Protecting Agency Customer Information from Identity Theft
This report discusses key issues agencies must tackle to safeguard private customer information, prevent identity theft, implement an effective security policy, and protect agency data both while at rest in the agency's systems as well as in transit to and from the agency.     Click Here

Industry Meets to Address Pressing Agent & Carrier Technology Issues 09/06    This article provides a good summary of the key agent related technology issues that were discussed at the ACT, AUGIE, & State Technology Liaison Meetings in September, 2006, including the industry's real-time campaign, security and identity theft, and the agreed upon industry "Must Do" issues, to name a few. click here

It's Time to Update Your Disaster Plan 07/06    This article provides agents with a succinct checklist of the major issues they should be considering to assure the continuity of their operations should they be struck by a disaster, a major virus, or an equipment failure of some sort (power, systems, communications, etc.) click here

AUGIE Survey: Agency Technology Having Big Payback for Many Agencies 06/06 - This article discusses how many agencies are deriving a big payback from staying current with technology, while others are not. It suggests reasons for the dichotomy, all based on the agent responses to the AUGIE Survey. The article provides insights as to how all agencies can improve their bottom-line using technology. click here.

Managing the Security Risks of Portable Devices 05/06 - This article focuses on the special security risks presented by laptops and other portable devices and the specific steps agencies can take to manage these risks. It also discusses the importance of agencies taking pro-active steps on the security issue overall to safeguard their core data and the confidentiality of their customers' information, as well as to fulfill their legal obligations. click here.

Real-Time Multiple Company Rating: An Important Growth Driver for Our Future 04/06 - This article discusses how this new rating workflow can greatly improve independent agencies' current sales processes and enhance our competitive position. It also outlines how agents, carriers, vendors, user groups, and associations should work together to make this improved rating and sales workflow a widespread reality for our distribution system. click here.

Identifying Key Trends that Drive Real Opportunity 03/06 - Provides methodology for agents to identify key trends that create real opportunity for their agencies, as well as discusses some of the key trends upon which ACT has been focused. click here

Insurance Client Prospecting, 2006 Style  01/06 - This article provides practical Internet tools and other sources for independent agents and brokers to use to prospect for new clients. click here

"Agency-Carrier Technology Agreements; What Every Agency Principal Needs to Know" 12/05 - This article discusses a major agency's experiences in seeking to obtain needed improvements in these agreements to conform them to the way agents and carriers are doing business today. click here

Emerging Tools to Give Independent Agents & Brokers Better Information on Claims 11/05 - This article discusses how claims download used along with real-time claims inquiry, FNOL, and loss runs can keep agents better informed, improve the service provided to clients, and add considerable efficiencies to an agency's daily operations. click here

Some Communications & Technology Lessons Learned From Katrina 10/05 - This article traces the experiences of an agency managing its way through the aftermath of Katrina and points out lessons relating to communications and technology that will be helpful to all agencies in their own disaster planning. click here

Five Steps to a Better Agency Bottom Line 08/05 - This article points to five steps agents can take to improve their bottom line and enhance their agency's value, taking advantage of the many workflow and technology opportunities that are available today.  The article also references the many resources ACT has available to assist them. click here

Making the Agency Business More Profitable…And More Fun 07/05 click here

Protecting Agency Security Takes Center Stage 05/05 - This article discusses the lessons to be taken from the recent major profile identity theft cases, the importance of effective agency password management, and the availability for download of a comprehensive agency security guide from ACT. click here

Ease of Doing Business: A Winning Strategy 04/05 - Several carriers are taking important steps to be easier to do business with for their independent agencies. Here are the top 10 ways these carriers are improving agent-carrier workflows. click here

Building Agency Sales Power with Technology 01/05  - Learn how to build an agency sales culture and how agencies are using technology to enhance their sales, marketing, and sales management process. click here

Technology Resources as Close as Your Computer  01/05 - A great deal of helpful agency related technology and workflow information is available on the web. This article helps agents with where to look. click here

Protecting Your Client's Most Private Information 11/04 - This article explains the importance of implementing an agency privacy policy and procedures and references the ACT and IIABA tools available to assist agents. click here

Real-Time Endorsement, New Business Submission, and Activity and Note Transactions 11/04
Along with inquiry, these are the most important real-time transactions for agents. The report spells out the agents' business requirements for these transactions. click here

It is Time to Move on Real-Time Interface 10/04 - This article speaks to the historic opportunity independent agents and the industry have to achieve improved real-time interfaces through their agency management systems, transcending the current proprietary company websites. Progress, however, will depend on broader agency involvement in this real-time movement, both from an implementation and advocacy point of view. click here

Improving Agency Workflows when Carriers “Turn Off the Paper” 07/04- This article highlights the findings of ACT’s newest report which helps agents adjust their workflows when their carriers turn off the paper and provides carriers with several recommended actions to take so that the change works efficiently for their agents. click here

Focusing on Improved Agent-Carrier Technology Agreements 04/04 - These agreements have become a lot more important as agents and carriers have increased their electronic interactions. This article overviews the key principles contained in ACT’s recent report, Guidelines for Effective Agent-Carrier Technology Agreements, which is also found on the ACT web site in the Technology Reports section. ACT encourages agents and carriers to negotiate and include these key principles in the technology agreements running between the parties. click here

Building Improved Agent-Carrier Interfaces Brick by Brick   06/04 - This article focuses on the historic opportunity that independent agents and brokers have to improve agent-carrier electronic interfaces, the progress being made, what agents would like to see next, and the key importance of broad agency participation in this real-time revolution. click here

Take Charge of Your Agency's Digital Security 03/04- Alvito Vaz, Progressive Insurance, provides agency principals with a clear and succinct overview of the security issues they should be thinking about. click here

ACT 2004 Agenda 02/04- The agenda provides a good overview of ACT’s initiatives for the current year and delineates some of the major technology issues facing independent agents and brokers. click here

Sales: The Next Frontier for Agency Technology 12/03 - This article assists the agency in creating an environment that is conducive to using technology effectively to enhance the firm’s sales power. click here

Power of Working Together to Strengthen the Independent Agency System 11/03 - Written in the Fall of 2003, this article provides a good review of ACT progress to-date, including a discussion of the major ACT products that are assisting agents and the industry. click here

Roadmap to Effective Agency Information Management 10/03 - This article provides a good overview of ACT’s new product The Best Practices of Agency Electronic Information Management. click here

Backlog Should Not Be Acceptable in Your Office  08/03 - This article helps an agency face the backlog problem and overcome it. click here

ACT Launches Three Agency Business Tools 07/03  - This article provides a good overview of three ACT reports and services on the web site: evaluating ASPs, the responsibilities of the parties before policy paper is turned off to the agents, and links to vendor and user group sites containing the latest real-time interfaces by carrier, vendor, line of business, and transaction. click here

Taking Stock of the Recent ACORD Conference 06/03 - Written after the ACORD Conference in 2003, this article delineates the progress with real-time interfaces, the importance of the ACORD XML standards, and steps agents should take to continue to push for more efficient interfaces. click here

A Technology/Process Agency Culture Drives Continuous Improvement 06/03  -This article speaks to the importance of establishing a technology/process oriented culture in the agency and describes a number of technology implementations that have been made by technology oriented agencies. click here

This Industry is on the Move…To Achieve Technology and Workflow Improvement 04/03 - Written after the IVANS Conference in the Spring of 2003, this article predicts 2003 will be seen as a major turning point for independent agencies, bringing much more efficient agent-carrier interfaces than in the past.  It also describes the critical nature of technology innovation to the future competitive position of our distribution system. click here

Technology Investments that Build Agency Value 03/03 - This article stresses three strategies for agents to implement to build their agency value: to establish a technology/process oriented culture; to implement more efficient agency workflows, and to use emerging real-time interfaces promptly when they become available. click here

Use It or Lose It: Agents Need to Implement SEMCI Interfaces 02/03 - This article stresses the importance of agency advocacy for improved agent-carrier interfaces and of agency use of these interfaces when they become available, so that carriers and vendors will conclude that this is really important to the agents and that their investments have been worthwhile. click here

Associations Reach Out to Agents with Practical Business Information   01/03 - This article outlines the excellent resources that the association makes available to agents over the Web through the Big I Virtual University, the Best Practices Gateway and ACT. click here

Credit Scoring & Commission Downloads: Two Workflow Issues to Address 12/02 - This article discusses the need for the industry to address more efficient workflows for agency handling of credit scoring and the opportunities for agents to use commission downloads through their agency management systems to improve their workflows. click here

Real-Time SEMCI for Independent Agents Becomes a Reality - Written in late 2002, this article conveys the excitement and the opportunity presented by the first real-time interfaces through agency management systems. click here

Technology and Workflow Improvement Enhance Agency Value -This article provides an overview on three major ACT initiatives. It overviews the Best Practices Guide to Agency Business Processes and Workflows which is a hands-on practical agency improvement tool. It discusses the ACT Interface Statement which clearly delineates what agents are striving for with regard to agent-carrier real-time interfaces. Finally, it discusses ACT’s Password Guidelines Report which is designed to improve the current password situation agents face dealing with multiple carriers, while at the same time improving security for all of the parties involved. click here

Sandbox Discoveries - Former ACT Chairman Ed Higgins discovered several workflow improvements while “playing around” with his technology. He shares his discoveries with the reader. click here

ACT Role to Improve Agent Technology  - This article provides a good overview of ACT’s mission; how the ACT Governing Council functions; and how ACT approaches its mission.click here

Agency Technology Success Stories  - This article describes the case study portion of the web site and highlights several of the case studies, where agencies describe how particular technologies have provided a specific payback to their agencies.  click here

Best Practices Agencies Embrace Technology  - Based upon the 2001 Best Practices study, this article describes how these agencies are using technology and continuous process improvement to help them achieve their “best practices' status. click here

Managing the System Upgrade Process - Written by Mele Fuller of Safeco, this article helps the agent handle the systems upgrade process where the agent has to juggle multiple software on the agency’s system. click here

Path to More Effective Company Interfaces - Written after the 2002 ACORD Conference, this article highlights the AUGIE agency survey and the industry’s opportunity to achieve more efficient interfaces. click here

Reaching out to Clients 24/7 - This article highlights the opportunity agents have to improve their agency brand as well as their service by providing customers with 24/7 access using the agency’s web site as well as after hours telephone service. The article discusses the areas where 24/7 has provided an early payback for agents. click here