Ipad Applications at Your Own Risk

[John Galt]

Hey everyone!

My name is Mike, and I'm a team member for a State Farm agent in Virginia. I was reading over this post, and I found it very interesting that there are several major carriers without either an E-App or fillable PDF for Life policies.

To provide context, because I work for a State Farm agent, I'm unable to sell products for any other carriers. I'm still pretty new to the insurance field (started last December), so working at a captive agency limits my exposure to other processes and business practices outside of the State Farm world.

State Farm has a fairly advanced, easy-to-use online application available for customers and agents/agent staff, with the customer/agent portals linked together. A customer can start a quote online, call an agent (or the 1-800#) for help, and the agent will be able to pull up the customer's quote in real-time. The entire application process is electronic, even allowing for electronic signatures on all documents. If the agent is closing the sale at the customer's home, the agent can print a hardcopy of the application, obtain the signature(s) from the customer, scan in the signed pages, and attach them to the E-App. It makes things very easy, and all of the Underwriting guidelines are included throughout the application in the form of (?) icons beside almost every item. Agents can access the online Life application from an Ipad or laptop to allow for increased mobility (they're working on integration for Smart Phones, but haven't finished yet.)

From your posts, it sounds like writing for a company without an E-App would be harder than writing for one that does offer an E-App. How do you guys handle that? Do you have to manually calculate the rate while you're with the customer, or are you able to use their information to run a quote ahead of time? Is there a benefit to not using E-Apps or fillable PDF's? If you've written (or are writing) for 2+ companies that have both formats, do you have a preference?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I think this forum is a really great resource, and it's definitely helped me to get acclimated in my new role. I appreciate everyone who has shared their knowledge and experience.

_Mike

I want my MTV!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Newby]

Lots of confusion about this thread.

Online quoting is fine. Company authorized application software is fine (Americo's for instance.)

The PDF annotation softwares are the problem. There are a million different versions for iPads and Androids. If you are using those I would stop or check it out with your insurance companies. All the ones I talked to are not fine with it at all. No gray area.

You can still use the PDF versions of rate books, underwriting guides, RX lists, etc.

Just don't do the apps that way. And if you run across one that was that you are replacing anyway, you can likely get it rescinded and get their money back and start over.

 

[Buff Minorcan]

Here is what I would do and I don't see how it would break any rules:

1. Take the entire app on an iPad and use a PDF editor to make any PDF app from a carrier a fillable app.

2. Print the app with a mobile printer and get the signatures.

3. Email or fax in the business. Also easily do-able right in front of the client with today's technology, but you could also just do it later, whatever.

So in the end all you are really doing this for is to have a very nice and neat, typed out app with a wet signature every time. My hand writing sucks so it's worth it to me haha.

 

[TwiLight]

I use the HP Deskjet 460CB Mobile Printer ... it is on the high end at about $400-450. But the size is compact (13x6x3) with a good battery and only weigh about 4 pounds.

Battery charge lasts all week for me (T,W,TH) in the field without recharging.

really fast printing for a portable at 17 pages/min.

 

[inreverse]

For iPads the HP 100 and HP 150 (with scanner & copier) will work with the $50 adapter from HP , they are affordable ($120, Ebay for the 100), small, and have good battery life. I found a guy on Fiverr who will set up a whole application as a fillable PDF for $5. My handwriting must be like JD, I use this so I don' t have any problems getting things issued or have company problems. I use Parallels Access to access my desktop for the windows programs that I need from my Ipad. I do pay for Verizon for internet, so I have it pretty much where ever I need it, Verizon has been usable 95% of the time.

 

[yorkriver1]

For iPads the HP 100 and HP 150 (with scanner & copier) will work with the $50 adapter from HP , they are affordable ($120, Ebay for the 100), small, and have good battery life. I found a guy on Fiverr who will set up a whole application as a fillable PDF for $5. My handwriting must be like JD, I use this so I don' t have any problems getting things issued or have company problems. I use Parallels Access to access my desktop for the windows programs that I need from my Ipad. I do pay for Verizon for internet, so I have it pretty much where ever I need it, Verizon has been usable 95% of the time.

Rocking my world here. Thanks. Get fastest tablet/best deal, use Parallels Access Just checked, it also works with Android, now I have more decisions, dang it. Use phone as wireless hotspot, Verizon network. Get printer from ebay. Bam!

 

[jdeasy]

For iPads the HP 100 and HP 150 (with scanner & copier) will work with the $50 adapter from HP , they are affordable ($120, Ebay for the 100), small, and have good battery life. I found a guy on Fiverr who will set up a whole application as a fillable PDF for $5. My handwriting must be like JD, I use this so I don' t have any problems getting things issued or have company problems. I use Parallels Access to access my desktop for the windows programs that I need from my Ipad. I do pay for Verizon for internet, so I have it pretty much where ever I need it, Verizon has been usable 95% of the time.

Hey,hey hey?????