There’s an old adage that says if it isn’t broken, you don’t need to fix it. But what if your system isn’t broken, it’s simply outdated and costing you both time and money? What if there’s something better?
On any given day, agents receive requests for multiple quotes from their clients. The usual process to deliver that information follows these steps and takes the listed amounts of time:
- Format census. Once your client has given you their employees, spouses, and dependents’ dates of birth, you must then format a census for each carrier you are quoting. Let’s say you’re quoting BCN, Priority, HAP, and PHP. That is four different censuses.
Time spent: 1 hour - Quote requests. Three of the four carriers offer the ability to go onto their websites and get a quote. For one carrier, you will have to send an email quote request. Then you will have to follow up with that carrier for quote status.
Time spent: 2 hours - Prepare presentation. Most agents will type the benefits and rates into an Excel spreadsheet. Then you must double-check your work to ensure benefits and rates are right.
Time spent: 3 hours - Client presentation. You have your initial visit with the client and show your findings. The client decides to move in a different direction and now wants to only look at HSA plans. You must go back and repeat the process from the start.
Time spent: another 5 hours
In total, you have spent more than 10 hours quoting and still have work to do!
As many agents know from firsthand experience, there are countless quoting systems which only cause headaches, stress, and worries about accuracy. Instead, streamline your work with an innovative solution that saves you time and money, and offers everything you need to help your clients.
The Story Behind 1Quote
GRA Benefits Group first began assisting clients with quoting needs and presentation preparation in 2012. With the capacity for human error and constantly changing rates, we soon realized the need for a programming device that would load all Michigan carrier small group plans into a database. We strove to create a comprehensive system to generate side-by-side comparisons, where the end-user would simply select the predefined plan and only input the carrier rates.
As we adapted to agent requests and ideas, we learned that many wanted the system to include across the board quoting to alleviate the need to go to each medical carrier to obtain the rates. Our developers figured out a way to generate a rate table, which involved performing rigorous testing against carrier quotes, which we matched at 100%. Next, we just had to find a way to get the 21-year-old rate loaded without the user needing to manually input any information. After continuous investigation and trial and error, we figured out how to get the rates loaded without users needing to manually input data. The results have been unbeatable and have provided endless benefits for all of our users. Our specialized 1Quote system has been successfully serving our agents ever since!
What Is 1Quote?
1Quote is a Michigan ACA small group medical rating system that allows you to quote BCBSM, BCN, HAP, Priority, PHP, Total, UHC, and McLaren by uploading one census. It eliminates the need to go to each carrier for quotes.
1Quote serves two purposes. The first is to quote small group Michigan ACA medical/rx plans. The second is to provide a side-by-side comparison containing 20+ major in and out-of-network benefits to assist the employer in choosing a health plan.
1Quote is as simple and easy as it sounds!
What Are the Features of 1Quote?
1Quote does it all, including offering:
- The ability to quote 9 different Michigan medical insurance carriers using only 1 census.
- Michigan small group ACA medical/rx rate generation for all participating carriers by simply adding a census and employer’s zip code. More than 20 benefits descriptions are loaded for all small group carriers.
- Side-by-side benefit comparisons of popular benefits to help employers decide on plans.
- Any large group benefit plans can be added by the user and stored for recall in future comparisons. Agents can obtain large group rates from the carrier and enter composite rates.
- Access to all Michigan small group ACA medical plans and associated SBC’s.
- The capability to export carrier-specific census templates.
How Does 1Quote Save Money?
Quoting needs are a drain on your resources when your small group clients expect their employee benefit agency to rate all potential medical carriers. We’ve done the math. If you pay one person $25 an hour and each quote takes an average of 3 hours to complete, it will cost $300, or $3,600 a year, just for a mere 4 quotes each month!
Your clients have a goal to find the most competitive plans, and with 1Quote, you can provide that information and produce a presentation in 5 minutes. It even allows the flexibility to make changes during your client meeting. Since all plans and benefits are preloaded into the system for your convenience, you’ll be able to quote any carrier’s Michigan ACA small group medical plan at minimal cost.
Is 1Quote Accessible?
As a cloud-based service, 1Quote is easily accessible from your laptop, tablet, or mobile device. It allows you to view benefits, rates by census, and age-banded rates. It’s an easy-to-use app, where you can quickly export and relay rate information and SBC to clients. You can also make real-time changes to employer contributions, census, or plan selection while meeting with clients. The accessibility that our technology provides makes 1Quote available whenever and wherever you are.
How Does 1Quote Save Time?
Instead of spending valuable hours visiting individual health insurance carriers and their quoting portals, 1Quote delivers the same information in just minutes by having access to each carrier’s small group plans and rates, all in one place. The information is immediately at your fingertips, saving significant time that can be better spent elsewhere.
Is 1Quote Accurate?
Absolutely. Our Benefits Group performs regular audits between the 1Quote system and each carrier, so the rate information is always up to date. We review and monitor quarterly carrier rate change submissions to ensure accuracy, as well as audits between the carrier and rating information submitted to the State of Michigan. Since Michigan insurance carriers are allowed one opportunity, early in the year, to adjust their 3rd and 4th quarter small group rates, we monitor these submissions and verify the final approved rates. At this step, they are uploaded into 1Quote, suppressed, and tested for accuracy. We also run a quality review before making the rates available in 1Quote. Every step of the process confirms accuracy so that you can deliver information with confidence.
Can 1Quote Be Customized?
Our layout displays allow the user to customize the number of pre-built benefits descriptions that are displayed in a comparison. While users cannot add additional benefits to the plans GRA builds, they can copy them and build their own plans to include more even benefits, like creating a comparison for dental, vision, large group, and more. Agency logos are applied to every comparison generated, adding a layer of personalization that speaks to your small group clients.
The 1Quote system is designed to make the quoting process smooth, simple, and satisfactory. The benefits include saving time and money, while providing accurate and accessible information. Our 1Quote service revolutionizes the quoting industry to greater efficiency, allowing agents to best serve their small group clients and themselves. By participating in the service, agents receive unlimited access to the 1Quote system and comparison creation tool. Learn more about our highly rated service by accessing our quick video demonstration or contacting us today. 1Quote delivers the comprehensive tools and information that agents need to make the world of quoting conquerable, and uncomplicated.