In spring 2019, ANVA signed a letter of intent with the Association of Insurers, the NVGA and other software vendors to jointly improve data quality in the proxy channel. A hefty ambition with a challenge to match. Meanwhile, some two and a half years later, many developments, issues and solutions have come along. In conversation with Ron Gardenier (director One Underwriting and chairman NVGA) and Roel van Dijk (former general manager ANVA) we look back on the past two years and look ahead to how we can jointly give a new impulse to high data quality in the proxy channel.
Since the start of the project, ANVA has been working closely with industry participants and customers to make the Uniform Inrichting Volmachtketen project a success. We have had an intensive period during which, over a year and a half, we have drafted product definitions, developed uniform product screens, made conversion tooling and reports available. Although it was difficult to find a form of standardization that matched the needs of the entire market, we were able to pull it off with valuable customer input.
So are we there yet? "No, definitely not yet," said Ron. "We see that the number of conversions is growing, but also notice that the progress of unification in the business product lines is still lagging behind our targets." The delivery of product definitions by Insurers in this drawing really needs to pick up steam and thus represents a major challenge in the coming months. To give the progress of the project a new impetus, we as NVGA therefore sat down together with ANVA and SUIV again. Fortunately, very good results came out of this," Ron said.
That uniform screens don't always make the job easy, as the first conversions progressed, it became apparent. "Uniform is not always the same for everyone. When you want to be able to use additional fields you could initially only add that capability by putting an additional screen next to it. That doesn't work conveniently, for example, when capturing attributes that help segment. So that meant a lot of scrolling back and forth which was experienced as less pleasant," Roel explains. The tooling developed by ANVA makes it possible to place the new product definition next to the existing, old definition. In doing so, the tooling indicates which data fields should be in a different place. Customers who want to can also choose their own screen layout, while checking all required data fields in exactly the same way as with the standard screens.
By now, just about all private product definitions and screens are ready. In addition, the first business product screens are in pilot, which will be made available in the first quarter of 2022. "As far as we are concerned, there is nothing left to stand in the way of full throttle, if you have not already done so. It is time to make meters! We are ready to also translate business products to definitions and screens at a brisk pace in 2022," said Roel.
"I completely agree with that. It's not 2 before, but 2 óver 12 if you haven't started by now. Don't wait any longer and take advantage of ANVA's resources, opportunities and support to set up unification," Ron concludes.
