Online News Service, May 13, 2:09 p.m. EDT

Use of Real Time transaction software by independent insuranceagents has jumped 30 percent over last year, according to a surveysponsored by the Real Time/Down campaign.

The survey of agencies utilizing the one and doneagency-to-carrier transaction software within their agencymanagement systems shows that 69 percent of agency managementsystem users employ a real-time tool to begin real-time inquiry orservice transactions.

The use of tools for rating and quoting is up as well, accordingto the survey of more than 1,600 agents and brokers from everystate, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the campaignsaid.

Launched in 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org) is dedicatedto improving the competitiveness of the independent agencydistribution channel and is supported by independent agents, tradeassociations, carriers and technology providers. The campaign doesnot advocate a specific technology, but a workflow approach thatfrees up more time for agencies to sell, process and servicebusiness.

According to the survey, 57 percent of agents use a real-timerating tool for personal lines policies--a jump of more than 32percent over 2009. For commercial lines, the use of real-timerating tools is close to 22 percent, up 20 percent from lastyear.

"It's encouraging to see continued growth in the number ofagencies using real time," campaign co-Chair Cyndy Smith, vicepresident, technology, at Haylor, Freyer & Coon in Syracuse,N.Y., said in a statement.

Ms. Smith added that, "As more agents and brokers adopt the newworkflows, they improve their competitive position as adistribution channel and are better equipped to serve theirclients. The more carriers and vendors see their agents using realtime, the more willing they are to invest further in real time toprovide additional transactions across more lines of business."

According to the survey, users identified speed, time savings,workflow improvements and accuracy as key benefits of using realtime. Eighty-nine percent of real-time users indicated that usingreal-time tools saves their agencies time.

For those reporting time savings in personal lines departments,the average daily amount of time saved was just over an hour perperson. Average daily time saved per individual in an agency'scommercial lines department was just over 43 minutes.

Karen Youngman, personal lines manager at Don Allen Agency inRochester, N.Y. and Real Time/Download Campaign co-chair alsopointed to a number of free resources available to help agents andbrokers make use of those tools. Among these is the Campaign's 21Day Challenge (www.getrealtime.org/21DC),designed to help agents and brokers make the use of real time ahabit within their organizations.

Among some of the other findings,

o Two thirds of real-time users said the tools allow them torespond more quickly to client questions.

o "Able to quote more/faster" was a benefit cited by nearly thesame number, 63 percent, of respondents.

o Forty-four percent said use of the tools provide staff moretime for service and sales.

o Seventy-four percent said the tools are easy to use and savemany keystrokes.

o "Accuracy of information" was cited as a benefit by 57 percentof respondents.

Those who use a real-time tool said that personal lines billingand policy inquiry transactions were most commonly used, by 88percent and 85 percent, respectively.

In commercial lines, 74 percent of agencies that use real timesaid they make billing inquiries using real-time tools in theirsystem; 69 percent do so for commercial lines policy inquiries.

Seventy-one percent of survey participants who use a real-timetool for inquiry and service transactions said they use it toperform personal lines claims inquiries; commercial lines claimsinquiries are conducted by 61 percent of users. Personal linesendorsement processing is handled using system-based real-timetools by 59 percent of real-time users.

Some 31 percent of survey respondents said they do not use areal-time tool in their management system to perform real-timeinquiry or service transactions.

When asked why, roughly 15 percent said either they did not knowthe functionality was available within their system or they lacktime to implement and/or train staff. Twelve percent said theyfound it to be too difficult to set up, while 5 percent said theycould not convince management of its value.

The Campaign said it is providing demonstrations of agents usingreal time and information about available tools to assist withimplementation of real time as part of a free webinar, "Save Time& Increase Profits with Real Time," which has onlineregistration is available at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/953284472.