Project CAP Launches Tech-Enabling
First Phase of Public Campaign
BY MARK E. RUQUET
Project cAP (consumer Agent Portal) has released several tech- nology offerings to assist independent producers in building an online
and social-media presence in order to
better compete against direct-writer and
captive-agent carriers.
created by an alliance among the
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers
of America (IIABA), trusted choice, state
associations and insurance carriers, the
SeaPass
Introduces New
Portal Solutions
for E&S
Carriers, MGAs
Project CAP’s digital-marketing programs are
built on the four pillars of
education, tools, content and
services,” says CEO Scott Deetz.
program is offered exclusively to the
22,000 member firms of the IIABA. cAP’s
aim is to heighten independent agents’
and brokers’ visibility among online
consumers.
the products offered include Bronze,
Silver and Gold levels, all of which
are self-directed marketing programs;
as well as full-service Platinum and
Diamond levels.
tim McDonnell, cAP’s vice
president of corporate relations
and communications, says the self-
directed programs are for firms that are
comfortable with technology and tech-
savvy enough to update their own Web
sites and incorporate social media into
their workflow.
the full-service market programs
involve consultants for those agencies that
don’t have the staff or comfort level with
technology and need a professional leg up
in the digital space.
“Project cAP’s digital-marketing
programs are built on the four pillars of
education, tools, content and services,”
says ceo Scott Deetz. He says more than
700 agencies have enrolled and chosen
specific insurance-marketing programs
based on their individual levels of
expertise and knowledge.
the offerings range from
participation in the cAP portal;
to mobile apps; to direct assistance
in writing and designing an agency’s
online offerings.
McDonnell says the roll-out is part of
a two-step program: the first phase is the
business-to-business phase for the agency
to build its online presence. the next
phase, due this summer, is the consumer
one, in which agencies involved in cAP
will begin reaching out to insurance
buyers with features and tools designed
for them, including the ability to get
auto-insurance quotes. NU
BY STAFF WRITER
SeaPass solutions inc., a provider of Web-based insurance-distribution solu- tions to the P&c industry, has introduced a pair of insurance portals—the seaPass
e&s carrier Portal and the Distribution Portal.
the e&s carrier Portal utilizes much of the
same technology employed in its insurance
Portal 3.0 for distribution of standard lines,
but is designed and targeted specifically
for the e&s market. all stakeholders in the
e&s value chain—agents, underwriters,
consumers, wholesalers and MGas—are able
to collaborate in real time for the distribution
of e&s lines of business.
the Distribution Portal provides a solution
that enables wholesalers, MGas and brokers
to connect, communicate and manage
business with carriers and agents. it combines
The E&S Carrier Portal utilizes
much of the same technology
employed in its Insurance Portal
3.0 for distribution of standard
lines, but is designed and targeted
specifically for the E&S market.
CAA Increases Volume by 21%
BY STAFF WRITER
PreMIuM voluMe for combined Agents of America llc, an Austin, texas-based agency-cluster group,
grew by 21 percent in 2011 with the addition of three new members and increased
organic growth.
the closed managing general agency
grew premium volume from $420
million in 2010 to $506 million in 2011.
the result was the generation in revenue
of $67 million compared to $55 million
in 2010.
cAA says the three new members
accounted for close to 13 percent of the
increase, while organic growth in such
niche areas as oil and gas accounted for
about 8 percent.
the cluster has members located in
texas, Kansas and oklahoma.
Its three new members are elliott
Insurance Group in louisburg, Kan; Hc&H
Insurance Group llc, in Denton, texas;
and NtX Insurance Group Inc., a group of
seven professional independent insurance
agencies spread across North texas. NU
seaPass’ solutions for carrier automation and
agency quoting into a single online portal
that supports both admitted and excess-and-
surplus lines.
seaPass makes the e&s carrier Portal
available in an enterprise, hosted or software-
as-a-service model.
“We are excited to offer wholesalers, MGas
and brokers a fast, efficient, low-risk entry to
provide their businesses an automated way to
access markets, while also making it easy for
their agents,” tim attia, senior vice president
of sales, says of the Distribution Portal. “the
much faster response time and higher level
of customer service for prospects and clients
will result in more referrals, translating to more
premium revenue.” NU
