Part of what came out of this process was the technology, Mr. Schmittlein said, which is designed to “provide quick answers” to agents about their small market accounts and to “take away the expense and phone work” agencies spend on these accounts.

The new system is designed to be integrated with Applied and AMS agency management systems. It is one of a few insurance carrier systems, he said, that is designed to embrace SEMCI, [single-entry, multiple-company interface].

The SPCXpress application process allows agents to fill out an application online in a matter of minutes, said St. Paul. With standard risks, a policy can be quoted and purchased in a matter of minutes. More complicated applications, needing an underwriters review, would receive an answer within 24 hours.

MainStreet, the executives explained, is designed to respond to the agents needs. The application process is made simple so an agent can quickly get an answer about whether there is coverage available through the St. Paul for a customers needs.

“After you spent a whole day getting a lead, wed better be able to respond quickly to you,” observed Mr. Fishman. “There is nothing worse than a slow no.”

In a demonstration to journalists attending the New York meeting, Charlie Coon, assistant vice president, business process and systems for the St. Paul, explained how SPCXpress works.

The agent inputs information about the accounts risk profile through a series of screens, he noted. The process can be completed in minutes.

To speed up the process, data on the commercial account is obtained through Dun & Bradstreet. The information is automatically generated into the system, avoiding the tedium of filling out a series of application screens, said Mr. Coon.

A traditional insurance risk, he asserted, will see a quote generated in a matter of minutes. The agent can then review the quote and add or delete specific coverage items on the policy, altering the quote.

The quote is good for 90 days. If the customer decides to purchase, the agent need only return to the account online and hit the issue button, said Mr. Coon. As long as there is no need for an underwriters review, the policy is in the mail the next day.

If an underwriter does need to review the policy, St. Paul says the agent will have an answer within 24 hours.

SPCXpress also supports IVANS Transformation Station and is based on XML technology, enabling it to work with Internet wholesalers. Agents who do not want to use the companys proprietary Web page will be able to access the St. Pauls programs through these channels, Mr. Coon said.

St. Paul executives said the systems software is ready for more SEMCI partnerships, but the rest of the industry is lagging behind. The executives were critical of other insurers who have not adopted the standards that would allow agents to easily communicate between carriers.

Marita Zuraitis, president and chief executive officer, commercial lines, for the St. Paul, said carriers who are not adopting the new technology are taking a “narrow minded” approach to business to protect their proprietary information. These companies do not want their quotes to be placed on a “spread sheet” for comparison with other carriers, but that is what agents do, she observed.

“These companies have a lack of understanding about what happens in every agency office each day,” she noted.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Edition, May 12, 2003. Copyright 2003 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved. Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.