14 May 2008

Microsoft released its Insurance Value Chain (IVC) Software Factory for ACORD Standards at the ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum 2008.

The new solution comprises a set of development tools and assets that use the Microsoft .NET Framework to aid insurance firms and software vendors in the integration of existing applications and business logic with ACORD Web services. Targeting the property and casualty, and life and annuity businesses, the IVC Software Factory is an extension of Microsoft’s broader IVC Architecture Framework.

Hosted on CodePlex, Microsoft’s open source development portal, and available free to the insurance community, the new product includes ready-to-run Microsoft Visual Studio development projects, samples, white papers and a next-generation Microsoft Silverlight 2 reference user interface.

“While successful, the IVC Architecture Framework did not originally have a specific development asset to help with integration scenarios between ACORD Web services standards and the Microsoft .NET Framework,” said Colin Cole, US insurance industry technology strategist at Microsoft. “This new solution builds on Microsoft’s long-standing IVC program by providing the resources for firms and developers to successfully integrate new, enhanced Web services into existing applications, ultimately reducing development costs and ensuring interoperability with existing systems.”

John Kellington, senior vice president at ACORD said: “Web services are vital for insurance companies seeking to expand current IT systems with new, enhanced offerings, and we appreciate the efforts of innovative partners like Microsoft to provide insurance companies with a road map for integrating these emerging technologies with existing infrastructure through ACORD standards.”