Insurance document management: it pays, for MetLife

By automating the creation, distribution and management of policy issue documents, MetLife plans to improve production, data access, efficiency and time-to-market.

Using InSystems' Mosaic and Calligo document management software, MetLife workers will create, assemble and distribute policies and other insurance documents, making them searchable for other MetLife business units. InSystems' Tracker application will let workers track and share the progress of filings as they move through the state Department of Insurance approval process.

MetLife's old policy issue system "was not user friendly, LAN capable, or able to integrate with our administration systems," and couldn't audit or monitor output, according to Miriam Krol, VP of Group Contract and Compliance Division in MetLife's Institutional Business division.

MetLife also wanted more document management capabilities. "Being able to manage documents is critical with a vast library of policy-related forms, rates and advertising," added Krol.

With the new system, 350 users in different business areas within MetLife, such as Claims or Underwriting, will be able to automatically create and assemble insurance documents, determine what is needed in terms of filing and revisions to existing contracts, and produce and deliver the completed document to the customer.

"From a document perspective, this will provide a 'cradle to grave' approach from document assembly to delivery," said Krol, with results being "customer response time improved and products brought to market in much less time, while maintaining document integrity throughout the process."

Krol added that although they weren't involved in the purchasing decision, workers in other MetLife departments are embracing the system's Web-based capabilities including secure online access and automatic updating of information