Author: Laura Packard

We already know agents are sick and tired of changing passwords and they can't memorize as many passwords as they have to carriers and platforms.  It's a major pain point for agents and for IT or cyber-security staff who manage passwords and carrier platform access. When agents are allowed to generate their own pass codes, security gaps often result since—for the sake of efficiency (and sanity)—users create passwords that are easily discovered by hackers. About a fifth keep a list of passwords tagged to the user accounts they apply to, according to a 2016 survey by Hypersocket.

Agents want security and efficiency, but the reality is they can't create that on their end.  Having heard this desire from agents—and carriers—ID Federation worked with a contingency of insurance industry players to create SignOn Once, a program that uses a digital token to authenticate a user's identity. The same token enables access to carrier and vendor websites that meet ID Federation standards. The user types in a single ID and password. The program processes that through multiple verifications instantaneously and invisibly, allowing users to move from platform to platform without rekeying access information.

SignOn Once has been piloted by a handful of carriers and agencies without login glitches, and 25 agencies are now testing the solution. The key now for ID Federation and agencies that wish to use SignOn Once is getting broad carrier adoption. There are substantial advantages for carriers. ID Federation has a trust framework that protects the security of its partners, and there is minimal IT investment or change to carrier real-time portals required. SignOn Once also reduces carrier help desk referrals, most of which come from users having password or user ID issues. The ease of access on the agency end also means more business for carriers who have adopted SignOn Once and more time for agents to develop their books of business.

It's a solution developed by the industry for the industry. "It's a prime example of the industry working together," Ron Berg says in a video explaining SignOn Once. It's not a product; it's a solution for agents, vendors and carriers alike, and it's free to the agency.

The success of the pilot suggests it will gain traction with carriers and agencies alike, and certification of ID Federation partners is under way. Broad adoption is around the corner, so it is worth learning more about putting the solution to work for your agency.

And in breakling news, Irv Kantar has been named as Business Manager to help the organization respond to increasing interest among insurance carriers, agents, and solution providers.  Kantar's extensive industry experience enables him to provide valuable support for ID Federation.  Click HERE to learn more about SignOn Once.