The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) hascreated a new state-based systems (SBS) Web site, which is designedto help insurance regulators and industry customers access servicesmore quickly. The new Web site can be found atwww.statebasedsystems.com. It is expected to simplify theregulatory processes, reducing the workload for state insurancedepartment staff, along with providing advantages to consumers,producers, and insurers doing business with the state.

Through SBS, insurers can apply electronically for licenses,verify license status, and print copies of licenses without havingto send letters, file forms, or talk with someone on the phone.

"The expansion of the SBS Web site greatly increases the valueof our online services for consumers. It provides a single accesspoint for not only New Hampshire's data and services but formultiple jurisdictions," says Barbara Richardson, director ofoperations for the New Hampshire Department of Insurance. "As SBSonline resources continue to grow, we see it as a key tool for ourinternal staff and state consumers. It eliminates paper processingand the delays associated with manual processing, ultimatelyproviding producers and consumers in our state with better customerservice."

Four states, including New Hampshire, and the District ofColumbia currently use SBS to process company and producerlicensing, market conduct, consumer services, enforcement, andrevenue-management activities. State regulators rely on theapplication for license processing of producers and companies. SBSalso assists the states in responding to regulatory concerns andconsumer-initiated inquiries and/or complaints and remainingcompliant with national uniformity initiatives.