IVANS Expands Agency Interface Solutions

IVANS, Inc., a provider of agency interface solutions, has announced new flexible, Internet-based services and pricing models for interface.

IVANS’ new models provide carriers and agents the ability to leverage Internet technology and still realize the benefits of the managed solutions they have deployed since the 1980s, according to Anna England, vice president and general manager of the IVANS Insurance E-Commerce Solutions Division.

Insurance carriers now also have the flexibility to choose between a pricing option which is a fixed, budgeted payment cost based on a flat per agency, per-month fee; or a pay as you go, transaction-based model. At the same time, agencies are able to maximize the use of broadband Internet connections for all of their agency-company interface transactions.

IVANS’ E-Commerce Internet solutions are available for both real-time and batch agency interface communications:

· Real-time ACORD XML delivery using IVANS Transformation Station, and
· Batch store and forward, managed mailboxing services for agency download and upload, using IVANS Internet Transfer Manager and Electronic Commerce Server (ECS).

IVANS’ Internet-based agency interface offerings “have clearly gained momentum,” said England. “There are more than 10,000 agencies capable of requesting and receiving real-time ACORD XML transactions through Transformation Station, and close to 20,000 agencies and 100 insurers realizing the benefits of Internet protocol for traditional batch EDI download and upload. Download continues to grow, while at the same time the benefits of real-time transactions through Transformation Station continues to grow by 30 percent per month, with close to 30 carriers participating.”

IVANS Electronic Commerce Server (ECS) was specifically designed for the property-casualty agency interface community and provides enhanced features such as user-friendly web pages for agency vendors and carriers to manage their trading partner activity. England announced a new release of IVANS Transfer Manager, which coupled with ECS, provides an end-to-end managed solution for agency company interface transactions (upload and download) using a mailbox-based transfer model and the Internet.

Transfer Manager is integrated in over 10 agency vendor system platforms, and more than 100 carriers are already using Transfer Manager. The Internet version offers improved function and performance, according to England. “Agents have faster turnaround with high-speed connections, and they’ll continue to have one place for upload and download with vendor support.”

Topics Agencies