The new product is designed to speed processing and, when combined with FirstBest Agent or FirstBest Underwriting Management System (UMS), can produce bindable quotes in seconds.

"With AppReader integrated into our FirstBest UMS, Amerisafe will be able to increase our underwriting responsiveness, further enhancing our agents' experience," says Geoff Banta, president of Amerisafe, a specialty writer of workers' compensation insurance for hazardous industries. "We fully expect AppReader to increase submission accuracy and speed underwriting time-in-process, both of which will strengthen the distribution channel that is the lifeblood of our business."

AppReader is an alternative to traditional upload solutions. It runs inside a browser and does not require any software installation or transaction fees. The new product transforms an ACORD application into XML and enables instant upload directly from the agent or underwriter desktop to the carrier's systems.

"AppReader is easy for the agent but powerful for carriers," says John Belizaire, CEO and founder of FirstBest. "AppReader will take the agent's PDF or form image and upload ACORD XML data directly into the carrier's processing systems."