What’s New in EZLynx 21.3

The EZLynx December 2021 release is now available! Here are some of the highlights:

Automation Center Enhancements for IVANS eDocs and Messages

In EZLynx Automation Center, the Carrier Notification Received trigger has been expanded to include tailored workflows for the full range of carrier message types. Each carrier message contains handling information that can automatically drive activities within your agency. Where policies are at risk, you can immediately intercede and work with the customer to resolve outstanding issues.

For the Carrier Notification Received workflow, Message Type has been added as a filtering parameter. These message types include:

  • Notice of Final Cancellation
  • Payment Overdue
  • Rescission Notice
  • Non-Payment Pending Cancellation
  • Electronic Memo
  • Non-Renewal Notice
  • Policy Change (Travelers only)

Automation Center Adds Policy Renewal Workflow

A new Policy Renewal workflow has been added to EZLynx Automation Center. When a policy is renewed, your agency can now automate actions like:

  • Email or text the client
  • Generate and share important documents
  • Create notes or tasks for your agency to follow up
  • Create folders within EZLynx Management System

As you would expect, you can filter this workflow based on various parameters within the context of the policy or applicant/insured.

This new trigger can be found under the Management System section in the Workflow Editor screen.

Additional Lines Added for Edit Downloads Feature

EZLynx means smarter downloads, because our process goes out of its way not to override existing manually entered data. You can also supplement information in policy downloads sent from the carrier. In a Commercial Auto policy, for example, users can fill in missing information for vehicles, drivers, coverages, additional interests, and more. This feature allows agencies to take complete control of their policy data.

Previously, the Edit Downloads feature was only available for commercial downloads. Now, we’ve extended this feature to personal lines, as well!

The following LOBs have  been added for Edit Downloads:

  • Personal Auto
  • Homeowners
  • Dwelling Fire
  • Personal Umbrella
  • Personal Inland Marine
  • Flood
  • Watercraft (small boat)

Rating Engine Updates

Several carrier-specific questions have now become part of the default EZLynx Rating Engine questions for the Home LOB. These moves improve accuracy and reduce the overall number of company-specific questions. Questions include:

  • Number of Full Baths (added into MSB Lookup)
  • Number of Half Baths (added into MSB Lookup)
  • Occupancy Type
  • Dwelling Usage field updated (Unoccupied and Vacant moved to new Occupancy Type field)
  • Sinkhole Collapse (moved to regular Endorsements section)

We also have some state-specific updates with this release, to reflect changes to state law.

  • Virginia — Bodily Injury, Uninsured Motorist, Underinsured Motorist Minimum Limits increased to 30/60
  • Nevada — Dog Breed question removed
  • New Jersey — Additional “Not Specified” Gender option added

Option to Cancel Pending Bulk Re-Assignment Jobs

Previously, if your agency needed to cancel a pending Bulk Re-Assignment Job, you needed to contact EZLynx Support. You now have the in-product option to cancel those queued requests yourself.

NOTE: You are only able to cancel jobs that have not yet started processing. In general, Bulk Re-Assignment jobs start processing by 5PM CT.

Additional LOBs for Commercial Package Policies

When creating a Commercial Package Policy, you now have two additional LOBs to choose from:

  • Excess Liability
  • Professional Liability

Retention Center – Change Reasons for Additional LOBs

A key feature of EZLynx Retention Center is the way it summarizes premium-bearing changes between the insured’s current policy and the carrier’s renewal offer. These Change Reasons save hours of time previously spent by agency staff manually comparing dec pages.

In this release, we added Change Reasons for the following LOBs:

  • Business Owner’s Policy
  • Commercial Inland Marine
  • Crime
  • Commercial Umbrella
  • Excess Liability

In total, we added the Change Reasons feature for 20 new LOBs in 2021!

 

For more information on any of these exciting new features, please visit the EZLynx Solution Center.


Put Carrier eDocs to Work for Your Agency

Because carrier eDocs typically download to the agency prior to reaching insureds, they serve two important purposes:

  1. Keeping your agency informed
  2. Providing the opportunity to be proactive with clients

If you’re not already familiar with Carrier eDocuments (eDocs), they refer to the electronic transfer of documents from a carrier to the insurance agency’s management system. They can include Declaration Pages, Policy Documents, Notices of Final Cancellation, Non-Payment Pending Cancellations, Non-Renewal Notices, Payments Overdue and Reinstatement Notices.

EZLynx handles carrier eDocs by automatically attaching them to client and policy records, providing a real-time notification, and making it easier for you to locate and share them with insureds.

Regardless of how your management system intakes carrier eDocs, be sure your agency is making the most of them.

For updated Declaration Pages, the course of action is typically straightforward. You want to be the one to share that information with the client. Assuming no issues, your goal is to reinforce your relationship as their single point of contact.

For events that jeopardize the policy (and your book of business), a more action-oriented response is required. Because the matter is time critical, you’ll want to reach out to the client immediately. If the notice is payment-related, the client may have been expecting it… but maybe not. Either way, you’ll want to close the loop on how they plan to address the situation.

For Non-Renewal Notices, your client is going to need somewhere else to place that risk.

Above all, send the clear message that you are there to help. Your agency will be in the best position to keep the client’s business.

Does the client already have a plan…Great, how can you assist?
Does the client need a plan…
Get involved and help them understand their options.

How Modern Agencies are Handling Carrier eDocs

Agency Automation and Customer Portals are two ways modern agencies are upping their game even further.

Agency Automation

Carrier eDocs is an area where agency automation really shines! Software can be leveraged to:

  • Automatically route eDocs to the correct agent/CSR
  • Automatically notify the insured

Automation offloads tasks that software can perform faster and more dependably. Insureds receive time-critical information immediately, including the incoming carrier document and suggested next steps.

Automation tools can also trigger internal workflows for your agency (think “best practices”).

Customer Portals

Customer portals provide the online customer experience insurance shoppers have grown to expect from their agent. Insureds can access policies, submit change requests, view their ID Cards and generate certificates from anywhere.

Carrier notifications are a perfect fit.

Customer portals are available 24/7, and they provide an added layer of security that everyone will appreciate.

More and more clients are preferring this type of online communication, so there’s never been a better time to launch these capabilities within your agency.

In Summary

If your agency management system can receive carrier eDocs, make sure you’re set up and actively downloading them. Then, double-check that you have the workflows in place to take full advantage.

Carrier eDocs represent opportunities to serve and retain the client. And when a modern, immediate touch is required, software automation and online customer self-service can be counted on for a frictionless customer experience.