Applied Systems ‘WARP’ interface attracts insurer interest

WARP communication technology, designed to facilitate efficient and secure communication between brokers and companies, is proving as valuable in the Canadian marketplace as it is elsewhere, according to a special Applied Systems ‘WARP Forum’ held in Toronto.

The January 2006 forum attracted more than 80 delegates, representing more than 26 insurance carriers, who heard from a variety of Applied Systems senior executives responsible for Applied’s ‘WARP’ interface technology.

Donna Abramson of Western Financial Group praised WARP’s potential. “Currently not enough carriers have adopted WARP to make it the primary workflow in our office,” Abramson said. “However, if critical mass of WARP is achieved right through the broker channel, the potential is there for an incredibly efficient system [that] will have the power to make the industry as a whole more profitable, efficient and effective.”

Applied Systems Canada President and CEO Greg Purdy reported insurers and brokers are currently using WARP, and a number of insurance carriers and brokers are in various stages of exploring its use.

According to Doug Johnston, the executive vice president of Interface Services at Applied Systems, four carriers are now using WARP in the Canadian market, representing live connections with 387 brokerages. In addition, WARP is associated with 1,000 interface-enabled brokerages made up of more than 16,000 desktops at this point.

Johnston said WARP has been greeted enthusiastically in Canada largely because it was developed as an insurance communication service based on Internet global communication and security protocol. The technology allows real-time, Internet-based data translation and communication in a secure, reliable, and affordable model. Its current capabilities for real-time transactions include:

Policy Transactions

* Quote

* Issue

* Data Bridging

Service Transactions

* Inquiry Status (View) – Billing

* Claims Status

* Loss Runs

* Policy, Company Website

* Endorsement Bridge.

Johnston highlighted the “huge” power of WARP ‘Alerts,’ which allow insurance companies to send messages directly into their brokers’ management systems (BMS). Using WARP, activities associated with customer, policy, claim or broker personnel are automatically generated in the BMS.

“It is a testament to this global design that allows WARP to provide as much value in the Canadian marketplace as it does in the U.S,” Johnston said. “The dedication and work we have devoted to WARP has resulted in technology that works for any agency management software system. It provides synchronized standards for data transmission between companies and agencies.”

Donna Gilbert, the director of industry standards at Applied Systems, said increased efficiency, ease of use, and reduced cost are all reasons why insurers should use WARP.