Guardian Life Insurance Company of America is providing its customers with a personalized home page the carrier has dubbed the Living Balance Sheet, which enables Guardian customers to track their net worth on an ongoing basis. Guardian launched the first phase in September 2005. "The purpose of the first phase was to create that deliverable for the client," says Bob Ball, a special consultant to the carrier's individual markets profit center. "What we're doing in subsequent phases is to add to the platform–planning, strategy, calculators, reports–allowing us to move past what is and start to look at what could be."

Ball conceived the Living Balance Sheet one year ago to address objectives that both the public and Guardian's representatives have. "It's well documented the public would prefer to work with one trusted adviser as the primary financial guide as opposed to working with multiple advisers all coming from different perspectives," he says.

The carrier believes by having Guardian's representatives assume that role, the agents get the opportunity to supply recommendations and product advice and will be seen as the answer people for strategies and other financial considerations. "We were looking for a platform to allow that to happen," says Ball. "We think we've been able to accomplish that with the Living Balance Sheet."