Launched in 2002 by Origo, the technology standards body for the financial services market, UNIPASS® is an individual digital certificate that replaces the need for multiple user IDs and passwords to access provider and portal websites.
UNIPASS will sit along side The Exchange’s existing secure log-on process and intermediaries will have the option to use the UNIPASS certificates or continue using The Exchange’s own log-on process, depending on what suits their specific business needs. The Exchange is also providing a link from its log-in page to the UNIPASS website to make it easy for intermediaries to find further information and register for their own digital certificate.
With around 20,000 registered users, The Exchange’s Exweb service is the largest intermediary portal in the UK and will help make the benefits of UNIPASS available to an even broader user base. UNIPASS is live on the main Exweb service and Exweb Broker, The Exchange’s dedicated service for brokers selling non-regulated products.
David Child, managing director at The Exchange, commented:
“We are pleased to be supporting this important industry initiative. UNIPASS offers speed and security benefits to both intermediaries and providers and as the leading provider of portal services it is important that we give our IFA customers the option to use these certificates if it suits their needs.”
UNIPASS is already in use at many of the UK’s major life companies, now including: AXA, Scottish Equitable, Standard Life, Norwich Union, Prudential, Skandia, Clerical Medical, Friends Provident, Scottish Widows and Zurich.
Paul Pettitt, managing director of Origo, commented:
“The adoption of UNIPASS by The Exchange is a great endorsement and clearly demonstrates that UNIPASS is providing an essential, cost-effective, security service for portals, as well as product providers.”
