The insurance industry is making serious headway in the adoption of e-signatures.

As interest in e-signature functionality continues to rise, it coincides with greater producer and customer mobility, technology-driven agency expansion and a slew of gains for efficiency and customer service.

More and more carriers are getting on board as independent agents and brokers continue to implement tools from third-party vendors and agency management system providers that integrate e-signature capabilities.

If the above doesn’t apply to you, here are a few ideas for where you can start looking for agency management/e-signature integrations:

• Xanatek has partnered with InsureSign to offer XanaSign, an e-signature functionality that allows its software users to serve their customers anywhere, anytime.
• Vertafore penned a deal to make DocuSign’s e-signature solution widely available from within both its Vertafore Agency Platform AMS360 Online and, later this year, Sagitta suite of products.
• Strategic Insurance Software (SIS) offers Outlook integration with RPost in its management system, and offers information on its website about e-signature providers DocuSign and Silanis.
• QQ Solutions has partnered with e-signature provider InsureSign for QQCatalyst, QQ’s cloud-based system that makes for an easier and more accelerated workflow.
• North American Software Associates (NASA) offers integration with RPost for both e-signature and encrypted email within its Eclipse agency management system.
• EZLynx eSignature by AssureSign offers a safe and secure way to send electronic documents for signature directly from the EZLynx agency management system and rating engine.
• Applied Systems has teamed up with RPost to expand on the third-party vendor’s email delivery proof and encryption services and integrate e-signature functionality for users.

Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive—new integrations are emerging every week.

Agents and brokers should check with their management system vendors and explore the wealth of information resources available from the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT). For example, ACT member CSIO has put together an overview of e-signatures and a dashboard containing information about the vendors in its market, including:

• Adobe EchoSign
• Right Signature
• Sertifi
• Signority
• e-SignLive by Silanis
• TELUS Secure Contracts
• Xenex SignatureMaster

And in his two-part article “Using Electronic Signatures in Your Agency,” Steve Anderson addresses e-signatures and shares detailed information on vendors, including:

• SIGNiX
• ContractPal
• GoPaperless Solutions
• Right Signature

Big “I” agencies may also want to explore special DocuSign member pricing. And when weighing the benefits of potential solutions, consider using this checklist from Joyce Sigler, co-chair of the Real Time/Download Campaign.

Ron Berg is executive director of the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT). This article is adapted from the ACT article “E-Signature Vendor Solutions.”