Case Study : Creating Enterprise Integration Architecture & Setting Guidelines

Client Engagement

The client, Indian subsidiary of leading global insurance carrier, is a top 5 private insurance company in India. They offer Traditional, Investment and Annuity products. The client has embarked on implementing many point solution based on an aggressive business plan for next 5 years. During our initial finding it was noted that all such solutions may not deliver to its potential unless the integration approach was revamped comprehensively. All the initiatives to increase the automation, seamless integration across various applications to reduce time and cost in manual reconciliation was reaching a roadblock.

Objective

Creation of integration roadmap and guidelines for the forthcoming new initiatives planned
Ensuring best possible reusability of integration efforts, for next round of SOA based EAI project

Challenges

Multiple point solutions under implementation
While most existing integrations are point to point approach, most new IT initiatives without clearly defined integration approach
Identification of best/ optimal integration methodology for under implementation products, without a reference framework
Reviewing and advising on the ongoing integrations

Engagement Approach

C2LBIZ approached this engagement with its Insurance Enterprise Integration Assessment(IEIA) framework. Analysis started with current operational processes, IT applications, IT infrastructure, Existing integrations, performance results for the current state(“As Is”).
Detailed report submitted with alternative approaches, Based on key criterion, proposed new Integration Architecture, and also Integration Guidelines and rules for forthcoming projects.

Value Delivered

Enterprise Integration framework and IT architecture that would significantly save costs directly as well as indirectly.
Rationalization of the integration points to much reduced – shared and standardized services across multiple applications.
Key existing applications would have longer free batch window, thus enhancing the enterprise processing scalability.
Many of the critical limitations of the existing core systems were identified, and were proposed to move to the middle tier minimizing the constraints of the existing core systems thus helping in reducing time to market for introducing new products, services and applications, and also IT maintenance costs.

Case Study : ODS Design and Development

Client Engagement

ODS (operation Data Store) has been an attempt intended to consolidate generation and dissemination of all information through a common data store. The current engagement approach was to profile all the sources and usages of the information and to design the data store that will address these needs in an efficient as well as scalable manner.

Objective

Eliminate data clutter arising out of ad-hoc handling of data
Bring in consistency in information dissemination to all diverse users
Bring in time efficiency in information dissemination
Fulfill the need of historical reporting with data and transaction history

Challenges

Too many uncontrolled users of base data. Each set of users operating on an independent copy of data. Uncontrolled manipulation and usage of raw data
History of data and transactions not directly available from the source of raw data
Provide for volume scalability, data complexity scalability keeping in mind a limited time window for data ETL

Engagement Approach

Inventory analysis of all sources of raw data, and all usages of data
Consolidation of usages to eliminate duplication, bringing in consistency, and projection of future needs.
Detailed analysis of the data structure of all raw data sources
Use of insurance industry standard data model (C2L BIZ’s SymbioSys Insurance Data model) to carry out gap analysis with the usage needs
Incorporation of gaps in the standard data model
Detailed mapping with ETL logic from raw source to target data model

Value Delivered

A design that will eliminate multiple extracts and uncontrolled usage of raw data
A design that will bring in consistency in information reporting
A design that conforms to industry standard requirements, thus catering to scalability in future

Case Study : Claims Tracking System

Client Engagement

An Indian Health insurer, subsidiary of leading Global Health Insurer who had commenced its business using independent Health & Travel Administration System. The existing Claims administration was mostly handled in the information provided by the Third Party Administrator responsible for the claims Mgt.This involved significant manual handovers, duplication of efforts &/or inconsistencies. With the growing business the tracking of the claims was getting arduous & also at times loosing control.

Objective

Current State Assessment of client’s claims management, its systems and processes
System Covering Individual & Group Personal Accident / Domestic Travel products
Benefits to be addressed Accidental Death/ Permanent Total Disablement/ Permanent Serious Disablement/ Permanent partial disablement/ Total Temporary disablement

Challenges

Existing Policy Admin Systems not comprehensively addressing the
Claims administration was mostly handled in the information provided by the Third Party Administrator responsible for the claims Mgt.
Structured and integrated claims tracking for process control was missing
The team for generating Claims MIS required to be continuously growing
Absence of any existing system, visualization of the business requirements were needed to be visually aided for effective confirmation.

Engagement Approach

Business Analysis of the existing Claims operations across Accident and Domestic Travel needs, aided using screen prototypes and questionnaires.
Detailed study of the needs, existing Claims processes and information. Interaction and process walk through with the Users and discussions with Function Heads. Assessment of other system integrations.
Ready to use Technical Architecture framework from C2L BIZ.

Value Delivered

Set the business framework for later extending the enhanced solution for independent claims functionality even covering many other product line, benefits etc.
Many process & information integration points identified for improvement of efficiency. The system has provided the ability to de-centralize the Claims processing.
Prepared a screen prototypes and questionnaires for quick and detailed requirement capture and confirmation.
Delivery on time and within the agreed fixed bid cost quoted upfront.

Case Study : Agency and Customer Portal

Client Engagement

The requirement was to provide a front end System to complement the Policy Admin System being decided by the insurer so as to address issues ranging from proposal capture to policy issuance across diverse distribution channels and products with ability to adapt to different business processes. Thus needed was the ability to seamlessly integrate with Policy Admin platforms, other core enterprise systems and service providers.

Objective

Provide a Customer Portal to enable online selling of Health, PA, CI and Travel products.
Provide an Agent Portal to view portfolio, performance and compensation information.
Provide a Channel Management system to configure & maintain various distribution channels & partners.
Provide a solution to track the Claims right from the inception till the closure along with its business workflow.

Challenges

New organization, Operation not started and hence processes were not clearly defined.
Policy Admin platform was not yet implemented.
The requirements for interface layer were at a very high level.

Engagement Approach

Detailed Study and analysis 4 weeks.
Excel based prototype development to showcase the final output
Early identification of touch point with various systems and agreement on the data exchange mechanism
Web Service based integration with all systems via ESB

Value Delivered

Effective customer oriented interactive platform for online selling of various insurance products.
Seamless integration of core enterprise systems and service providers with the Policy Admin Platform.