All of the insurance professionals who take applications, run them through fancy underwriting processes, and administrate them to bewildered enrollers; none of them do it on their own. This amazing victory over a huge mess of alphabet soup is made possible by software for insurance agents and claims handlers that facilitates keeping track of all that goes on within an insurer's walls. That's everything from customer IDs to claims, and all of it requires a lot of "data migration" and good old common sense.

Getting knowledge of how these valuable software programs work allows agents and brokers to be at the top of their game when dealing with clients or administrating policies. Anyone wanting to be part of this can find a variety of training programs online for learning the ropes when dealing with software for insurance agents and brokers, including:

1. College or trade school programs for aspects of insurance agent software as well as for insurance billing and claims handling.

2. Independent training for other insurance broker software and general education on software systems for insurance companies.

3. Instructional programs for comprehensive agent training that will also include training on the software tools used most commonly.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a professional certification in insurance agent software

The American Institute for CPCU and the Insurance Institute of America jointly offer a training program leading to a certification as an Associate in Information Technology.

I recommend: Learn the requirements for the Associate in Information Technology. The three courses cover both information technology and information management for the insurance business.

Find software for insurance agents training from general career match-maker sites

Some websites compile lists of schools that may be preferred by those just starting out in the wide world of insurance: agents and others can take advantage of these guides to select a program.

I recommend: Get some great educational options from schools at the Insurance Agent page at Degree Directory for programs that will update learners on the software for insurance brokers and agents that is used in the field. Find more at 866MyMajor.com.

Locate more training on software for insurance agents from other independent training sites

Other sites offer specialized training on insurance software for agents or claims adjusters, or independently developed insurance brokers software training solutions.

I recommend: Claims software training from Claims-Portal can benefit agents, handlers, underwriters, and more. Or find in-depth training options from firms like IDIT on managing entire insurance software systems.

Look for general new agent training for covering software for insurance agents

Another way to go for learning independent insurance agent software is to look for general agent training that can accommodate all the questions a student may have on using all of an insurance agent's daily resources, including software.

I recommend: Find a variety of agent training solutions covering software use and aspects of applications processes and more at Insurance Schools. Find more resources from the Independent Health Insurance Agents Association online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In the area of software for insurance agents and brokers, education and training is a must: see also that your insurance agents software training includes aspects of patient privacy for compliance with HIPAA and all federal or local law to help protect a business from liability.

One of the things you need for your insurance business is insurance agent software that can perform many functions for you. You have many options to choose from when it comes to insurance agent software. You need to analyze your needs and find the software that’s right for you.

You can find many independent insurance agent software applications online. Most of these applications will be web-based. This enables you to access your information from any location that has Internet access. Here are three functions you can do with software for insurance agents and brokers:

1. Manage your agency and insurance carriers with insurance software for brokers.

2. Get and store rates with insurance broker software.

3. Underwrite insurance policies with insurance agents software.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use insurance software for brokers to manage your insurance carriers and agency

It's important to have this type of software. This enables you to monitor a particular type of policy, whether it is life, health, annuities, or long-term care. You can view the policy, whether it is based on agency, group, or even an individual. Using this software for insurance brokers also enables you to do functions such as managing your agents.

I recommend: Client Marketing Systems Inc. makes software for insurance agents. You are able to view your client’s policies anytime. XDimensional Technologies’ Simple Insure makes a great insurance brokerage software tool. This software for insurance agents enables you to perform functions such as managing your agents and tracking your receivables.

Use insurance agent software to check rates

Using this insurance agent software will no doubt make your business more productive and efficient. This software saves you the time of going to insurance carriers' websites. Instead, enter your information in the software for insurance agents and all of the rates are saved in one place.

I recommend: IBQ Systems makes web-based software for insurance agents and brokers that are designed for independent agents. You can check rates as well as store them for reference. Insurance Technologies Corp. makes software for insurance agents and brokers as well. The company’s insurance software for agents is designed to reduce cancellations and underwriting costs.

Apply insurance broker software to underwrite insurance policies

Use software for insurance agents and brokers to underwrite insurance policies. Not only will it reduce your time, but save operating costs and improve your underwriting quality and profitability. Using insurance software for agents will help you cut down on the overall underwriting process, which can be time-consuming.

I recommend: Software AG makes software for insurance brokers that is designed to cut down on the underwriting cycle. You can supply your clients with current and timely information. You’ll also want to look at Speed Builder Systems’ PROMOS for Underwriting. If you’re not satisfied with the defaulted accept and reject scenarios, you can customize this insurance agent software to develop your own underwriting rules.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to take advantage of the insurance agent software company training service. This is important because the application likely is proprietary.

Insurance agents and brokers must put their understanding of the insurance world together with a basic understanding of key software terms as they relate to the industry. Some of these terms are very basic, like "web-based," while others may seem more complex. Even the most complex of insurance software key terms can be defined. From cryptographic keys to policy analyzers, all items work together to create insurance software. Gain a valuable base of knowledge by reviewing vital insurance software key terms.

Action Steps
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ACORD

ACORD stands for the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development. Most insurance brokers and agents are very familiar with ACORD standards, but they should also be addressed when looking at insurance software. The group's focus is to streamline the insurance form process so ACORD software is important to agents and brokers.

I recommend: FIS Software defines ACORD and explains why it is important to use ACORD-specific software.

Policy analyzer

Insurance software that includes a policy analyzer allows for different policy scenarios to be compared. The policy analyzer is a part of insurance software used to help clients make decisions and find the best insurance for their needs.

I recommend: XDimensional Technologies defines the policy analyzer used in its software as a simple step of comparison between policies.

Business Process Automation (BPA)

Business Process Automation (BPA) is a software process that integrates all aspects of insurance into one uniform program. BPA is used to increase productivity by eliminating human contact, making the entire process a streamlined computer-generated operation.

I recommend: Insurance Software Solutions has a glossary of terms that defines Business Process Automation. It also explains how it affects insurance software.

Business rules

Business rules are a set of definitions given to the insurance software to adjust how applications are carried out. The best insurance software will allow for continually changing business rules.

I recommend: ILog defines how business rules work as they relate to insurance software capabilities.

Cryptographic keys

Cryptographic keys are used in sending important, confidential documents via email or the Internet. The cryptographic keys are designed to code a message so it can be read only by the person who holds the key, or correct validation, to open the message.

I recommend: TriSystems Software defines cryptographic keys. It specializes in insurance messaging.

Web-based

Web-based, as referred to in the insurance software industry, is a software-free program directed completely by an Internet web program. There is no software to install in-office, as all aspects of insurance dealings are handled via the web.

I recommend: IdeaStar explains the web-based insurance software available and how using web-based-only programming can be beneficial for any size insurance organization.

Whether you're an independent insurance agent working out of a home office or part of a busy brokerage team, software for insurance agents and brokers is an important part of your business toolbox. Insurance agency automation is a growing trend, and insurance brokerage software can help you do everything from printing forms to calculating ratings to running a website.

When it comes to choosing and using software, insurance brokers have a several options. Getting trustworthy software for insurance agents and brokers advice and ratings is critical. Although some free insurance agents software is available, you're more likely to be making a substantial investment in technology, so get the best guidance you can.

1. Consult professional associations and journals for advice on choosing and using insurance brokerage software.

2. Learn from surveys how others are using insurance software for agents.

3. Use software review sites to do your own comparison shopping for insurance broker client management software.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get professional advice on choosing software for insurance agents and brokers

Insurance industry trade associations and publications now devote many resources to technology considerations. Get advice on choosing and using software for insurance agencies and insurance brokerage software from the same sources you turn to for other professional updates.

I recommend: The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America maintains a Virtual University online, with technology information such as what to look for when purchasing insurance agent software. The site also offers an "Ask an Expert" feature. The Insurance Services Office's professional journal "ISO Review: News and Analysis for Insurance Executives" devotes articles to insurance agency automation, website development and other insurance agent software issues.

Review industry surveys to get software for insurance agents and brokers advice and ratings

How are your colleagues and competitors choosing and using software for insurance brokers? Monitoring annual industry surveys and rankings, compiled by professional associations and based on user data, can give you insight into the kinds of insurance broker client management software that might serve you best.

I recommend: Financial Insights teams with Tech Decisions to issue annual Insurer's Choice Technology Ratings, drawn from an industry-wide poll of users. To learn more about the uses of independent insurance agent software, download the latest Member Agency Technology Survey from NAILBA, the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies.

Do your own comparisons of insurance broker software

Online software review sites provide lists of insurance agents software vendors, usually annotated with links to the vendors' websites and user-supplied reviews. The quality of the information is not as high with these unfiltered sites as it is with professionally published ratings, but if you have a general idea of what you are looking for, these sites can make comparison shopping for insurance brokers software quick and convenient.

I recommend: Software review site Capterra offers an Insurance Agency Software Finder. Best of the Web Verticals, a B2B comparison site, provides listings for insurance agency management software vendors based on user recommendations.