Needless to say, this silo system makes DMS and BPM less effective than they could be overall. Ideally, document management software should be able to establish workflows that can span an entire company. For instance, a document management system allows users to design workflows that can send files automatically from individual employees to department heads, on to supervisors or company higher-ups for approval, and then finally to clients or customers. When automated processes are locked into these smaller clusters, there is inherently less they can do to improve a company’s efficiency and quality of work.

3 ways DMS can improve the insurance industry

So how can document management software take the insurance industry to the next level? What can individual insurance firms gain from investing in these types of programs? Here are just three of the many ways that DMS can help to improve the insurance industry:

• 1. Going paperless: By not taking full advantage of IT solutions, many insurance agencies are still stuck in the era of paper files and physical file rooms. Not only does it take a long time to find client policies or claims documents when digging through a filing cabinet, it also costs a lot of money for companies to print and store paper documents. Adopting document management software makes it possible for insurance agencies to go paperless at last—thereby cutting costs and improving efficiency.
  
• 2. Easy collaboration: With a good DMS, files can be accessed anytime, from anywhere, on any device, making it easier than ever before for multiple people to work on the same file or case. One agent can access a client’s policy documents from the field while preparing an adjustment, while the other can get the ball rolling on preparing the insurance claim for that client back at his office. This easy collaboration aids efficiency and accuracy and helps ensure that clients are getting the best service possible.
  
• 3. Better workflows: We already talked a bit about workflow above, but it bears repeating. Without DMS, files are typically either being faxed or sent via email—neither of which are secure or efficient methods of communication. With DMS, a file’s path through an organization can easily be automated in a secure digital fashion. Whether the file in question is an invoice, a receipt, a claim, an adjustment, a policy document, or a report, you can set up a workflow to make sure that those documents get where they need to go for approval or reception. Add secure client portal technology and e-signature capability, and every step of the insurance claims process is made faster and more convenient by DMS.