drive agency-dedicated Web site, ForAgentsOnly.com. Drive Insurance agents and brokers using SEMCI Partner from SIS can securely log into FAO from their management system without entering a user ID or password to view policy and claims information, make payments and other policy service transactions, and return to their agency management system.
Web site: www.sisware.com, ForAgents Only.com.
eSubmission for Middle Market
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is speeding up the process for agents placing midsize commercial accounts. An agent now can submit new business applications directly to The Hartford for general liability, property, commercial auto and/or workers’ compensation coverage with nothing more than a few clicks of the mouse. It’s called “eSubmission,” and it’s currently available for agencies that use an AMS Sagitta 5.9 system. Later this year it will be available to agencies employing other agency management systems as well.
Web site: www.thehartford.com.
Web Access to Vendor Technologies
The Agents Council for Technology has unveiled new design and functionality for ACTtech, a Web site to help independent agents and brokers obtain the latest real-time interface, download, and other time-saving technology that their particular vendors and carriers are offering.
ACTtech is designed to give agents and brokers carrier and vendor system-specific information, so that they know what solutions will work for them.
The information drills down to line of business, transaction type and state and can generate comparison reports for the particular carriers, vendors, and transactions selected by the agent.
The new ACTtech site allows users to search under four major categories: “Carrier Possibilities,” “Vendor Possibilities,” “My Possibilities” and “Process Possibilities.” The “My Possibilities” area prints comparison reports for any combination of transactions, carriers, systems, and states users select. The site also features a rotating display of the latest carrier/vendor additions to the database. There is no charge for parties to use the site or to add their information to it.
Web sites: www.acttech.org, www.independentagent.com/act.
Decision Research’s RateMaker
Decision Research Corporation introduced RateMaker Analyzer to be offered as an optional add-on tool for Decision Research’s V1STA RateMaker solution or as a standalone utility. The tool enables insurers and managing general agencies to fully analyze their current books of business and perform “what if” rate change tests to determine the potential impact on their business. It will be available with the release of Microsoft’s SQL Server 2005.
Insurers and managing general agencies can use this tool to conduct impact assessments on their book of business, and study the affect of change on revenue, determine risks based on demographics, and utilize elasticity modeling to better understand retention of their current business.
Web site: www.decisionresearch.com.
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