The ACORD-User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE) announced itis promoting a new questionnaire form allowing independent agenciesto eliminate carriers' redundant data requests.

The form, Agency Questionnaire (ACORD 812), was developed afteragents and brokers expressed concern that too much time is spentfilling out multiple questionnaires, according to ACORD, PearlRiver, N.Y.

“Every carrier seems to ask agencies the same questions everyyear,” said Jo Ann Litwin, who chaired the AUGIE working group thataddressed the problem. “The questions are generally valid, but manyare also redundant from year to year and carrier to carrier.”

The new form allows an agency once each year to fill out orupdate as much information as it wants and to make that availableto all its carriers, said ACORD. This procedure will save hours oftime over the course of a year, said Ms. Litwin, principal ofLitwin, Castle & Christ, an Orchard Park, N.Y.-basedagency.

The questionnaire form includes data fields for primary contactname and e-mail; agency profile (principals, managers, CSRs,producers) and license numbers; agency office information, such asbranch locations; agency premium and mix of business; interfaceinformation (download, upload, real time, etc.); technologyinformation, such as agency management system version and Internetconnections; and other commonly requested information.

A non-fillable version of the form is incorporated in AUGIE'sProductive Agency Visits by Insurance Carrier Marketing Reps: AGuide to Improved Communications on Workflow & Technology,available at www.acordadvantage.org/resources/resources.aspx, saidACORD.

A fillable version of the form is available at no charge tomembers of ACORD Advantage, a program offering a variety ofbenefits to agents, including access to a range of forms.

ACORD said its fillable forms have the same look and feel aspaper and PDF versions, but offer the ability to fill out each formon screen; and, with the click of a button, e-mail, print, save orfax it.

Several agency management system providers are expected to addthe Agency Questionnaire to their lists of available forms, meaningthat most data can be extracted from the systems without re-keying,Ms. Litwin noted.