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Author: iPipeline

iPipeline Launches New Pensions, Savings, and Investments Technology to Revolutionise and Simplify Replatforming

23 March 2023, Cheltenham, UK

Financial services technology provider iPipeline is launching a new data migration solution which will enable pensions, savings, and investment providers to replatform faster than ever before.

The company’s new Data Migration technology, alongside its SSG Digital platform, will allow providers to “lift and shift” their data quickly and efficiently, avoiding any disruption in the user experience for advisers and customers, in addition to minimising the risk of increased project costs associated with converting data.

iPipeline’s new solution takes a fundamentally different approach to moving client data by recreating records on the new system using the source data, rather than converting and manipulating existing data.

There are several significant benefits of this approach. Notably, it protects data integrity and robustness between migrated and post-migration data while eliminating the risk that the migrated data is not compatible with the new platform.

The result is that providers can replatform faster, and at reduced costs to protect margins. Advisers and customers will be able to experience the service benefits from the new system, both for new and existing customers.

Paul Yates, Product Strategy Director at iPipeline, says: “Legacy platforms present pensions, savings, and investment providers with huge challenges. They often lack stability and reliability, connectivity and efficiency. Some providers are operating tech stacks that are not years, but decades old, so replatforming is essential. There is often a huge challenge to overcome, however, in realising the full benefits of a new platform involving data and back book migration. Migration can add a layer of complexity, cost, and risk for providers and, on occasion, be a reason to delay a re-platform, exacerbating the legacy issue.”

“As we know, Consumer Duty is challenging the service and outcomes delivered for clients with policies held on older inflexible systems,” added Yates. “The FCA is also expecting there to be ‘significant issues’ with closed books among life insurance providers. Delivering the ability to move clients with confidence is a significant step forward.”

Roy McLoughlin, an adviser at Cavendish Ware, said: “Advisers have suffered in the past from the poor service and administration that comes, in part, from providers that have poor technology infrastructure. Any innovation that can make it quicker and more reliable for pensions, savings, and investment providers to modernise their proposition should be good news for advisers and customers, especially after the Prime Minister’s spring budget statement on Wednesday, which may lead to an increase in demand for pensions advice. Advisers need providers’ technology to be modern, fast and reliable.”

Sandringham Financial Partners Selects iPipeline’s SolutionBuilder® and PreQuo Products to Further Strengthen Adviser Tech Solutions

02 March 2023, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® announced today that Sandringham Financial Partners has adopted its award-winning protection sourcing solution, SolutionBuilder®, and integrated PreQuo’s services into the cash flow modelling tool, CashCalc.

iPipeline portals deliver 50% of all protection quotes in the UK market and enables advisers to source and compare products and prices across the market. PreQuo uses data from millions of quotes to predict the protection needs of clients and increases efficiency by providing accurate premiums.

Sandringham Financial Partners, an independent advice arm of M&G Wealth, combines their “advice infrastructure” with their advanced technology, which enables their Advising Partners to focus on client time and outcomes.

With iPipeline’s Risk Reports, Sandringham partners’ clients will engage earlier in the protection journey, making them aware of their protection shortfalls while highlighting the affordability of having the right cover in place.

“We’re on an important growth journey, and we continue to invest in the best adviser technology. By integrating PreQuo into our tech proposition, we give our advisers a real protection-engagement platform, helping to build need and inject reality,” said Tim Grey, Managing Director at Sandringham Financial Partners. “We remain committed to highlighting concerns and solving problems for our clients. Our strategic direction continues to place our focus on proactively advising clients.”

Kate Buckley, AVP of Client Distribution at iPipeline, added, “We’re excited to partner with Sandringham Financial Partners to provide the technology they need to improve their protection advice and grow their business. Consumer Duty and market turbulence are driving more advisers to support and meet their clients’ protection needs. Our technology is here to ensure this can be done, as easily and efficiently as possible.”

iPipeline’s data to power financial education platform using social media to reach young people

26 January 2023, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® — a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the UK financial services industry – has announced its data will now be used in the online financial education platform, Thrive Money.  Co-founded by Robert Caplan, Director and Head of Growth at First Wealth, and Zanna Van Dijk, entrepreneur and lifestyle blogger, Thrive Money aims to make financial guidance accessible to all.  By using data, the organisation can offer consumer tools that can help them better understand and improve their personal finance.

Founded in March 2022 and powered by chartered financial planning firm First Wealth, Thrive Money’s mission is to guide younger people – in particular, Millennials and Gen Z – through the fundamentals of proper financial planning in an engaging and low-cost environment so they can make well-informed money decisions.  The company reaches its target audience through social media – including Instagram– and runs live events and webinars featuring expert speakers with viewer interaction.

Using data from iPipeline’s PreQuo product, Thrive Money can power risk reports on mortgages and renting. On January 31, Thrive Money will include these interactive reports in its launch of a 30-day financial well-being programme, designed to help younger people understand and evaluate the resiliencies and vulnerabilities of their finances.

PreQuo gleans data from millions of insurance policy quotes which it then can model and predict a client’s needs and associated costs of improving sales conversion rates.

“As the founder of an award-winning financial planning company, I have witnessed, first-hand, that great financial planning can change people’s lives for the better,” said Caplan.  “The clients I deal with day-to-day, however, do not always reflect the majority of society. For many, access to high quality and reliable advice is out of reach. Our solution to this problem as we strive to close the advice gap is by using Thrive Money.”

Kate Buckley, AVP of Client Distribution at iPipeline added, “The financial advice sector is eager to reach younger people — and Thrive Money is doing just that by leveraging social media to build financial education and resilience. Our extensive data from our PreQuo system will help younger people who were unable to access traditional advice channels. We recognize the need to engage customers in different ways and through new channels, and this partnership will play an important part in achieving that goal.”

Royal London Ireland implements iPipeline’s SSG Digital platform bringing next-level digital capability to the Irish pensions market

10 November 2022, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline – the leading provider of digital end-to-end solutions for the UK life and pensions market – announces a new partnership with Royal London Ireland, as the provider launches into the Irish individual pension market.  

Royal London Ireland recently announced the launch of its new Personal Retirement Bond and Approved Retirement Fund products, building on its position as Ireland’s largest provider of protection products to financial advisers.

The partnership with iPipeline and the deployment of their SSG Digital platform enables Royal London Ireland to provide Irish customers and Financial Brokers with unique product features, transparent pricing, tailored fund choices and a strong Ireland-based, broker-focused service.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Royal London Ireland and provide the technology powering their launch into the Irish pensions market” said Ian Teague, UK Managing Director, iPipeline.

“As they embark on an exciting entry into the pensions market, we’re proud to have been trusted as the technology provider to help power their innovative vision” Teague continued.

SSG Digital is a leading platform in the UK protection market. Nine providers, from leading household name brands to respected mutual specialists, trust the platform as their core technology platform. In total, SSG Digital includes a client portfolio of over four million policies under management across, savings, investments and protection.

“Building on our success of growing Royal London Ireland to be the largest provider of Protection solutions to Brokers in Ireland, we’re excited to launch our innovative pensions proposition in Ireland, delivering a compelling product and fund choice and competitive pricing for customers. We’re confident that our technology offering built together in partnership with the team in iPipeline, will deliver to Financial Brokers and customers a very efficient and best-in-class digital experience” said Noel Freeley, CEO Royal London Ireland.

Royal London Ireland’s new pension proposition launched on 26th of September 2022.

iPipeline announces integration with innovative adviser CRM Plannr

22 September 2022, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® – a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the life insurance and financial services industry – today announces a partnership with Plannr, a new adviser Customer Relationship Management (CRM) organisation. The development of Plannr was funded in part by a kick-starter campaign amongst future users and is designed to meet the specific requirements of today’s advisers.

As a first step, Plannr will integrate iPipeline’s AlphaTrust, a leading process digitisation and e-signature platform. This will significantly speed up the digital signature process for users, creating an improved service and enhanced client administration.

“As advisers look to become more efficient, save time, and reduce costs for their businesses, they will increasingly turn to technology for support. Plannr is designed to enable advisers to do business better, and with the integration with AlphaTrust, the system will enhance and speed-up our seamless, digital processes for users,” said Paul Yates, Product Strategy Director at iPipeline.

Yates added that, “This integration will help firms improve their service to clients. Week-long paper and signature processes can be replaced and completed in an instant, through an easily configurable workflow that can be deployed quickly – saving time and effort both within the business and for its clients. What is more, it delivers a full audit, evidencing what activity is done when and by whom”.

“By using AlphaTrust’s enhanced capabilities, Plannr users can add electronic signatures to documents with a couple of mouse clicks. With the pricing model AlphaTrust offers, we have removed monthly service fees and implemented a simple pay-as-you-go charge, this is a radical change from the alternate offerings available,” said Nick Harper, Director at Plannr Technologies.

The process software has already been adopted by a number of leading advice firms including Annetts & Orchard, Clear Vision, and Goodmans. Tom Orchard, Director & Financial Planner for Annetts & Orchard commented that, “I think the pay-as-you-go pricing, coupled with the ease of use, makes this the best e-signature offering I have seen.”

For more information on Plannr and the integration with AlphaTrust, advisers can visit plannrcrm.com

Join us every Friday at 9:30am for a demonstration of our e-signature and document-process automation solution, AlphaTrust – register here.

iPipeline launches automated Life Update Process in response to the FCA’s Consumer Duty Consultation

07 July 2022, Cheltenham UK

In a move to improve transparency, iPipeline® — a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the life insurance and financial services industry – today announces the launch of Life Update Process. This simple, fully configurable digital process allows banks, providers, and advisers to regularly check-in with clients and protection policyholders to help ensure they are getting the most from their policies and that their needs continue to be fully met.

The Life Update Process is easy to use and is delivered at no extra cost to all customers of AlphaTrust, iPipeline’s process digitisation and e-signature platform.  It involves a simple set of questions and takes less than five minutes to complete. They verify that personal and medical circumstances have not changed and, if there are changes, could mean the client’s cover needs to be reviewed. It also provides an opportunity to reconnect the policyholder with their protection policy, prompting them to think about what is important to them and what they want to protect. Crucially, all answers are captured and verified via the client’s signature, providing a full audit trail. In addition, any incomplete surveys are automatically re-sent for follow-up.

This innovation is in response to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty Consultation which requires insurers and brokers to place more emphasis on regular reviews with clients. iPipeline is diligently working to make it easier and more engaging to help make sure that protection plans remain relevant and evolve with the client to match their changing needs. With six percent of the British public recently reporting they have made cuts to their insurance – with life insurance being high on the list of impacted products1 – it is critical to enhance the value of insurance and provide outstanding service.

“Consumer Duty is the focus for many within the industry at present, and rightly so. Rather than simply focusing on what the consultation means and how it will be implemented, however, we’ve developed a simple, actionable solution,” said Paul Yates, Product Strategy Director, iPipeline.

Yates added that “Life Update Process answers clear tenets of the consultation, and frankly, effectively automates what we are or should be doing already – driving increased, ongoing customer engagement and capturing ongoing changes which may impact protection needs.”

“If you’re a distributor, adviser, or insurer, how Consumer Duty impacts your business and how you respond will be at the top of the to do list. With their newly launched Life Update Process, iPipeline delivers a practical solution that helps deliver ongoing engagement – simply and efficiently,” said Andy Walton, Protection Proposition Director, Mortgage Advice Bureau.

1 Consumer Intelligence cost of living tracker

iPipeline Announces Launch of Enhanced Product Features Report Service

09 June 2022, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® — a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the life insurance and financial services industry – today announced it is extending its Product Features Report Service within SolutionBuilder®, powered by Protection Guru®, to include multi-benefit protection comparisons.

iPipeline’s ground-breaking Product Features Report Service was previously limited to single benefit comparisons. This latest enhancement to the service allows advisers to compare both core product features and added value benefits across multiple plans, for multiple clients.

These added features help advisers to analyse simply, quickly, and efficiently both quotes and product quality on their way to selecting the right recommendation for their client, regardless of the combination of products, or their complexity.

“Over the last two years, we have seen the importance of added value service go through the roof, both for the adviser and consumers. The benefits are a key part of the advice and sales process by advisers,” said Paul Yates, Product Strategy Director at iPipeline. “This tool adds real value to their recommendation process, making advisers more efficient and productive.”

Yates added that “with this enhancement, Product Features Reports become even more powerful. A simple click of ‘Get Report’ produces a single focused report to help drive advice based on quality, in addition to price.” “In the last few years, SolutionBuilder has transformed advisers’ ability to quote for multi-benefit products,” said Ian McKenna, Director of Financial Technology Research Centre (FTRC). “At the same time, our Product Features Report Service has helped advisers identify which products offer broader cover on the features suited to the clients’ needs. We are delighted to be able to extend this capability to support analysis on quality and price to multiple benefits.”

What is the Advanced Electronic Signature?

The Advanced Electronic Signature, also known as the Advanced Digital Signature, is one of the most secure types of electronic signature. They use encryption to verify the identity of the signer and ensure that the document has not been tampered with.

How does the Advanced Electronic Signature differ from the other electronic signature types?

In this post, we will explain:

– The advanced electronic signature.

Advantages and disadvantages of the advanced electronic signature.

Regulations around it.

– How it differs from the qualified and basic electronic signature.

The Advanced Electronic Signature

Advanced electronic signatures are typically used for high-value transactions or sensitive documents. They offer a high level of security and legal certainty for electronic transactions.

Unlike basic electronic signatures, which are based on the signer’s username and password, AES are generated using cryptographic algorithms that protect the signature from forgery.

eIDAS

An Advanced Electronic Signature must satisfy four key requirements under eIDAS, a set of regulations from the European Union. These four advanced requirements include:

1. Be linked uniquely to the signatory.

2. Be capable of identifying the signatory.

3. It must be created using only electronic signature creation data that the signatory can, with a high level of confidence, use under his sole control. 

4. It must be linked to the data signed, in such a way that any subsequent change in the data is detectable.


Electronic Signatures are governed and categorised by eIDAS Regulation, which separates them into three categories:

1. Basic Electronic Signature

2. Advanced Electronic Signature

3. Qualified Electronic Signature

Advanced Electronic Signature Advantages

The advantages of using an advanced electronic signature include:

Increased security: An advanced electronic signature is more difficult to forged than regular electronic signatures. This makes them ideal for use in high security applications such as financial transactions or legal contracts.

Higher legal authority: The advanced electronic signature holds a much higher legal certainty than regular e-signatures.

Reduced costs: Advanced electronic signatures eliminate the need for physical documents and wet ink signatures. This can save businesses time and money.

Improved efficiency: Advanced electronic signatures can be used to automate processes such as contract approvals. This can improve the speed and efficiency of business operations.

Improved Security
Increased Security

On the other hand, there are some instances where a basic or qualified electronic signature may be preferred.

Advanced Electronic Signatures Disadvantages

Complexity: The advanced requirements of eIDAS can make advanced electronic signatures more complex to create and use than regular electronic signatures. This can make them less user-friendly and increase the learning curve for new users.

Limited compatibility: Not all software applications support advanced electronic signatures. This can limit their usefulness in some business environments.

Cost: Advanced electronic signature solutions can be more expensive than regular electronic signature solutions, due to the increased security and functionality they offer.

Qualified Electronic Signature

A Qualified Electronic Signature is the only electronic signature to have the same legal status within the EU as a written or ‘wet’ signature.  

A Qualified Electronic Signature is a certain type of electronic signature that meets advanced electronic signature requirements and is backed by a qualified certificate, meaning a certificate issued by a trust service provider that is on the EU Trusted List (ETL) and certified by an EU member state. 

The trust service provider must verify the identity of the signer and vouch for the authenticity of the resulting signature. Stringent signer identification and signer certificate requirements can make qualified electronic signatures impractical for many business transactions – so is often disregarded in favour of an Advanced Electronic Signature.  

Advantages

– The highest level of compliance, equivalent to a physical or wet signature. 

Increased security: qualified electronic signatures are more difficult to forge than basic e-signatures or handwritten signatures.

Disadvantages

– Can be impractical for customer use, user experience suffers.   

– More expensive and complex to implement. 

– May not always be accepted by all parties.

– They require a higher level of security: qualified electronic signatures must be stored on a secure device, such as a smart card or USB token, which can increase costs.

They can be revoked: if a qualified electronic signature is compromised, it can be revoked by the issuing authority, which could cause delays in transactions.

Basic Electronic Signature

According to eIDAS, at the basic level, an electronic signature can be defined as: 

Data in electronic form attached to other data in electronic form and which is used by the signatory to sign. 

Taking this definition literally, a document can be signed simply by scanning a signature or ticking a box in a document opened on any device. This could include a scanned signature image or the click of an “I accept” button on a website.  

Technically, the data is in electronic form and attached to a file, but there are problems with this model which eIDAS is trying to address. 

Primarily, the document can still be tampered with, and a “signature” can easily be forged (i.e., we cannot be 100% sure who ticked the box or provided the scanned signature to confirm the terms and conditions were accepted).

To put in more formal terms – neither the integrity nor authenticity of the document are guaranteed. 

Advantages

– The simplest to implement and the simplest process for customers.

– The lowest cost solution.

– Eliminates the need for paper.

– Audit trial.

– Much less room for errors.

– Faster turnaround times than handwritten signatures.

Disadvantages

– For some, businesses may offer insufficient auditing and controls.

– Do not have the same level of security as the Advanced or Qualified.

Less secure than Advanced or Qualified.

The main differences between a qualified electronic signature and a basic electronic signature are the level of security and the cost.

We created a post on the top 10 benefits of using an electronic signature; you can see that here.

Basic, Qualified & Advanced e-Signature Difference

Qualified electronic signatures, also known as QES, are the highest level of electronic signature available. They offer the greatest legal protection and are typically used for high-value contracts or transactions.

Advanced electronic signatures, or AES, are the second highest level of e-signature and offer more protection than a basic electronic signature. AES can be used for most business purposes but is typically not required for low-value contracts.

Basic electronic signatures, also known as an ELS, are the simplest and most common type of e-signature. It offers little legal protection but is perfectly adequate for many business purposes, such as signing up for a newsletter or ordering goods online.

Once a business has identified the need to digitise or integrate an E-Signature platform and highlighted a set of target initial processes, the next step is to identify the best technology for their needs.

One of the key questions all businesses will need to address on their journey to digitisation, is what level of E-Signature software they need to implement to satisfy both their business and compliance requirements. 

How To Choose The Best Type

Now that we’ve covered the three types of electronic signature, you may be thinking to yourself how to choose the right one for your business?

How To Choose The Right Electronic Signature Type For Your Business

When deciding which electronic signature type to use for your business, you should first consider the value of the contract or transaction.

If it is a high-value contract, a qualified electronic signature may be required. If it is a low-value contract, a basic electronic signature will suffice. You should also consider the legal protections that each type of electronic signature offers and decide whether they are necessary for your business.

We recommend you segment your research and analysis into three topics:

1. Analysis of the regulatory and legal context.
You need to identify the constraints and risks associated with the use of electronic signatures for your specific business case.

2. Analysis of other types of risks and opportunities: for example, your company brand or image alongside any impacts on productivity, efficiency and costs.

3. The choice of the level of electronic signature, reconciling user experience and security needs.

AlphaTrust: Our e-IDAS Compliant eSignature & Document Processing Solution

How AlphaTrust Can Help: An eIDAS Compliant Electronic Signature Solution
AlphaTrust eSignature Solution: eIDAS Compliant

There are various Electronic Signature solutions available to businesses and it can be easy to assume that all offer similar features and benefits.

However, in addition to undertaking the analysis outlined above, it pays to research the Electronic Signature market, to gain a greater understanding of the solutions available and find the right for your business needs.

AlphaTrust by iPipeline is a process digitisation and Electronic signature platform, trusted by a number of high profile international brands, including: 

e-IDAS Compliant, AlphaTrust complies with e-IDAS regulations for compliance and legality. As standard AlphaTrust offers Advanced e-signatures, to always ensure a high level of confidence in the legitimacy, integrity and security of any document signed by our service.

Together, we will explore both options and agree the best approach for your business and technical infrastructure.

From simple send-a-document for signature to your most complex workflows, AlphaTrust provides a range of options to digitise processes.

AlphaTrust Benefits:

1. AlphaTrust slots seamlessly into your existing processes; you choose whether to integrate via API or simply access via a personalised digital dashboard.

2. Cloud Based or on-Premise hosting: AlphaTrust can be hosted in the cloud, or on premise. As such AlphaTrust is flexible to work within your business infrastructure and data compliance policy.  

3. API: AlphaTrust can be integrated into your business and processes for a simple API. This allows seamless integration.

4. Advanced Webform Builder: AlphaTrust includes validation logic, reflective questioning and is completely customisable to avoid invalid/incomplete forms being returned. 

5. Compliant: Complies with e-IDAS regulations for compliance and legality. Allows a full audit trail and meets the e-idas regulations making it compliant across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.

6. 2 Factor Authentication: AlphaTrust allows users to employ two factor authentication for enhanced security and customer trust & confidence.  

7. Full Access to All Features: No matter how many transactions or users required, we provide full access to all features on any pricing model.  

8. 20 years + FS experts: As a financial services specialist technology provider, we are experienced and fully conversant in the challenges of delivering products and services in a robust legal and regulatory framework.  

To find out more on AlphaTrust and how we can help you, check out our product site below.

We’ll also be happy to provide a free tailored demo for you with an AlphaTrust specialist giving you the chance to see the solution live and opportunity to ask questions.

iPipeline launches cloud-based hosted authoring services for insurers to enhance their platform technology

26 May 2022, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® — a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the life insurance and financial services industry – today announced a range of new hosted authoring services for insurers, from its best-in-class SSG Digital platform.

This hosted authoring service allows insurers on the SSG Digital platform to enhance their technology ecosystems much quicker and more efficiently, providing a competitive advantage while offering an enhanced adviser experience.

The SSG Digital cloud hosted authoring services provides more control and speed, in addition to the simplicity of self-managed release cycles, which enable insurers to make proposition changes in real-time.

SSG Digital integrates seamlessly with an insurer’s existing technology ecosystem, driving targeted strategic improvements whilst empowering better productivity and innovation. The new hosted authoring services has already been deployed by and is in use with a market- leading protection insurer in the UK.

“In a dynamic market such as protection, every second counts,” said Chris Samuel, Business Operations Director at iPipeline. “The ability for insurers to be able to speed up their reactions to market movements, whether through competitive pressure, opportunity, or a changing risk landscape, is vital.”

Samuel added that “our insurer partners have already shown huge enthusiasm for this new range of hosted services, with a recent deployment evidence of the revolutionary impact we think they will make. Ultimately, enhancements such as these are part of our mission to build a more efficient, innovative market.”

Sherpa Score and iPipeline Announce Partnership to Improve Financial Resilience in the UK

04 May 2022, Cheltenham, UK

iPipeline® – a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the life insurance and financial services industry – today announced a partnership with Sherpa. Sherpa is expanding its financial resilience tool into the UK market and the extensive market data from iPipeline’s PreQuo product will be used to power it. This is important for providers and advisers across all areas of financial services because it means they will have a new high-quality, data-driven analytical tool to assess and serve their clients’ needs better.

Sherpa provides insurers, banks, providers and distributors with an interactive tool to engage their clients in the need for financial resilience, which helps to close the ’advice gap.’ Their innovative Sherpa Score allows consumers to input key personal financial information and obtain a financial resilience Score, which in turn, can be used to position the need for solutions such as protection and savings. A financial resilience Score helps people understand the impact of taking on debt and commitments without any form of safety net, should they face financial challenges. The Score can be embedded into existing consumer journeys, influencing and driving better financial habits.

This technology helps educate consumers about their personal risk profile and nudges them on the crucial importance of planning for the future. The solution uses data supplied by iPipeline’s PreQuo protection engagement product to produce personalised risk realities and prices to help engage consumers on the need and affordability of taking out protection cover.

“Financial resilience is a crucial subject and one which needs to be discussed in all households,” Paul Yates, Product Strategy Director at iPipeline, said. “For protection to hit home and be really considered around kitchen tables, we need to find innovative ways to engage and provoke. Sherpa Score does just this.”

“The combination of Sherpa Score’s AI-driven technology with the reach of iPipeline’s insurance platform will enable us to provide personalised insights to more customers and point them towards making better planning decisions that build their financial resilience,” Chris Kaye, Chief Executive Officer at Sherpa, said. The Sherpa Score platform is targeting further expansion into the UK, aiming to help all stakeholders within the protection market understand the crucial importance that financial resilience plays in happy, healthy households.

Cirencester Friendly Partners with iPipeline to Replace its Existing Protection Platform to Power Digital Transformation

21 April 2022, Bromley, UK

iPipeline® – a leading provider of low code / no code content-enabled digital solutions and services to the financial services market – today announced a long-term partnership with Cirencester Friendly, a leading mutual income protection insurer in the UK, creating greater accessibility, efficiency, profitability, and speed through digital transformation in the services the insurer offers to advisers and customers.

Through this partnership, iPipeline’s SSG Digital® platform will replace Cirencester Friendly’s existing protection IT platform, providing a next generation technology platform and launchpad which will drive the insurer’s extensive digital transformation and achieve greater productivity. Cirencester will now have the infrastructure and capability to meet the fast-changing needs and demands of both advisers and their members.

SSG Digital is a component-based end-to-end platform which will allow Cirencester to build a phased delivery plan for the new system – starting with agency and commission management – together with underwriting and new business modules. The power and flexibility of SSG Digital will enable Cirencester to transform its business on a stepped basis, focusing on delivering immediate benefits and value to advisers and its members.  

“Cirencester Friendly understands just how central their digital capability is to their ongoing success,” Ian Teague, UK Group Managing Director at iPipeline, said. “SSG Digital is a flexible componentised platform which enables providers to drive and manage their business without the usual tech constraints. At the heart of the platform, its new business and underwriting modules allow our partners to build the products they want and manage their philosophy in real-time, as the recent impact of COVID-19 highlighted just how crucial this power can be.”

“The Society has established an excellent reputation in the protection market by providing quality products and an excellent claims history, backed by personalised service,” David Macgregor, Commercial Director of Cirencester Friendly, said. “The introduction of on-line underwriting via SSG Digital will provide the opportunity for more applicants to obtain income protection cover in a shorter time frame. The digital transformation program supported by iPipeline will enable us to further enhance the levels of service to advisers and our members.”

The partnership between iPipeline and Cirencester will deliver a market-leading platform, cutting edge connectivity and adviser / customer self-serve functionality for the long-term.