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The Insurance Management System (IMS) is an integrated
suite of modular components. This ensures that not only
do all the modules work together to achieve outstanding
efficiencies and service levels, but the individual
modules can easily be “unhooked” and replaced
by new upgraded versions.
IMS is a rule based system that delivers; online premium
quotations, policy documentation and policy management,
broker administration and profitability management,
claims administration, premium collection via BACS,
together with general Management and Executive Information
Services. There are extensive standard interfaces built
into the system and new interfaces can readily be added.
Clients include AXA UK, Zurich Insurance (Eagle Star
and Allied Dunbar), Norwich Union and ESG Europe.
Introduction
The Quantum system was first implemented
within Quantum in 1999, shortly after its implementation
within Eagle Star, which is part of Zurich Financial
Services. In addition the systems are used externally
by:
- Zurich Financial Services (Eagle Star
and Allied Dunbar), first installed in 1999,
- ESG, first installed in 2002,
- Norwich Union (International), first
installed in 2002,
- AXA Insurance, live operation in 2004.
The scope of the package was significantly
extended in the years 2000 to 2001 and was upgraded annually
thereafter. The present version in operation is 004, with
005 expected to enter user testing in July and be generally
available from October 2005. Future releases are scheduled
for general release in October of each year.
IMS is used by the QCG claims operation in Dunstable,
to manage substantial volumes of claims and policy administration
business for a number of prestigious corporate clients
including:
- Britannia Building Society,
- Chelsea Building Society,
- Countrywide,
- AXA Insurance,
- AXA Life,
- Norwich Union,
- Leeds & Holbeck Building Society,
- Scottish Power,
- NIG,
- BIBA,
- Sky.
System
Overview
The IMS software comprises the following modules:
- Executive Information System (EIS),
- Premium Collection System (PCS),
- Policy Management System (PMS),
- Claim Control System (CCS),
- Data Management System (DMS),
- Corporate Progress System (CPS),
- Accounts Management System (AMS).
The first module is
a stand-alone reporting module for senior executives.
The next three modules comprise the front end of the
core system. The fifth module constitutes the back end
data engine and the sixth module is a web based reporting
tool for use by the arrears departments of corporate
clients. The final module is an external accounting
module that can be integrated within the overall system
or instead of this module clients normally use their
own in-house accounting package which is linked to IMS.
Interfaces
IMS is already geared to expect certain
interfaces. It produces the appropriate output files
and is able to accept and process the relevant input
files. The standard interfaces, which already exist
and could either be disabled or modified are:
- BACS credit and debits, the system
interfaces with standard BACS gateway software, which
encompasses BACS credit and debits facilities. The
BACS gateway software used by Quantum is provided
under licence by Checkpoint Security Services and
is recommended by Natwest and HSBC. Quantum could
either procure this software for use by clients, or
it could separately arrange to interface to any preferred
BACS payment module specified by clients. Any unwanted
BACS features can be switched off as part of the customisation.
- Cheque payment system interfaces for
cheque printing. If this feature is not desired, where
for example only BACS payment facilities are to be
used, clients could again request QCG to switch off
the BACS features as part of the customisation. The
BACS and Cheque payment features at a system level
cannot be switched on and off by users and would almost
certainly need some modification to handle any client
specific interface requirements.
- Most of our clients require transaction
dumps for later processing by SAS systems as SAS software
is almost an actuarial industry standard; it is however
very expensive. If clients indicate that they wish
to utilise an LCP system supported by an SQL server.
The standard interfaces would be modified to directly
update the LCP SQL server. However it should be noted
that as an alternative, the real time earning of premiums
from live policies is a feature that is directly available
from within the Quantum system.
- Interfaces for the transfer of accounting
information to Oracle Financials and other external
accounting systems.
- Interfaces to MS Excel spreadsheets
and MS Access databases already exist and are used
by many of our corporate clients.
- Interfaces to SQL Server, Oracle and
other back end data engines; Quantum use SQL Server
in-house, whilst some of our external client sites
use Oracle.
- Interfaces to Postal Address Finder
(PAF) software. The use of PAF significantly reduces
the time required for the direct input of new policyholder
information and other contact information such as
the names and addresses of medical providers.
- Standard output files exist for uploading
to the Corporate Progress System (CPS) web site and
other web interfaces.
- Interfaces for the inward transfer
of policy master data.
- Interfaces for the outward transfer
of reinsurance data.
Data Scalability
The system has no known scalability
limitations within either the hardware or the software
architectures. The system has been stress tested with
hundreds of thousands of policy records.
The in-house Data Management System (DMS) utilises Microsoft
SQL Server, which has no obviously relevant capacity constraints
in terms of the likely usage of IMS by clients. Some clients
utilise Oracle, which again has no obviously relevant
capacity constraints. However QCG cannot make any contractual
representations concerning the capacity or scalability
of IMS within the specific client environment. This is
because its operational performance will be dependent
upon the nature of the hardware, software, network configuration
and network traffic, all of which will be purely client
controlled factors except for the software element.
In the opinion of QCG the most significant factors impacting
performance at any reasonable volumes are likely to be:
- The network traffic,
- The frequency of the archiving of audit
and transaction logs.
Any client should therefore satisfy
itself as to the capacity and scalability of IMS prior
to purchasing a licence. QCG would facilitate any such
testing or demonstrations involving high volumes of data.
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