Arista Picks edge IPK for Rapid Web Delivery

Newbury, UK – 18th February, 2008 – edge IPK, the leaders in SOA presentation layer technology, today announced that Arista Insurance, a commercial lines underwriting organisation, has selected the edgeConnect open presentation layer platform as the critical element to its integrated online presence.  Open to brokers, the website provides a fast and intuitive portal through which end-users will be able to manage the quote and buy process around a range of insurance products.  Initiated in August 2007, the system was ready to go live in January 2008, having already received glowing compliments during its four week pilot phase.

Formed in 2006, Arista initially focused on establishing the organisation and developing a core underwriting system.  Its next step was to develop a front-end, web-based portal through which it could offer fast and easy-to-use services to brokers.  The system needed to be developed within a very tight timeframe but also be able to provide different workflows, form building and views of Arista’s products depending on the users trading method.  Having considered a range of options, Arista chose edge IPK to develop the platform.

“Our situation was not uncommon but we knew that there were very few parties out there that could provide a fully working system at such short notice.  Having known edge IPK within the market for a number of years, the decision was an easy one,” commented Dave Cheeseman, head of business systems, Arista Insurance.  “Within a matter of weeks edge IPK came back to us with their early visualisation framework and in just over four months we went live.  The real beauty of edgeConnect however is that because new products are now so much easier to bring online, edge IPK has enabled us to react to market changes at a speed our competitors will struggle to match.”

The complex nature of the back-end integration required data to be captured on the front-end in a manner that brokers and underwriters would find in keeping with their current ways of working, then cached within edgeConnect before finally being delivered into the central insurance system.  Initial feedback taken during the four week pilot phase from the eight brokers taking part, was that this allowed them to work quickly and in such a way that familiar client workflows were not amended or interrupted.

“We are extremely proud to have helped bring Arista’s online dreams to fruition and it is a testament to the team here at edge IPK and the business analysts within Arista, that the system is already proving popular with their base of brokers,” said Mike Williams, CEO, edge IPK.  “Insurance is a very fast moving sector and so it is those young and nimble players, such as Arista, that have recognised the importance of being able to adapt and change to fluctuating market conditions, that will gain the greatest rewards.  edgeConnect is the only platform that enables this flexibility to be delivered in months instead of years.  Once integrated with new or legacy systems, customers can launch and amend products without the need for lengthy redevelopment cycles.”

Arista is currently offering its Trades and Professionals product online, and will launch another four products during Q1 2008.  Further developments include the introduction of integrated referrals, Mid-Term Adjustment (MTA) and renewals during 2008.

About edge IPK

edge IPK delivers innovative business process solutions based on Open Presentation Platform (OPP). The company’s mission is to become the leading international provider of OPP, bringing business and IT together.

Through its flagship product, edgeConnect, edge IPK aims to significantly reduce the development time and cost of building front-end applications.

edge IPK accelerates business evolution, by enabling organisations to rapidly develop and manage business applications to support multiple users interfaces and presentations through a single process. The company helps its clients to develop software applications using a ‘write once, publish many times’ model.

The company has extensive experience in financial services, with a blue chip customer base, which includes ABN AMRO, Deutsche Bank, Towergate Partnership and Zurich Financial Services.  Further information can be found at www.edgeIPK.com

About Arista Insurance Ltd

Arista is a commercial insurance provider specialising in property, liability and motor classes of business.  Arista offers brokers a genuine chance to work with an insurance provider that will design its processes around theirs in an effort to reduce their frictional costs.  For those brokers who work with Arista, the company delivers an improved bottom line and a responsive market staffed by people with experience, technical knowledge and a willingness to see the broker as a customer.

Launched by Charles Earle and Deputy CEO Lyn Carslake, Arista is focusing on broker-administered commercial business in the UK through regional independent brokers.  In the medium to long term the new venture will have the capacity to write in excess of £250 million worth of business.