4 Producer Authorization Web Service

Storing producer licensing data in various carrier systems requires some level of maintenance as state codes and regulations change over time. The Producer Authorization Web Service (PAWS) is designed to shield carriers from regulatory codes and rule changes by performing the task of sales authorization, eliminating the need to send producer data to other systems.

Each call to PAWS is a request that asks if a producer is authorized to sell a certain product in a specific state. The web service response is a simple yes or no answer. In the event of a "no" answer, subsequent calls to other web services can take the necessary steps to resolve the scenario and ensure the producer record is in compliance.

A sales authorization request contains the following insurance policy attributes used to filter the rules processed by the authorization engine:

• Producer identifiers (NPN, Tax ID, carrier-specific producer identifiers)
• State
• Underwriting company
• Product Type (fixed annuity, variable annuity, homeowners, private passenger auto, etc. using ACORD and DTCC standards
• Sales Event (quote, policy application, policy issuance, commission payment, etc.)
• Each PAWS request, and its result, is stored on the producer record in Producer Manager. If regularly called from a new business processing system, a carrier would have a record of each authorization performed as business was being processed. This is critical information to have in the event of a market conduct exam into producer licensing practices.

Sample Use Scenario—Display Authorization Status in a Carrier Portal
An agent is accessing a carrier's agent portal to look at product information. While looking at different products, the agent will need to know if she has been properly authorized to sell that product, based on accurate licensing information. The carrier's portal makes a call to the Producer Authorization Web Service to retrieve the agent's authorization status for that product in her resident state, and displays the result in the portal.