14 DAY TRIAL // Insurance firm Lloyd’s is actively working with brokers to test the Apple iPad in its underwriting room, and determine whether the tablet will be a better tool to carry documentation relevant to insurance underwriting.
In order to successfully trial the use of Apple’s iPad in its underwriting room, Lloyd’s has teamed up with brokers Marsh, Cooper Gay and RK Harrison Group.
According to a report by PostOnline, the trial will kick off early this month. iPads will be tested primarily as an alternative to the traditional underwriting slips, the source notes.
“We are committed to ending the inefficient practices that remain in the London insurance market,” Martin South, CEO of Marsh UK, said. “We commend Lloyd’s for undertaking this pilot; it has our full support.”
“We are delighted to engage early in this forward thinking initiative,” Paul Bridgwater, CEO of RK Harrison Group, said. “Lloyd’s is a key market and we are dedicated to utilising new technologies which can enhance the interaction with underwriters.”
Toby Esser, group CEO, Cooper Gay Swett & Crawford, said: "Improving efficiency in order to maintain its leading position within the international insurance arena is an increasingly important challenge for Lloyd’s.”
“Cooper Gay therefore firmly supports this exciting iPad pilot, as we believe utilising portable technology will be a vital element in driving the future success of Lloyd’s as a competitive place to do business,” Esser added.
Finally, a Lloyd’s representative is quoted as well.
Sue Langley, Lloyd’s director of market operations, reportedly said the iPad was a next step in applying technology in the market.
Effectively used as an ‘electronic slip case’, iPads will enable brokers to take documents in to the market electronically, review documents with underwriters, and ultimatelty annotate them where required, the report says.
It is up to the brokers to decide which business area they will deploy the tablet computer in.
Three months of trailing should should be more than enough to conclude whether or not the iPad is useful in this Enterprise sector, Lloyd’s believes.
Apple is known to have added enhanced Enterprise support to its iOS operating system powering the iPhone and iPod touch.
While the iPad was seemingly left behind, existing owners will be able to upgrade to iOS 4.2 later this year (November) and add all the cool functionality present in iOS 4, as well as additional enhancements specifically tailored for the tablet device.
With iOS 4.2 on the iPad, “Businesses can take advantage of stronger security features, new device management capabilities, and improved enterprise integration,” Apple states on its web site.