Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management Integration Technical Whitepaper

Transcription

1 Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management Integration Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management Integration Technical Whitepaper

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction... 3 Accessing Producer Data... 5 Outbound Data Feed... 5 Sample Use Scenario Data Warehouse Population... 5 Producer Data Web Service...6 Sample Use Scenario Producer Portals...6 Transaction Data Web Service...7 Sample Use Scenario Collect Additional Onboarding Data...7 Transaction Image Web Service... 8 Sample Use Scenario Document Imaging Integration... 8 Initiating Producer Data Changes...9 Producer Management Web Service... 9 Sample Use Scenario Integrated Just-In-Time Support... 9 Product Authorization Web Service...10 Sample Use Scenario Fully Automated New Business Verification...10

3 Many carrier systems depend on access to producer data to keep insurance distribution operations moving. Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution that stores data in the cloud rather than hosted on a carrier s in-house server. The solution accelerates sales authorizations and the related compliance process by streamlining and automating appointing, registrations, licensing and day-to-day compliance so carriers can better achieve ongoing compliance and grow revenue. This document provides an overview of the integration points that move carrier data in and out of Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management solutions. These integration points can be used by multiple carrier systems that need to access producer data. Security in the Cloud Increasingly, businesses of all types are employing cloud-based systems hosted by third parties for functions that are central and critical to their organizations. These cloud-based systems are also referred to as hosted, ondemand or software-asa-service systems. They are replacing the traditional in-house model, where a carrier licenses the software, purchases and maintains the servers and supporting infrastructure, and takes responsibility for patches and upgrades. Vertafore has invested in world-class data hosting at the Savvis collocation data center, used by 30 percent of the top 100 companies on the Fortune 500, to provide security and redundancy and protect client data and systems. Our online solutions help thousands of users provide their customers with unparalleled service and support while providing increased efficiency, cost savings, disaster recovery and potential for better security than self-hosting. Producer Express automates the building of records internally, automatically gets us background information, and eliminates our paper files. Dave Jones, assistant vice president, producer compensation and licensing services, OneAmerica VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION 3

4 Producer Lifecycle Management Carrier Integration Points AGENCIES PRODUCER EXPRESS ONBOARDING / MAINTENANCE TRANSACTIONS PRODUCER MANAGER PRODUCER CREDENTIALING / RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE EXPRESS REGULATORY TRANSACTIONS / TRUSTED DATA SOURCES TRANSACTION DATA WEB SERVICE TRANSACTION IMAGE WEB SERVICE PRODUCER DATA WEB SERVICE PRODUCER AUTHORIZATION WEB SERVICE CARRIER SYSTEMS AGENT PORTALS HELP DESK SUPPORT TOOLS 360 PRODUCER VIEW IMAGING SYSTEMS CARRIER SYSTEMS POLICY ADMINISTRATION NEW BUSINESS PROCESSING CRM / CHANNEL MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION AGENT PORTALS 360 PRODUCER VIEWS 5 PRODUCER MANAGEMENT WEB SERVICE 1 OUTBOUND DATA FEED Outbound Data Feed, page 5 Producer Data Web Service, page 6 Transaction Data Web Service, page 7 Transaction Image Web Service, page 8 Producer Management Web Service, page 9 Producer Authorization Web Service, page 10 4 VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION

5 Accessing Producer Data 1 Outbound Data Feed Outbound Data Feed (OBDF) is a file-based communication intended to keep a replicated copy of producer data in the carrier s downstream systems. OBDF is sometimes referred to as a delta, which means that each file only contains the producers that have had data changes since the last time a file was generated. If any data has changed on a producer record, OBDF can be configured to extract some or all of the data for that producer. The file size is configurable so that files do not get too large to process cleanly. If the XML format of the OBDF file is not suitable for a carrier s specific need, then Vertafore s Professional Services department can be engaged to help manipulate the file layout into a format that is consumable. Sample Use Scenario Data Warehouse Population Carriers with a data warehouse can use the OBDF to populate it with producer data, enabling both basic reporting and more complex data analytics. Data Warehouse Population NAME Product Communication Mechanism Data Representation Response Timing Availability Technical Documentation OUTBOUND DATA FEED Producer Manager File transfer (secure FTP) Changes to all producer records since last file generated Files generated no more than once per hour Nearly always, not subject to software service outages SDBDataFeed.xsd VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION 5

6 Accessing Producer Data 2 Producer Data Web Service The Producer Data Web Service (PDWS) is a web service that provides real-time, up-to-date access to producer records. This service is the XML version of the same data that is available to a user accessing the Producer Manager application. It can be used by a carrier system to access data. This service is expected to be used on an as-needed basis as events occur during the producer lifecycle. It is not intended for regularly scheduled refreshes of the entire producer population. For this purpose, please call your account manager to engage with Vertafore s Professional Services department. Sample Use Scenario Producer Portals Some carriers have created producer portals to give distributors access to producer and product information. The Producer Data Web Service can be used in a producer portal to show an agent s license and line of authority information, so any discrepancies can be resolved by the licensing services department. Producer Portals NAME Product Communication Mechanism Data Representation Response Timing Availability Technical Documentation PRODUCER DATA WEB SERVICE Producer Manager One synchronous web service request Real-time access to one producer record Data returned with response When service is available, see SLA Producer Data Web Service Integration Design.pdf 6 VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION

7 Accessing Producer Data 3 Transaction Data Web Service The Transaction Data Web Service (TXNDWS) is a web service that provides access to data collected during the course of a producer onboarding request. Each call to the web service retrieves a batch of transactions have that reached one of the configurable extract milestones during the transaction workflow. The request returns all available data on the transaction at the time that the batch extract is generated. The data available in a transaction is limited to data collected during the onboarding process and some additional appointment data. Depending on milestone configuration, a single transaction may be available for extract at multiple points during the course of an onboarding workflow. Each batch of transaction data is available for 90 days after it is generated the first time to help resolve any error scenarios that occur. Sample Use Scenario Collect Additional Onboarding Data Some non-standard agent data collected by a carrier s Personal Information Form (PIF) may not be stored on the producer record in Producer Manager. To retrieve and store this data electronically, a carrier can use the Transaction Data Web Service to access the onboarding data and store it, rather than asking a licensing analyst to perform the same activity manually. Collect Additional Onboarding Data NAME Product Communication Mechanism Data Representation Response Timing Availability Technical Documentation TRANSACTION DATA WEB SERVICE Producer Express One synchronous web service request Snapshot access to batches of transaction data Data returned with response When service is available, see SLA Transaction Data-Image Extract Implementation Guide VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION 7

8 Accessing Producer Data 4 Transaction Image Web Service The Transaction Image Web Service (TXNIWS) is a web service that provides access to images created and collected during a producer onboarding request. Each call to the web service retrieves a batch of transactions have that reached one of the configurable extract milestones during the transaction workflow. The request returns PDF images of any onboarding documentation created during the transaction as well as any images that were attached to the transaction by a user. Each batch of transaction images is available for 90 days after it is generated the first time to help resolve any error scenarios that occur. Whenever a batch is requested, the form images are recreated based on the data in the request at that time. For this reason, two calls to the same batch of transaction images may result in different copies of the image. It is expected that most customers will not call the image web service until the transaction is complete, so all image changes are guaranteed to be final. Sample Use Scenario Document Imaging Integration Carriers often maintain a document imaging system for managing producer data such as contracts or policy administration. Sometimes this includes important regulatory and compliance documentation such as errors and omissions coverage. Rather than printing and scanning electronic onboarding forms, the Transaction Image Web Service can be used to store producer onboarding forms directly in to the document imaging system without the need for licensing analyst involvement. Document Imaging Integration Highlights NAME Product Communication Mechanism Data Representation Response Timing Availability Technical Documentation TRANSACTION IMAGE WEB SERVICE Producer Express One synchronous web service request Real-time access to batches of transaction images Data returned with response When service is available, see SLA Transaction Data-Image Extract Implementation Guide 8 VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION

9 Initiating Producer Data Changes 5 Producer Management Web Service The Producer Management Web Service (PMWS) allows a carrier system to contact Producer Express and initiate a transaction that can change a producer s record or process regulatory transactions. The web service request specifies a transaction type, which will perform one or more of the following actions depending on configuration: Create or update a producer record Reconcile a producer record with the NIPR Producer Database (PDB) Send appointment or termination requests Generate letters Transactions that need to be reviewed by a specialist are sent to an exception queue in the application for review and further processing by a licensing analyst. Sample Use Scenario Integrated Just-In-Time Support A new producer is added to a carrier s existing distribution management platform. Although just-in-time (JIT) policies do not require appointments, the platform includes licensing credentials that need to be retrieved from a trusted data source. A call to the Producer Management Web Service can be configured to add the producer record to Producer Express and perform a PDB data reconciliation to retrieve clean data from the state source. After the reconciliation is complete, the producer data is added to the Outbound Data Feed (OBDF) so the distribution management systems can be updated with a new copy of the licensing data. Integrated Just-In-Time Support NAME Product Communication Mechanism Data Representation Response Timing Availability Technical Documentation PRODUCER MANAGEMENT WEB SERVICE Producer Express One synchronous web service request Transaction creation including some request data population Receipt acknowledgement, including transaction reference ID, returned with response. Does not wait for transaction completion. When service is available, see SLA Producer Management Web Service Narrative Producer Management Web Service Implementation Guide VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION 9

10 Initiating Producer Data Changes 6 Producer Authorization Web Service Note: This web service is still in development and is not yet available for production use. For more information, please contact your Vertafore Account Manager at Storing producer licensing data in various carrier systems requires some level of maintenance as state codes and regulations change over time. The Producer Authorization Web Service (PAWS) is designed to shield carriers from regulatory codes and rule changes by performing the task of sales authorization, eliminating the need to send producer data downstream. Each call to PAWS is a request that asks if a producer authorized to sell a certain product in a specific state. The web service response is a simple yes or no answer. In the event of a no answer, the authorization engine can be configured to take the necessary steps to resolve the scenario and ensure the producer record is in compliance. A sales authorization request contains the following insurance policy attributes used to filter the rules processed by the authorization engine: A producer A state An underwriting company A product type (fixed annuity, variable annuity, personal lines, commercial lines, etc.) A sales event (quote, policy application, policy issuance, commission payment, etc.) Sample Use Scenario Fully Automated New Business Verification An agent onboarded last year in a just-in-time (JIT) state sells a variable annuity policy. The carrier s policy administration system makes a call to the Producer Authorization Web Service to find out if the agent is authorized to allow this policy application to continue. After reconciling the producer record with the PDB, the Vertafore authorization engine determines that this agent is not appointed, which is expected in a JIT state. Instead of rejecting the request or sending a message to a licensing analyst, the authorization engine automatically requests the appointments needed to sell variable annuity insurance in this state. After obtaining appointment verification from the state, the sales authorization answer for this agent is now yes. The carrier s policy administration system can continue processing the policy application without the need for a licensing analyst to get involved. For more information, including the technical documentation referenced in each sample use scenario, please contact your Vertafore Account Manager at VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION

11 Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management INSURANCE PRODUCERS GET AUTHORIZED RECRUITING LICENSE APPLICATION BACKGROUND CHECK/ FINGERPRINTING STAY AUTHORIZED PRELICENSING EXAM APPOINTING CONTINUING EDUCATION ONGOING MAINTENANCE PRODUCER DATA SYNC LICENSE/ APPOINTMENT RENEWAL DE-AUTHORIZE TERMINATION For more information about Vertafore Producer Lifecycle Management integration or any other technical aspect of our Producer Lifecycle Management solutions, please contact your account manager at VERTAFORE PRODUCER LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION 11

12 11724 NE 195th Street Bothell, Washington vertafore.com Vertafore delivers software and services that transform the business of insurance. Unique to the industry, more than 20,000 customers rely on Vertafore to provide integrated technology that connects the entire industry with the most complete source of solutions agency management, rating and connectivity, content management and workflow, information solutions and producer lifecycle management so their businesses run better and are more profitable. For more information about Vertafore, please visit vertafore.com Vertafore, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Trademarks contained herein are owned by Vertafore, Inc. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. PLM.WP.INT.0812