2013 Finalists and Nominees

Distributors

Square One Insurance Services (Square One)
Square One has developed an integrated CRM, policy management, billing, and claims management system that allows them to offer interactive real-time quoting of their unique à-la-carte home insurance product offering on their website. Since launching the site, 70% of overall quoting activity is performed by customers online. Because the site is tightly integrated with the agent user interface, even those customers that choose to get a quote over the phone can review their quote and complete the sale online. This sales mix, combined with the system’s paperless workflow, integration with third party services for data retrieval and payment processing, allow for unprecedented efficiency and scalability for Square One.

The Shepherd Group
Four years ago The Shepherd Group understood that to compete in the online world we live in it needed to have an offering that consumers would find attractive, easy to use, and available to them in ways that suited them. To accomplish this, they recognized they needed to go beyond simply deploying technology; they needed to create a brand that incorporated leading edge technology and take full advantage of all of the available tools of social media. The result was TSG, with a logo inspired by the owner’s name, an appealing black sheep. With this underlying vision TSG then deployed an online quotation system, linked to a Google ad word campaign and shoppers now had a true broker site that has all of the bells and whistles of a direct writer, plus the value proposition of a brokerage.

Ingle International
Ingle International, an innovator in technological solutions for the travel insurance industry, has launched a brand-new, integrated solution for group benefit plan members. In collaboration with group benefit providers, Ingle has created a product that fills a gap for members whose embedded travel insurance coverage is not sufficient. Offering full integration with the member’s existing travel insurance plan, this online solution allows members to purchase additional travel days or supplemental benefits in a seamless, secure, custom-branded environment. Members are presented all the information they need to better understand both their benefits and the options available, and can purchase easily and in real time. Ingle’s latest innovation saves time, money, and effort for travellers, group benefit providers, and travel insurance providers, leveraging technology to make the world of insurance easier and friendlier for consumers and suppliers alike.

Insurers

Unica Insurance, a subsidiary of La Capitale General Insurance – technology by Keal Technology and iter8
This submission describes the impact of new technology that enables full real-time policy change that starts and ends in the broker management system. It is live and operational and benefits are significant, and climbing as usage grows. It represents a first live solution for the Canadian market that uses CSIO standards, and adheres to IBAC guiding principles. A real-time policy change demands several key components: i) A broker management system that captures and maintains accurate policy data that can be extracted and forwarded to a carrier once a change occurs, and retrieves all changes made. ii) A comparison routine that compares before and after policy information with the policy in force iii) Mapping to carrier policy administration systems, so that transactions can be processed in real-time and returned to the broker This submission includes these components, and represents a technology solution that carriers, brokers, industry standards organizations, broker organizations and ultimately insurance customers will benefit from.

State Farm Insurance
Drive Smarter. State Farm Driver Feedback scores your driving and gives you tips to help you drive even better. Driver Feedback improves driving behaviour by assisting with the effective identification and development of safe driving habits. It utilizes the accelerometer in the mobile device to measure acceleration, braking and cornering. It captures, interprets and presents a user’s driving data for the purpose of improving driving behaviour. Key features offered within this application include:

Research-based algorithms interpret data to provide a relative score, log event types, severity, and offer tips to improve driving habits.

• Trip is overlaid onto a map with location of driving alerts tagged with severity level.
• Scores allow comparison for drivers, which can facilitate dialogue between experienced and inexperienced drivers.
• A trip completion notification feature allows users to send a text or email to others once they have safely completed their trip.
• Data does not impact insurance rates.

Ontario Farm Mutuals – technology by Mutual Concept Computer Group (MCCG)
The ‘Farm Mutuals using IBS’ have set a clear path for themselves recognizing the need for technology to be an integral part of their insurance operations and strategic business plans. Developments in technology need to impact all areas of the business operation including Distribution, Underwriting, Claims, Accounting, Administration and Management. While service to the policyholder is always the Mutuals number one priority, using IBS the group’s goal to improve service and efficiency in operations results in expense reduction.

CAA Insurance – technology by Kanetix SaaS and SCM Insurance Services
As a member-based organization, CAA Insurance consistently seeks ways to improve the members’ experience. We also recognize the importance of leveraging technology to enhance and improve operational effectiveness and efficiencies. Self- service is fast becoming one of the preferred ways to do business and it is imperative that businesses evolve to meet this growing need. In this consideration, the choice of technology and vendor partnership is important to ensure that the chosen solution is reflective of the business vision, strategies and goals. We also need the solution to be sustainable and scalable enough to take us into the future without the need for further re-investment of capital. The development of our On-line property Quoter and the iclarify technology integration allows us to meet all these requirements. As the “first to market” of this product, we have allowed members and customer to benefit from the ease of doing business with us as well as recognize us for our desire towards finding the right innovation to meet their needs. We have already seen and anticipate further growth in the use of the On-line business channel which ultimately will have a positive impact on our bottom line. We expect this leading edge technology will provide the advantage to differentiate us from the competition and allow us to prove once again that our members are our priority.

Suppliers

FirstOnSite Restoration
FirstOnSite has developed propriety software to allow restoration project managers to gather data, generate comprehensive site reports, communicate with adjusters and crews, and produce estimates quickly and easily. The software is being used by 110 project managers across Canada on-the-go using wifi and 3G-enabled tablets. With seamless integration into FirstOnSite’s in-house claim management system (ClaimTrak) and industry standard software, XactAnalysis, project assessments and reports can be completed in a matter of hours instead of days. The tablet software ultimately increases job efficiency and allows FirstOnSite to meet or exceed the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) of the insurance industry while ensuring a measurable, consistent level of service across 44 branches with the end goal of meeting client needs.

Accident Support Services International
CROMS Is a multi-functional collision management application developed specifically for the administration and collection of collision reports, photos, documentation. CROMS is accredited with two Microsoft awards recognizing both its ingenuity and innovation within the industry. Used by over 90% of the insurance industry and 70% of Police jurisdictions within Ontario, it’s flexible interface and architecture is fully compatible with partnered services procedures and processes essentially acting as a “plug and play” solution for collision management. CROMS allows not only the speed of delivery of collision reports, but acts as a fully functional fraud detection and records management tool, with web portal desktop access by users. Coupled with CROMS analytics users can analyze and study trending, policy holders, fraudulent claims, or practice proactive initiatives. The CROMS process has been a dependable partner within the industry giving partnered insurers, agencies, and services trusted secure reporting for nearly 10 years.

SGI CANADA – technology by Brovada Technologies
This nomination is submitted for SGI CANADA’s successful implementation of real-time Automobile Policy Change Upload which was externally developed by Brovada Technologies using a combination of Brovada’s NexExchange and NexCenter solutions. SGI’s approach to policy change provides a multi-BMS, standards-based, streamlined and automated workflow that eliminates the need for brokers to re-key data into a portal. The solution presents brokers with a change confirmation form prior to submission in which brokers can validate the submitted change request. This approach minimizes the risk of inadvertently overwriting valid data in SGI’s system.
SGI expects that this solution will provide the following benefits:

• Increased broker efficiency – no re-keying into a portal, work directly in the BMS, real-time adjusted premium rating, ability to download key policy documentation
• Increased carrier efficiency – policy change transactions are rated and submitted in real-time to SGI’s back-end policy system thus eliminating underwriting manual-entry and increasing underwriting throughput.

RSA Canada
RSA Canada brought industry-leading capabilities to its EZ-Docs technology, in partnership with CSIO, Custom Software Solutions Inc, Keal Technology, Mastercom Consulting Ltd, and Zycomp Systems Ltd. RSA was the first carrier in Canada to support electronic document download to multiple broker management systems using new CSIO XML standards. This technology enables brokers to be more efficient by allowing them to receive electronic versions of policy documents directly in their broker management systems and have them attached automatically without any additional work. As a result, RSA and its technology partners have greatly enhanced our broker partners’ ability to service their clients faster.

Peace Hills Insurance – technology by Custom Software Solutions Inc. (CSSI)
PHIX powered by I-Company will facilitate real-time single entry policy transaction processing and exception-only underwriting for all transaction types, including Policy Change. I-Company will validate and enforce the underwriting edits for Private Passenger Auto, Commercial Auto, Habitational, and Farm to allow for straight-through processing of all Peace Hills transaction types. This complete Company-to-Broker solution communicates/integrates with the Company Policy Management and Accounting System, provides CSIO capabilities, allows web connectivity to the Company via web services and includes support for all broker management system communications tools in the market. CSSI and Peace Hills are very excited to be able to deliver the first working real time solution to the Canadian Insurance marketplace which embraces the IBAC Real Time initiative of starting and ending in the BMS.

Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) – technology by STEP Networks
OTIP (Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan) is committed to providing quality insurance benefits and advice for the best value. This commitment extends to our products. Last year, we had our “Open Road” online quoting tool built to support the needs of the MMIC (Motorcycle & Moped Industry Council). We set very specific criteria to define the success of this product, which included meeting the unique needs of MMIC’s members. Our “Open Road” product was built using a back-office technology called STEP Insure. This technology was designed to quote and bind insurance products such as auto, property, recreation vehicle, errors and omissions and industry-specific liability policies. By using STEP Insure, our team is able to provide quotes, track them per MMIC dealership, and import the quotes into our Business Management System (BMS). Through both online and traditional customer interactions, we are providing our members with excellent customer service.

Knight Archer Insurance Brokers – technology by Asmoteknologies Ltd.
Knight Archer Insurance Brokers developed a summer AAA hockey insurance program 6 years ago. The premiums for a team were very low, in part to help keep hockey affordable for young people. Last year we moved from a paper-based system with 24-36 hour turnaround to an Internet-based program with a 5-minute turnaround. The original program had marginal profitability and was a distraction from other work in the brokerage. Our new program (SHIP) has improved profitability 12-fold. And this does not include the value of broker, processor and accounting time regained from our process improvement. Most important of all – we have provided our customers with a fast, easy solution to their summer AAA hockey insurance needs and it is available when they are available – 24-7-365 – whenever they play hockey.

The Dominion of Canada – technology by OneShield
The Dominion’s enterprise policy replacement project is an immense effort with multiple integration points resulting in the retirement of its legacy systems. The Dominion’s commitment to operational excellence and being highly responsive to the needs of its brokers are critical factors that led to the selection of OneShield Dragon® for their core system modernization and platform consolidation initiative. Today, the majority of new business and policy changes are completed by the broker in minutes rather than days. The implementation of Dragon delivers impressive gains in efficiency, including:

• Automation to reduce manual data entry and the number of products delivered solely through brokers
• More flexibility around workflows, which increases productivity
• Streamlining its three different policy management systems by rolling them into Dragon

CNA Canada – technology by MajescoMastek
The commercial fleet business of CNA Canada processed its policies manually, but with the product’s success, it was a strain on the company due to the resources that were required for administration. Add to this, the time take to issue a policy – at least 30 days. The Company chose MajescoMastek’s STG Policy Administration System for its back office processing – a scalable solution that could cope with the fast pace of growth at CNA without the need to add more people. The solution in a hosted model specific to the Canadian market requirements went live in just ten months with benefits being realized immediately on going live. Return on investment was realized immediately and policies are now issued in a few days – not weeks. The new policy administration system allows CNA Canada to provide better service to its brokers and focus on expanding its business without having to add resources for administration.

Berkley Insurance Canada – Technology by Palomino Inc
Berkley Canada Insurance and Palomino Inc, both of Toronto, have partnered in developing a broker-centric quoting and underwriting system – codenamed BiQ – that manages the entire policy lifecycle from initial submission to issuance and renewal in a single, easy-to-use cloud application. The novelty of the BiQ system lies in it’s use of existing cloud-based document management software which reduced the total cost and turnaround to a fraction of traditional installed server applications. Since launch of BiQ for multiple product lines and special programs, between 67% to 80% of submissions are handled completely without staff interaction, resulting in a zero-touch underwriting process. Due to this success, Berkley has moved to expanding BiQ to a back-office rating and underwriting system for all of its product lines and recently launched its D&O line on the system.

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
Allstate’s new improved online quote tool is evidence of Allstate’s fundamental belief in providing superior customer service and choice to our customers. Allstate’s online quote tool was developed to simplify the process of obtaining an auto insurance quote for the Canadian consumer. This customer-focused tool was designed to offer an easier and more efficient experience. Not only does our quick quote application have a consumer-friendly look and feel but it also offers educational tips to help consumers understand the importance of the information requested. When building this application we put the focus back on the customer to ensure they could get the information they need to make an informed insurance decision.