Client: Safety Insurance Co. Challenge: Improve services to independent agents to promote new business and growth. Solution: Outsource IT support of policy administration to CSC and introduce CSC’s Internet software to push insurance services to agents over the Web using Safety’s Agents Virtual Community portal Results: Increased revenues 52 percent over five years, eased the burden on back-office operations, shortened commercial auto processing time from three days to one and improved turnaround on out-of-sequence endorsements from five days to one Want More Information? Click here to learn more about CSC's software and services or contact us. Click below to download the full case study (PDF). Download the file

To stand out in the highly competitive Massachusetts personal auto market, Boston-based Safety Insurance found an innovative way to extend Internet technology to independent agents’ desktops across the state.

Safety’s relationship with CSC dates back to 1997 when the company chose CSC’s policy administration system, a fully integrated processing platform designed for large property and casualty insurers. Safety’s system is hosted at a CSC data center, where CSC staff handles all aspects of Safety’s policy processing, security and day-to-day application maintenance — from nightly cycles to system upgrades.

Creating an Internet ‘ATM’ for Agents
Safety then made a major commitment to its only distribution channel — independent agents. Safety had launched a portal for its agents, Agents Virtual Community, and in 2002 decided to offer those services over the Internet using CSC’s software, a suite of Web browser-based insurance services interfaced with CSC’s system on the back end. CSC also worked directly with other vendors to integrate iSolutions with agency management systems including AMS and Applied, giving Safety’s agents access to an immediate quote and online approval for new business. Using information automatically uploaded from the agency system to Safety’s Web portal, agents only enter policy information once. Safety’s innovation became an instant hit with agents.

“Putting the right tools on the agent’s desktop made our system much like an ATM machine used by banking customers,” said Jim Berry, vice president of Insurance Operations at Safety. “They can do whatever they need to do on their system, talk to our system and manage the account.”

Over five years the company increased its revenues by 52 percent and improved its market position from the third-largest to second-largest writer of personal auto policies in the state.

Real-Time Updates and XML Adapters
During that growth period, the Series II system provided reliable service but needed to be upgraded. Rather than completely replace the system, Safety talked to CSC about upgrading with Straight-Through Processing, which gave the insurer real-time capabilities. Straight-Through Processing helped Safety streamline its process for both commercial auto new business and endorsements from three days to one day, and it assures that policies will be issued after the data entry and underwriting review is complete.

Multiple transactions on one policy can now be completed in the same day, which enables Safety to correct out-of-sequence endorsements in real time. In the past, it took up five days to correctly sequence endorsements.

Support of Leading Software Community
CSC’s software and services put Safety in a much better position to compete for new business in the current market. “We’re experiencing probably the greatest competition since the mid-’90s,” Berry said. “Any competitor can duplicate what you do with commissions. Anybody can duplicate price, but in terms of technology offerings, you can’t just snap your fingers. It’s a longer-lasting advantage than dollar incentives.”

Building on Safety’s long-term relationship with CSC, Berry now serves on a CSC software advisory council, which helps influence the strategic direction of the system. Berry said he values the ability to interact with others members of the users’ community, which includes representatives of hundreds of U.S. P&C insurers.

“It’s exciting to network with other people about the challenges they’re facing,” Berry said. “Many face challenges that are greater than ours, but we all benefit from our collective knowledge.”