Hardly a week goes by in which we don't learn of one insurance technology vendor forming an alliance with another vendor. Many of these alliances prove to be beneficial for both vendors involved and the insurance carriers that have purchased their products, but what if it is the insurance carrier bringing disparate vendors together?

"Some vendors are more disposed to working with other vendors for the good of the common carrier client regardless of whether the [vendors] have a relationship outside of that particular carrier," says George Grieve, president of CastleBay Consulting. "Some vendors are protective of their intellectual capital and are fairly standoffish in working with others and sharing information. Some vendors may have partnerships, and some may not. There are two or three different variables there."

Trae Jones, vice president of ATSC (formerly Appix), compares vendor relationships to personal relationships in that they can blossom and prove to be strong, long-term bonds, or they can fail for a variety of reasons.