AMS Services Supports Microsoft Insurance Value Chain Architecture Framework v1.0 with New Business Homeowner's Policy Processing.

LAS VEGAS -- New prescriptive guidance helps insurance customers select and deploy pre-integrated applications connected via industry and Web services standards

AMS Services, an insurance software company providing comprehensive, insurance-specific solutions for managing critical business activities, today announced its support of the Microsoft(R) Insurance Value Chain Architecture Framework (IVCAF) v1.0.

The Microsoft(R) IVCAF v1.0 is an industry-standards-based approach delivering prescriptive guidance on the development of straight-through processing, enabling workflow across multiple insurance applications. AMS Services participated with Bluebook International, Inc., to demonstrate a solution designed to streamline and ultimately auto-populate the process of data entry in a new homeowner's application. Pre-integrating applications has the potential to reduce millions of dollars of post-purchase integration pain on the part of insurance customers.

"By participating in the first round of labs supporting the IVCAF v1.0, AMS Services is demonstrating its commitment to achieving straight-through processing in key workflows for today's insurance customers," said Kevin Kelly, managing director for the U.S. insurance industry at Microsoft. "AMS Services continues to be a critical part in the IVC program and its goal of migrating the industry to a more services-oriented future."

The Microsoft IVCAF v1.0 promotes integration among best-of-breed software applications through Microsoft .NET Web services and industry standards, such as ACORD. The architecture is the result of newly launched integration labs that have been held monthly since the beginning of 2006 on Microsoft's Redmond, Wash., campus. The IVCAF will feature a library of production-quality integrations and composite applications, business narratives, Visio(R) process models, XML and Web services messaging recommendations and platform-specific implementation guidance in major business areas.

"We're excited to tie Microsoft's IVC Architecture Framework v1.0 to our industry-leading, Web-based solutions," said Bill Bunker, vice president of product management and marketing at AMS Services. "This new standards-based architecture will reduce integration time and costs while simultaneously providing our customers the flexibility they need to develop their own innovations."

More information about the IVC program can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/industry/financialservices/insurance/ businessvalue/default.mspx. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

More information on the IVCAF, as well as downloadable code, will be posted in June on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN(R)) program Web site at http://msdn.microsoft.com/architecture/industry.

About AMS Services

AMS Services is dedicated to helping independent insurance agencies achieve maximum performance and operational efficiency. The business offers a comprehensive, insurance-specific solution for managing critical business activities, including agency management, rating, benefits, performance management and carrier connectivity. With more than 150,000 users in over 15,000 agencies, as well as 300 carrier partners, AMS is a proven market leader providing the strategy and scalability to help independent agencies excel now and in the future. For more information on AMS Services, please visit www.amsworld.com.

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