Making different insurance software solutions work seamlesslycan make juggling chainsaws seem like a cute hobby. The key, ascarriers have learned, is integration. Getting disparate solutionsto work seamlessly is the goal insurance IT leaders strive toachieve. In the case of CAA Insurance (Ontario) it took strongpartners and good fortune, but it was accomplished.

CAA Insurance South Central Ontario purchased the OnBaseenterprise content management system about five years ago as theinsurer looked to change its legacy imaging system to achieve theadditional benefits such as improved workflow, according to MattTurack, vice president, insurance for CAA. In late 2011, theinsurer selected Guidewire InsuranceSuite to replace its enterprisesystem and kept the OnBase solution for its imaging and documentfulfillment needs.

“We needed OnBase not just for imaging and workflow, but fordocument creation and fulfillment to our printer,” says Turack. “Itwas a 14-month project involving both OnBase and Guidewire toreplace everything—policy admin, rating, and claims. There was afull integration using web services.”

CAA built an enterprise service bus to connect to pieces such asOnBase and Guidewire integration, explains Turack.

“We use those pieces to facilitate integration between the twosystems from an imaging standpoint, document viewing standpoint,pushing XML data, and to create fulfillment of letters, dec pages,and notices,” he says.

ImageSoft is the authorized integration partner for Hyland andworked closely with CAA for document fulfillment within theorganization. The carrier had documents and 140 templates thatneeded to come out of the OnBase system. ImageSoft was able to putthem in the right format and create the tool that allowed CAA tomanage them in a user-friendly fashion.

“The whole creation and conversion of any fulfillment we had wasmade simple,” says Turack. “The workflows triggered the rightcommands. Adding new modules expanded our abilities from anenterprise imaging standpoint and from fulfillment. All thedocuments from Guidewire flow into OnBase and ImageSoft worked withthe CAA team to take the XML outputs and bring it into OnBase,create all the templates that were necessary for productionoutput.”

After selecting Guidewire, CAA considered its options forstaying with the OnBase solution, but Turack points out that thepartnership with OnBase and ImageSoft was the best option and itallowed for a continuing relationship in terms of evolution andadvancements, explains Turack.

“We liked how ImageSoft understood our business model andbrought to us the best possible options in terms of usage andprocess efficiencies, so it wasn't just a sale of a product it waswhat works best for CAA Insurance,” he says. “They helped us createan efficient, member-centric product. I think we accomplishedthat.”

The integration between the two platforms has been phenomenal,according to Turack.

“It has been a collaborative partnership with us, ImageSoft onthe OnBase product, and with Guidewire as well,” he says. “One ofthe biggest benefits has been a collection of core systems herethat gives us the right tools to do our jobs and provides not onlyour internal staff but our customers with increased service andproduct offerings.”

Turack describes it as a closed integration so when frontlineusers perform a task or make a change to a policy, thecorresponding data element is transmitted directly to OnBase.

“They don't have to go to OnBase or a separate system to viewthe documents—they can launch that through an integrated portalwith Guidewire,” he says. “The launching pad allows the adjuster tostay with a single screen and not jump to different systems. Wewent live in December of 2012 and we've seen efficiencies from userengagement to time savings that show us we have shaved a couple ofminutes in servicing a transaction just by creating a single pointof view. It works in a real-time fashion.”

CAA had a tight timeline of 14 months to roll out the Guidewireenterprise system and Turack points out such a quick installationis difficult with multiple integration touch points, whether it isregulatory constraints or just internal adoptions from anintegration perspective.

“It was an aggressive and optimistic plan, but that's whereImageSoft came to the table with us and helped us get it donewithin the timeline we set up,” he says. “It was a verycollaborative discussion. They worked closely with Guidewire andwith us. It wasn't a massive team. At its peak it was 35members—internal and external. There was dedication and commitmentto hit the milestones we set out on the date they were due and wewere able to adjust to unforeseen issues.”

CAA's front-line staff, which Turack describes as everyone fromthe document management people to adjusters, agents selling orservicing policies, and operational people who service and maintainthe software, all love the integration.

“When we took this into consideration, one of the things weheard from our people was they did not like logging into multipleplatforms,” says Turack. “They wanted a single log-in—to be able togo to one system and see the documents on one screen. We still havetwo screens on most desks, but they rarely use the second screenanymore.”

Turack adds the front line people find the system easier to useand the documents are easier to find. They also appreciate thatthey are saving time.

“We have an engagement survey that we do with the staff andwe've seen the scores go up, which means when you have an engagedstaff you have a more productive staff,” he says. “It makes for abetter customer experience.

CAA also has seen good organic growth in the business, both fromnew business and from retention. Retention has gone up each of thelast three years.

“One of the most critical things is retaining the customers wewant to retain,” says Turack. “It means we are providing the rightexperience for our customers. A lot of that is having the righttools.”