The two largest insurance agency management systems' usersgroups in North America, NetVU (Network of Vertafore Users) andASCnet (Applied Systems Client Network), have joined the IDFederation as liaison members. The ID Federation is a non-profitcollaborative working to provide common legal and technicalstandards that will eliminate the need for individual agency IDsand passwords and, at the same time, increase security and ease ofdoing business throughout the insurance distribution chain.

ASCnet Board Member Stuart Durland, principal, Seely &Durland Insurance Agency in Warwick, N.Y., says ASCnet and NetVUvolunteers have been working for some time with others in theindustry to address password issues that hamper agency-carrierinteractions.

“When this work evolved into the ID Federation, there was noquestion we would support this solution,” says Durland.“Streamlining the user ID and password process so agents can log injust once and access all of their various companies will be a hugestep forward for our industry.”

Password management has been an ongoing challenge that hasbecome more frustrating in recent years, adds NetVU Vice ChairmanStephen Moriyama, senior vice president of Anaheim, Calif.-basedHayward Tilton & Rolapp Insurance Associates.

”In today's environment, agencies are doing more work, butwith less time,” he says. “The ID Federation initiative will be agame-changer in terms of improved security and greater efficiency.It will save us time and money, and will lead to greater use ofreal-time processing.”

“Formation of the ID Federation is a great example of how ourindustry professionals come together to improve our ecosystem'sease of doing business,” says Jim Rogers, who helped spearheadformation of the ID Federation and serves as its treasurer. “Havingindustry partners contribute time, expertise and other resourcesmoves our industry forward as it looks to enhance security, boostefficiency and improve the user experience.”

ASCnet Chair Maureen Boeing, principal, Landmark InsuranceAgency in Cincinnati, says, “As an industry, we need to find newways to simplify processes and make automation work for our people,not against them. Nobody wants to waste time and money ontechnologies that bog down processes and cost more to use. Theextra time employees spend logging into websites all day long is anadded expense, not just an inconvenience.”

Password management also interferes with client service, notesNetVU Chairman of the Board Mark Stolly, CPCU, CIC, president ofStolly Insurance Group in Lima, Ohio. “Our job as independentagents and brokers is to provide customers with direction andunderstanding,” he says. “This requires that we spend quality timewith each client. Managing user IDs and passwords to communicatewith carriers is troublesome and costs us precious time that wouldbe better spent with clients and prospects.”

“Agents have been asking carriers and automation partners tomove this forward,” says Moriyama. “This has been a strategic itemfor the NetVU Board of Directors and an example of the industrycoming together to define our future. We are pleased to worktogether with ASCnet to help the ID Federation see this processthrough.”

Boeing adds, “ASCnet's mission is to help members increaseagency value by maximizing systems use. Our board enthusiasticallysupports the work, because it represents change that will allowASCnet and NetVU members and the broader independent agentcommunity to work smarter and use their management systems moreefficiently.”