Employers Direct Insurance Company Creates Higher Customer Satisfaction and Lower Costs with Liferay Portal Open Source Solution Drives Multiple Websites and Simplifies Content Management Duties for California’s Workers’ Compensation Specialist Agoura Hills, CA – November 1, 2006 – Liferay, a leading provider of enterprise-class open source software products, today announced that its Liferay Portal 4.1.1 technology is powering the corporate website for Employers Direct Insurance Company, California’s only specialty direct writer of workers’ compensation insurance. The site leverages Liferay Portal’s Web publishing, document management, authentication and user management capabilities to directly impact customer experience, lower insurance premiums, and improve Employers Direct’s bottom line.
Employers Direct eliminates costs from its sales channel by selling insurance directly to California business and industry with no independent agent or broker. This streamlined business model, in conjunction with customized loss control tools and training and fraud prevention techniques, helps lower the cost of workers’ comp insurance for its policyholder customers.
Because cost and efficiency are critical to its business, Employers Direct chose to leverage the Internet to create value for its customers and to lower its administrative overhead. The company invites prospects to use the Web to determine if they qualify. In order to benefit from such an IT investment without disrupting its business model, however, Employers Direct recognized that the new site would have to be robust, easy-to-maintain, and developed with minimal cost.
Employers Direct found its solution in Liferay. Liferay’s open source license allowed Employers Direct to enjoy an immediate return on investment, faster development cycles, and the freedom to customize the product. An elegant, easy-to-use interface and powerful feature set ensured that maintenance costs would not eclipse the savings gained from the no-cost license.
Employers Direct was so pleased with the new platform that its customer-focused, Internet-based services are just the beginning. The insurance provider is currently enhancing its Policyholder Extranet with a more extensive version of its information center, PCIC (Policyholder Claims and Information Center), that will allow companies to interact with Employers Direct and to view policy and claims-related information online. In addition, they will also be able to report a claim and connect to medical provider network (MPN) resources. The password-protected Extranet will leverage Liferay’s authentication and user management features to minimize routine phone calls between claims examiners and policyholders to simplify the entire claims reporting process.
“Liferay was extensively involved in the creation of the initial portal infrastructure and will continue to work closely with Employers Direct to build further functionality to address its business needs,” said Heather Swaim, Director of Operations for Liferay. “As Employers Direct’s web presence grows, the company will be able to offer many online services to enhance customer satisfaction while driving unnecessary administrative costs from the system.”
Employers Direct made a strategic choice to bring much of its customer service and interaction on the Internet, which made Liferay Portal a critical element for us. We have made the right choice due to Liferay Portal’s ease of use and its ability to support virtually any feature or technology that we wish to deploy.
For a full description of Liferay Portal or an online demonstration of Liferay Portal’s capabilities, visit www.liferay.com. To view Employers Direct’s site, visit www.employersdirect.com.
About LIFERAY:
Liferay Portal is the world’s leading enterprise open source portal framework with Fortune 500 clients in the U.S. and Europe. Liferay Professional Services offers technical support, custom development and professional training to ensure successful deployment of its flagship product in the most demanding IT environments. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles. Online at www.liferay.com.
About EMPLOYERS DIRECT INSURANCE COMPANY:
Employers Direct Insurance Company is California's only specialty direct writer of workers’ compensation insurance. Founded in 2002, Employers Direct has been widely accepted by business owners throughout California as a result of providing highly competitive rates, claims services designed to fight fraud and abuse, and loss prevention services that assist employers to create safe work environments. As a newer company, Employers Direct takes advantage of the latest technology to provide its customers with 24/7 access to all policy and claims information via a secure Internet portal. Niche industries include hotels, restaurants, golf and country clubs, new car dealers, food processors, manufacturing companies, specialty supermarket chains, and retailers. At the end of 2005, Employers Direct Insurance Company had more than $150 million in written workers’ compensation premiums. Online at www.employersdirect.com.
CONTACT:
Employers Direct Insurance Company
Debbie Laskey
Tel: 818.575.2709
dlaskey@employersdirect.com
S&S Public Relations, Inc.
Corey Gutwillig
Tel: 847.955.0700, ext. 9333
cgutwillig@sspr.com
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