AMS Announces Addition of Carrier Passport to TransactNOW; Expansion features single sign-on to insurance carrier Web sites.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

WINDSOR, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 2003

AMS today introduced Carrier Passport, a significant expansion of TransactNOW that provides automated sign-on and real-time navigation direct to insurance carrier Web sites from within the workflow of AMS management system users.

Carrier Passport takes full advantage of TransactNOW's single sign-on database of carrier logins and passwords to automatically authenticate and navigate the user right where they need to be in a matter of seconds. Carrier Passport, combined with the transactions that continue to be added to TransactNOW, provides an expansive uninterrupted workflow for agents to process business with insurance carriers, without ever leaving the management system.

"AMS customers have enthusiastically embraced the superior customer service, significant time savings, and automatic password management that TransactNOW delivers," said Dave Shea, president and CEO of AMS Services Agency Markets. "The addition of Carrier Passport further extends these benefits by seamlessly enabling access to Web site features when the workflow calls for that. We are pleased to be able to deliver such significant business value to both our agents and carrier partners."

Carrier Passport is offered to all carriers who are part of TransactNOW. The first companies to implement are The Hartford Financial Services Group, Progressive Insurance, Travelers Property Casualty, Encompass Insurance, and EMC Insurance Companies.

"I am very excited about the addition of Carrier Passport to TransactNOW," said Roy Riley, executive vice president and COO of Peel & Holland Inc. and president of the AMS Users Group. "We process TransactNOW billing, claims, and policy view inquiries every day from our management system. Many of our companies have rich functionality on their Web sites that are of great value but hard to get to. Now I can access those features right from within TransactNOW, without having to exit my system, open a browser, navigate to the Web sites, remember and re-enter multiple passwords, and navigate where I need to be. What a timesaver!"

TransactNOW uses ACORD standards and XML technology to integrate carrier Web site functionality into agency management system workflow. This means transactions and carriers can be rapidly added, and agents can rapidly deploy. Developed in close cooperation with The AMS Users' Group, TransactNOW is available to all agencies using AMS management system products. The up-to-date list of transactions, carriers, and Carrier Passport availability can be viewed at www.transactnow.com. More new carriers, transactions, and workflow enhancements will be announced in the coming months. For further information, contact AMS at [e-mail].

About AMS Services

AMS Services, Inc. provides software and automation services to insurance agents, brokers, carriers, banks, MGAs and other distributors of insurance and financial services. To learn more about AMS products and services, call 800.444.4813 or visit our Web site at www.ams-services.com.