Who's Buying What
Insurance Networking News, January 1, 2009
Recent deals for technology software and services
PROGRESSIVE USES IVANS TO CREATE SIGN-ON FOR AGENTS
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IVANS, a Stamford, Conn., provider of corporate connectivity solutions and services, worked with Cleveland-based personal lines P&C giant Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. to implement agent-enabled, single sign-on (SSO) technology through IVANS Transformation Station that's designed to make it easier for agents to quote and service their policies, and streamline their workflow. Once Progressive's agents update their real-time account via their agency management system and register at Progressive's Web site, ForAgentsOnly.com (FAO), they will no longer have to enter their user ID and password when bridging over to the FAO Web site, according to IVANS.
By utilizing this technology, Progressive now updates the agents' credentials within Transformation Station on the agent's behalf. As a result, any time the agent changes his password on Progressive's FAO Web site, Transformation Station is automatically updated, thereby enabling a secure, single sign-on to both Transformation Station and the FAO Web site, and faster access to their policy data.
SSO technology enables a user to log-in once and gain access to multiple software systems without being prompted to log-in again. This technology is designed to eliminate having to manage the overwhelming number of different log-on IDs and passwords with which agents are faced when accessing multiple carrier Web sites on a daily basis. As a result, Progressive says agents are able to take real-time technology to the next level, and further accelerate the insurance transaction process for themselves and their clients.
IVANS system specialists worked with Progressive to migrate its agents using Transformation Station to the new agent workflow over three months. Future phases are planned as more agents continue to adopt real-time technology.
"We worked with IVANS to go beyond the status quo and implement this new technology, because we knew it would improve our agents' workflows and make it easier for them to do business with us," says Alvito Vaz, director of Internet agent systems at Progressive Insurance.
Progressive also works with IVANS to give its agents the choice to use IVANS Download, which synchronizes the policy information that resides on Progressive's system with the agency system by updating or loading data onto the agency's system electronically. Using ACORD standards, IVANS Download enables Progressive to deliver personal lines to its agents across a variety of agency management systems.
By offering this option, Progressive is helping its agents streamline their workflow through one standard process, reduce the need for paper through electronic transmissions, save time by eliminating the re-keying of data and make it easier for them to focus on selling new business rather than focusing on policy administration.
RESPONSIVE AUTO EMPLOYS STG INSURANCE SUITE
MajescoMastek, the Edison, N.J., U.S. subsidiary of global technology solutions provider Mastek, reports that the STG Insurance Suite, in its ready-to-deploy application service provider (ASP) model, has gone live for The Responsive Auto Insurance Co., Fort Lauderdale, and will facilitate processing of the carrier's personal auto business in the state of Florida.
Established in 2007 as a regional carrier providing non-standard personal automobile insurance, The Responsive was looking for a comprehensive administration system that would give them a competitive advantage over other auto insurers. Since The Responsive's independent agents handle their own administrative functions, the company also needed a user-friendly system with efficient back-office processes. The company determined that the STG Insurance Suite's point-of-sale, claims, policy administration, billing and accounts receivable solution met those criteria.
According to The Responsive's president and co-founder, Victor Arocho, "We were looking for a vendor that understood the P&C domain as well as we do. The STG Insurance Suite was our solution of choice because it was industry time-tested and approved, met all our system and business criteria by offering very robust and efficient options, and was extremely cost effective. In short, it was everything we were looking for in a system."
FIDELITY NATIONAL TO OFFER SCENE EXCHANGE FOR CLAIMS
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Fidelity National Property & Casualty Insurance Group will offer SceneExchange, a Web portal that lets insureds choose an autobody shop for convenient, high-quality repair of their damaged vehicle.
A nationwide provider of a broad range of personal insurance products, Fidelity National's claims representatives will give its customers the option to use SceneExchange. If the customer chooses it, an independent appraiser will promptly inspect the damaged vehicle and upload the estimate and digital photographs to SceneExchange.
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