Connexions Express, Fall 1999

Fall 1999
Web Screens and the CSIO Community
by Klaas Westera, President

CSIO's mission is to work with all of its members to achieve a competitive advantage for the Independent Broker Distribution Channel. One of CSIO's primary roles within this mission is to observe new trends and technologies that may affect the CSIO community. The Internet, which CSIO has been studying recently, represents one such new trend and technology. We are seeing that the Internet is starting to change the way in which business is carried out all the way from the supplier and distributor right down to the consumer. CSIO recognizes that the insurance industry is no exception to this trend and believes that the Internet, if used in a manner supportive of the channel, can enhance the entire channel's competitiveness. In doing so, the channel will gain a whole new set of Internet based technologies which can be complementary to existing ones.

Company web screen enablement is one of the new Internet technologies gaining a foothold within the industry. This technology allows companies to extend a user-friendly version of their data input and inquiry screens directly onto a broker's terminal via the Internet. A number of CSIO's member companies have already delivered web screen functionality to their brokers and many more are ready to follow suit in the immediate future. For most companies it's not a question of if but rather when. This has created an opportunity for the CSIO community to pull together in order to ensure that the Internet and web screen technologies are used to strengthen the entire channel.

CSIO recognizes that competing technologies and business models exist within the Independent Broker Distribution Channel. A web screen solution won't necessarily address all of the channel's needs but it does represent one of many legitimate approaches, which will be pursued by industry participants. A multiple solution approach will help the industry evolve towards either a single best solution or multiple best solutions serving different models within the channel.

CSIO's foundation is based upon the implementation and preservation of Single Entry Multi Company Interface (SEMCI) which is essential to the well being of the Independent Broker Distribution Channel. Therefore any solutions supported by CSIO, including those based on the Internet, must embrace SEMCI as an integral part of that solution. SEMCI support would imply a timely company system download back to the broker's system. It would also imply web printing support for any insurance documents required prior to the download. In a web screen scenario, the process whereby SEMCI is accomplished may change from the more traditional process, but the concept of SEMCI will be maintained.

Our role, as it relates to a web solution, is to facilitate the development of web screen standards & guidelines within a SEMCI framework. Our members who are participating in these efforts share these goals and are doing so to deliver a competitive advantage to the Independent Broker Distribution Channel.

Quebec Corner
By Nicole Allio, Director, Quebec Operations

Industry partners' meetings

Company representatives and brokers of the Conseil d'Interface du Québec (a CSIO workgroup similar to EDI Partners' Forum) and other interested brokers met with CGI in September to discuss Y2K issues and hear about CGI's choice of Signassure as CGI's platform of choice for their broker systems across the country. Some 30 people attended this meeting.

We'll be meeting TAM-2000 on November 25, 1999 to discuss Y2K, give André Arseneault, Executive Vice President, the opportunity to answer industry partners' questions and inform brokers and companies on their priorities and products. Interested in attending this important meeting? Just call Patricia Kennedy, Coordinator, Administration and Technical Projects at (514) 393-8200 ext. 3 or e-mail pkennedy@csio.com.

Broker Registration for CSIOnet

In October, 50 Quebec brokers were connected or about to be connected to CSIOnet. The broker systems that can be connected to CSIOnet in Quebec are VISA+, Delphi, MDI, Power Broker, TABS, TAM-2000 and Ultima. During the year Patricia Kennedy became a valuable resource for the network, having been responsible for the registration and the support of brokers of all sizes including "super-brokerages" with very complex requirements.

In support of IICC's takeover of the administration and support of CSIOnet, CSIO Montréal has helped IICC with their French communications to brokers and companies to ensure our stakeholders are well informed through the change.

Participation in RCCAQ Annual Convention (Quebec Broker Association - IBAC member)

For many years, CSIO has participated actively in this Broker Convention. This year, Marielle Tousignant, Advisor, EDI and Standards, and I will again distribute useful information to brokers, inform them on CSIO upcoming events and answer their questions on technology, networks and systems. Klaas Westera, CSIO President, will also be in attendance to speak to Quebec brokers about local issues and to exchange ideas.

CSIO national activities

Although we always encourage our Quebec-based stakeholders to attend meetings taking place in Toronto it is not always possible. We therefore attend on their behalf whenever appropriate and report back to our members on CSIO national programmes of interest. In October, we were happy to host a regular meeting of the Standards Workgroup in Montréal attended by approximately 20 company and vendor representatives from different provinces.

1999 Convention of Insurance and Financial Products

I have been invited to speak about technology and share my vision of the future of P & C insurance, along with representatives from ING Groupe Commerce and L'Union Canadienne. 1,500 participants are expected to attend this Convention, which will take place November 11th, in Montréal.

EDI 101 for underwriters

At the request of several companies, Marielle Tousignant is developing a training programme on basic EDI for underwriters. She plans to run it in French in the first quarter of 2000. This programme will be available in English if there is demand in other provinces.

RCCAQ and CSIO: E-commerce for brokers

During the first quarter of 2000, I will be presenting the benefits of E-business for brokers at luncheons and conferences sponsored by RCCAQ across the province. Those presentations will be illustrated with real life examples. Interested in sharing your E-experience with Quebec brokers? Call me at (514) 393-8200 ext. 1 or e-mail nallio@csio.com.

Count us in for a good cause!

As active members of the Quebec Branch of WICC (Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade), Marielle Tousignant and I will also participate in the insurance industry's special efforts to raise funds for medical research during the Quebec annual broker convention. Your support would be appreciated. CSIOnet and the Network Steering Committee During the summer, IICC and CSIO announced that the administration and management of CSIOnet would be transferred over to IICC. The purpose of this transfer is to consolidate all insurance industry communications networks into a single more economical and powerful one. The transfer process has now been completed and we are busy working towards the actual the benefits of consolidation.

The Network Steering Committee is playing an integral leadership role in the task of enhancing benefit/cost ratio of the consolidated network. The committee's membership represents all major interest groups within the insurance industry. Representation comes from CSIO, IICC, brokers through IBAC, broker companies and direct companies. CSIO and IBAC are actively involved in the process in order to ensure that the interests of the Independent Broker Distribution Channel are taken into account. CSIO has also taken on the role of searching out new added-value services to be offered on the network that would specifically benefit the broker channel. There's still a lot of work to do but the potential benefits for the channel makes CSIO's and IBAC's involvement well worth while.

Commercial Lines News

Since the last edition of Connexions Express, CSIO has announced the availability of the new Commercial Lines Standards in Microsoft Office 97 Word Format. Word support now covers Commercial General Liability, Commercial Property and Tenants Legal Liability as well as the previously supported Personal Lines Standards. Members will be pleased to learn that effective immediately, CSIO will be distributing standards on CD rather than multiple diskettes as would have been required with the recent growth of standards.

During the next year CSIO will be working with its members to expand the Commercial Lines Standards. The candidate lines include Crime, Inland Marine, EDP, Umbrella, E&O and Boiler & Machinery.

Farm Application Form
Update

On October 7th, representatives from across Canada met with CSIO to work together in producing a standardized Farm Application Form. The many hours of work that everyone put in prior to our meeting ensured that the day was a huge success. Our next meeting is scheduled for November 26th. If we continue to make such rapid progress we can expect to see a draft Farm Application Form out to ballot by January. This promises to be a great start to a prosperous year for CSIO form development.