Through an exclusive deal with online quotes provider, Webline, the new service, which provides the processing of sub-standard or complex life risk cases to advisers, will also be available via www.webline.co.uk.
The SRB works in partnership with a panel of leading life offices to improve the processing of applications for impaired lives, those with hazardous occupations and pursuits, and high sums assured.
The new online service gives IFAs and non-regulated brokers the ability to submit applications online using intelligent HTML technology. Webline’s 9,000 adviser users will now be able to access SRB’s services as part of their current offering and existing SRB introducers will be able to use the comprehensive Webline quotations service as part of a free trial offer. Further development has also enabled the SRB to provide Webline’s b2c (business to consumer) online insurance quotations directly to users via their website.
Following an appraisal of the other major industry portals and online aggregators, SRB selected Webline as its exclusive partner to build its website and integrate the two services and 1st Software’s market leading Adviser Office system to power the back-office and CRM functions. As Webline is already integrated with the 1st Software system, this provides SRB with the added benefit that client-specific data can pre-populate forms across both systems and produce a comprehensive audit trail meeting all the compliance needs of the business.
The SRB’s chairman, Garry Heath, comments:
”Following the partnerships with Webline and 1st Software, our introducers will now be able to submit their clients’ applications completely online through the Webline portal. The electronic application form is similar to our paper version with the exception that it is intelligent and only offers supplementary questions in response to positive answers. We much prefer to receive applications electronically as it will allow us to provide a far more timely service and avoid the confusion and errors often associated with hand written forms.
“We chose Webline because we were attracted to their no nonsense attitude to business and their innate knowledge of the IFA market. As a new business we wanted to have an IT partner who can grow and evolve with us. We will continue to work with them closely and believe there are many more opportunities ahead for us to explore together.”
17 product providers are already live on the Webline platform, which provides online quotes for 13 term assurance and critical illness providers, 6 investment bond providers, 3 income protection providers and a specialist medical insurer. 1st Software has over 10,000 adviser users covering 48% market share amongst the UK’s leading IFA firms.
Paul Holland, managing director of Webline, adds:
“ Once again, we continue to be proud that Webline is selected over and above our traditional ‘big name’ competitors, but our speed of growth is as rapid as our ability to develop and this is one of the reasons SRB is such a perfect partner for us and most importantly for our very active base of over 9,000 adviser users.”
Rory Curran, executive chairman of 1st Software, adds:
“ We are thoroughly delighted that the SRB has chosen Adviser Office to support this new business, which has really identified a new and exciting opportunity for adviser firms.”
Webline (www.webline.co.uk) provides all adviser firms with a free two-week trial of its service. Registered user firms pay only £10 a month for full access to all the online quotation and submission services, regardless of the number of users in each firm.
