Solving Industry-Wide Challenges Means Agreeing on the Most Pressing Challenges
INNOTECH quickly defined bottlenecks in the broker channel: No digital exchange of claims notifications and billings inquiries and a need to advance API Standards. Extra work and a digital disconnect between insurer and broker systems was a common challenge for brokers. INNOTECH’s solutions will bring widespread benefits to the industry and customers.
- Claims
-
When customers file a claim directly with an insurer, brokers are left in the dark.
Brokers need notifications from insurers. It’s a poor experience for brokers and frustrating for customers. It’s also causing a lot of extra work, while brokers contact insurers for details.
Did you know? 66% of brokers make at least one claims-related phone call a day.
The INNOTECH Ccommittee and its Working Groups have built a solution based on technology brokers use every day.
Using CSIOnet and the CSIO eDocs Standard, brokers now get automated claims notices right in their Broker Management System (BMS).
Streamlining the process for brokers meant defining the use cases. This will ensure consistent labeling and descriptions. Sample use cases include:
- Claim opening
- Claim closing
- Adjuster assigned
- Status update
Brokers can learn more about claims use cases here.
Insurers and Vendors can refer to this document to program the claims use cases.
- Billing
-
Customer billing changes go straight to a customer. Brokers don’t always get a copy. That’s especially troublesome if it’s a cancellation notice.
Brokers can’t proactively help their customer understand the change or save a relationship.
Did you know? 68% of brokers spend at least an hour every day supporting customers with billing-related items.
INNOTECH’s solution puts billing updates right in the Broker Management System (BMS). It saves time for insurers and brokers and lets brokers reach out proactively to customers.
It’s easy, using CSIOnet and CSIO eDocs. There’s no new platform to learn. Using technology brokers have already adopted makes this a smart solution.
Streamlining the process for brokers meant defining the use cases. This will ensure consistent labeling and descriptions. Sample use cases include:
- Payment schedules
- Returned payments
- Past-due payments
- Cancellation notices
- Reinstatements
- Refunds
- Outstanding balance notifications
Brokers can learn more about billing use cases here.
Insurers and Vendors can refer to this document to program the billing use cases.
- API Standards
-
Brokers need real-time policy data exchange between insurers’ and brokers’ systems.
Often, brokers don’t have information readily available in their broker management system (BMS) to support new prospects and service existing clients.
Instead, the broker has to:
- Deal with different processes across insurers.
- Use third-party systems for quotes.
- Complete the sales process in the insurer’s portal.
- Access client policy information by:
- Logging into an insurer’s portal, or
- Calling the insurer, waiting in the queue, asking the insurer to look up information
- Call the client back.
INNOTECH’s solution will standardize a set of API specifications to let insurers easily implement and structure their data model to give brokers real-time information. Sample inquiry API use cases are:
- Insured details
- Policy Information
- Drivers
- Vehicle information
- Coverages
- Financing details
- API Security
-
Standard APIs require a standard security practice, too. This will authorize and authenticate users.
The INNOTECH Committee is defining requirements for securing information during data exchange between insurers, brokers and vendors using standardized APIs.
The API Security Working Group focuses on mitigating the unique vulnerabilities and security risks of APIs. The team is also looking to define the requirements for a security model. Lastly, they’ll create security implementation guidelines, to smooth the way for API Standards.
This seamless data exchange between insurer and broker system will pave the way and enable secure real-time functionality, reduce friction and optimize data interoperability.