Running Start 2016Are you ready to take licensing & registration seriously?

As the regulatory environment changes over time, it can create new types of challenges for the sales channel that only proactive licensing and compliance professionals can overcome. By using best practices for producer management, you can address these obstacles and create a competitive advantage for your entire organization.

Carriers• Non-resident License Work flow: Enables the submission of license applications for your carrier call center without needing to re-key producer information

• Authorization overrides: Ensures producers are stopped from selling when business circumstances demand it

• Browser compatibility updates: Ensures agents can use their device of choice while interacting with the system

Please note: You can also find Producer Manager and Producer Express release notes in Producer Manager.

Securities Firms • Producer Portal invitations: Carrier administrators can now instantly share credential information with their producers

• Form submissions: Form U!s with criminal, bankruptcy, and judgment/lien disclosures can now be submitted directly to FINRA via WebEFT

States • New work spaces for Education and Consumer Complaints.

• Over !" new format reports in production.

• Automatic update of National Producer Number (NPN) for Firms.

Best Practices and Industry Updates • Sircon’s Top Blog Posts of !"#$

• Top % Things Carriers Should Avoid to Improve Agent-Carrier Communication

• Carriers: & Ways to Get Ahead in !"#'

• FINRA Rule &##"(e): How Pro-active Monitoring Can Help You Comply

• Carriers: Best Practices for Managing Producer Data

If you encounter any problems or have additional questions, contact Sircon Customer Support at 877.876.4430 or e-mail us at sirconsupport@vertafore.com

New Research

How Life, Health, & Annuity Carriers can become easier to do business with• Vertafore recently teamed up with Celent,

a leading industry analyst, to identify the top priorities of distributors in the life and annuity market. Discover how carriers can learn where to invest to attract and grow distributor relationships with a full copy of the report.

Sircon® Quarterly Newsletter

Q1, 2016

Background: Assurity Life Insurance Company has provided protection and peace of mind to customers for over #!$ years. The company’s roots go back to the late #(""s when it began serving customers in Eastern Nebraska communities. Today, Assurity is licensed to conduct business in %) states and the District of Columbia,

“We wanted Sircon to fit us; not conform ourselves to fit them. They were flexible enough to do that for us.”

Pat CrigerAssurity Life, Director of New Business Services

EVENTS

What is NetVU?NetVU is the Network of Vertafore Users, an independent Vertafore user group. The NetVU organization has created a centralized place for all Vertafore users, regardless of the Vertafore products they use, to network, share ideas, and help improve the products they work with every day.

What is NetVU!"?NetVU#' is the !"#' annual conference of Vertafore users. The conference brings in about &,""" attendees from across the industry including agencies, carriers, and vendors. Together, the participants can work together to shape the future of the Sircon solution set.

Why attend?This is the Sircon user group that you have been waiting for! As a customer of a Sircon solution, there are three main reason you would want to participate in the NetVU community and attend the NetVU#' Conference:

!) Gain Sircon product knowledgeParticipate in a Sircon solution knowledge track that highlights best practices from customers and product experts, so you can get the most out of your investment—not to mention an opportunity to view and a*ect the Sircon solution road map.

#) Network with your distributor or carrier business partnersCreate and participate in open conversations between agents and carriers about the future of the insurance industry.

$) Connect with Sircon thought leaders and leadershipTalk with our sta* and work with us to influence Sircon capabilities by engaging with our NCOM discussion board or talking directly with Sircon leadership.

How do I register and book my hotel?Click here to register and book your hotel online.

Producer Manager Tips & Tricks With Producer Manager’s various capabilities, we’re finding some features that users today aren’t taking advantage of! Here’s the inside scoop on these features that you already have access to, but may be missing out on:

Do you require your distribution partners to have Errors and Omissions or other professional liability Insurance? How do you track them and make certain that they get updated on a timely basis? • Professional liability functionality in Producer

Manager may help make this set of tasks easier.

How do you keep track of inter-distributor relationships?• Producer Manager helps you manage groups,

teams, and hierarchies in a variety of ways. This can be as simple as adding an agency’s ID number to each producer, or as complex as using agreements and hierarchies to build relationship trees.

Do you spend time reconciling your invoices? • You can create cost centers attached to

your business units and those costs can be apportioned to cost centers at the level of transactions for easier reconciliation.

Contact your Sircon Account Manager to learn how you can leverage these functionalities!

How have you leveraged your Sircon solution to change yourbusiness? Tell us your story and you could win # FREE registrations to the trade show of your choice!

Regulation Corner#%!& Regulatory ChangesIn !"#$, there were !(' regulatory changes that occurred. As always, Vertafore closely followed these updates to ensure that your Sircon solution keeps you compliant with the most current regulatory updates. Get this information even faster with Sircon e-PAL or by subscribing to the SILA Digest.

How do you process your state required information?Did you know that along with our !! Sircon states, Vertafore provides services to all $" states as well? Click here to learn more about how we service the states you do business with.

Mark Your Calendars

Febr

uary

) –

#", !

"#'

Eberl Dallas, TXThe industry’s leading adjuster conference for networking and exceptional education sessions, including Xactimate training, carrier certifications, auto liability training, and much more.

Mar

ch )

– ##,

!"#

'

iPipeline: Connections !"#$Las Vegas, NViPipeline’s Connections !"#' User Meeting & Conference provides a unique environment in which you can engage one another to discuss challenges and successes, and to explore new synergies within the industry.

Mar

ch +

– ),

!"#

'

ARM !"#$Minneapolis, MNSince #)+$, ARM has helped improve uniformity and simplification of registration procedures in the securities industry.

Febr

uary

!% –

!', !

"#' LIMRA !"#$ Distribution Conference

for Financial Services Las Vegas, NVThis conference will present leading-edge strategies to enhance life, health, and annuity operations and increase sales. This is the premier event for anyone with a vested interest in channel growth, productivity, and reshaping distribution for success.

Read all here

Customer SpotlightAssurity Life achieves outstanding e!iciency and compliance with Sircon

This is why at the beginning of every year, we team up with our SILA partners to discuss the most important things happening in insurance regulation, and what you can do to get a leg up in the competitive insurance market.

This year’s featured speakers include SILA President, Sam Meyer; SILA President-Elect, Donna Robinson; SILA Treasurer, Heather Henderson; and Vertafore’s VP of Product Management, Tim Owen.

Hit the ground running in !"#'- Register for the Running Start webinar today.

Register Here

Read the Report

Sircon Supported State via NIPR Gateway

Sircon State – Continuing Education Services

Sircon State – Full Service

Vertafore Giving BackIn November, Vertafore employees participated in our first ever Week of Caring. Here’s a quick look back on what we accomplished: • &#& total volunteer hours• $" events• '( pints of blood donated (helping #$' people)• $&,$&) pounds of food packed or donated• '' disaster preparedness class hours

• #" emergency kits ra$led o$ to employees

Product Updates We’ve made the following improvements to our carrier, securities firms, and state-focused products:

with over &#,""" active agents. Today, they use the Sircon platform for their producer management and compliance needs.

Proven Results with Sircon• Fully automated on boarding processes• One-minute onboarding with just-in-time appointments• +$% percent reduction in time it takes to authorize an agent to sell• Eliminated the need for overtime

• Achieved growth without adding sta*

Click here to read their success story!

trees.

Do you spend time reconciling your invoices? • You can create cost centers attached to

your business units and those costs can be apportioned to cost centers at the level of transactions for easier reconciliation.