Microsoft IVC
We move ahead with cutting-edge technology.

Leveraging the Microsoft Insurance Value Chain (IVC) insurance solutions, Insurance Technologies brings capabilities to the market that are quickly becoming the functional standard, improving the way insurance is sold.

Since its inception in 1995, Insurance Technologies continues to use Microsoft technologies deploying ForeSight™ first on a Windows platform, and then on the Web. ForeSight is now a single code base that can be deployed as both a Web and desktop system.

Advanced Sales Tools ForeSight 5.0, built on the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 using Windows Workflow Foundation, simplifies and streamlines the selling of life, health, annuities, mutual funds, critical illness, disability income and long-term care while giving carriers the advanced tools they need to customize their offerings to customers and producers across multiple distribution channels. It supports all the steps in the selling process, including needs analysis, asset allocation and sales concepts, hypotheticals, forms generation, application processing, and group or multilife cases.

Increased Productivity and Reduced Costs The ForeSight application manages all point-of-sale activities from a single platform, increasing the productivity of producers, improving agility and speed to market as well as reducing expenses. Its native Microsoft .NET Framework provides high performance on a mobile platform while providing users with a familiar style and a fast, flexible, and secure operational environment.

Seamless Functionality for Connected and Disconnected Users Disconnected desktop users are supported through the ForeSight "Console" application that delivers the exact same functionality found in the Web service without requiring Internet connectivity. This is done using the same codebase so the user sees the same behaviors whether on the Web or on the desktop.

Case Synchronization and Updates Two-way case synchronization is supported for user data and automatic software updates are handled through ClickOnce. Rich integration options to related systems such as application processing, underwriting, and administration are provided through ACORD transactions and Web services.

The Microsoft® IVCAF is an industry-standards-based approach delivering prescriptive guidance on the development of straight-through processing, enabling workflow across multiple insurance applications. Insurance Technologies' straight-through processing from point-of-sale through policy issuance for an annuity contract is just one example offered through its IVC use. Pre-integrating applications has the potential to reduce millions of dollars of post-purchase integration pain on the part of insurance customers.

“As a Microsoft partner, Insurance Technologies continuously demonstrates its commitment to delivering on the promise of straight-through processing for the insurance industry,” said Cindy Saccocia, director for the U.S. insurance industry at Microsoft. “We applaud the innovation of all our partners who make it possible to deploy advanced technology capabilities for companies in every business sector, including the vital insurance industry.”

The Microsoft IVCAF promotes integration among best-of-breed software applications through Microsoft .NET Web services and industry standards such as ACORD. The architecture is the result of integration labs that have been held monthly since the beginning of 2006 on the Microsoft Redmond, Wash., campus. The IVCAF features a library of production-quality integrations and composite applications, business narratives, Visio® process models, XML and Web services messaging recommendations, and platform-specific implementation guidance in major business areas.