CSIO’s digital policy document solution to be made available to members at no charge

The Centre for Study of Insurance Operations (CSIO) announced on Thursday that its industry-wide solution to deliver digital policy documents to consumers, including proof of auto insurance (eSlips), will be made available to members at no additional charge.

“Digital delivery of policy documents is a basic expectation for consumers,” said CSIO board member Christopher Harness, who is also senior vice president of solutions delivery at Northbridge Financial Corporation. “Furthermore, we recognize that our industry as a whole will benefit from a uniform, standardized digital experience for consumers. Offering this solution, free of charge, simplifies the business case for implementation and encourages widespread adoption by members nationally.”

The industry solution leverages secure mobile digital wallets common to Apple, Android and Windows smartphones – the same technology that 57% of Canadians already use for boarding passes, event tickets, loyalty cards and credit cards, CSIO said in a press release.

Catherine Smola, CSIO president and CEO, said that the announcement “marks an important milestone in our direction towards a fast, easy and convenient way for brokers and carriers to deliver policy documents for all lines of business, including eSlips, electronically to Canadians. The board decision supports cooperation and collaboration within the industry for the benefit of all members and consumers.”

Release of the CSIO eSlips solution is expected by year-end.

CSIO initially announced eSlips, what it called “an industry solution for the digital delivery of proof of auto insurance cards,” in June. The industry association said that eSlips: support digital wallet technology on consumers’ mobile devices; are an easy, accessible way for brokers and insurers to provide consumers with a digital interaction; and require no investment in portals, mobile apps or broker management system enhancements.

On Aug. 14, CSIO released a video (see below) explaining eSlips to consumers. At the time, CSIO said that benefits of eSlips include: the ability to share eSlips with other people and devices quickly and easily; privacy functionality that enables consumers to lock their screen; a secure cloud-based solution hosted entirely in Canada; and support of digital delivery of policy documents.

CSIO is Canada’s industry technology association of property and casualty insurers, software providers and over 36,000 brokers. The industry association helps improve the consumer’s ease of doing business within the broker channel by overseeing the development, implementation and maintenance of technology standards and solutions such as eDocs, Telematics, eDelivery, eSignatures and eSlips. In addition, CSIO operates CSIOnet, a secure, industry-owned platform for the efficient exchange of policy information for the broker channel. CSIO maintains offices in Toronto and Montreal.