Insurance quoting can take time, especially when agents are unsure which carriers are the right fit for a specific risk. To simplify this process, IANearMe is introducing a new feature that allows companies, agents, and agencies to upload and manage Appetite Guides and Underwriting Guides directly on the platform.
This update helps agents quickly identify which carriers may be able to quote a policy based on the client’s submitted information.
Appetite guides outline the types of risks a carrier prefers, accepts, or declines. They typically include details about preferred industries, property characteristics, and underwriting thresholds.
Underwriting guides provide more detailed rules about eligibility, underwriting referrals, and binding conditions. These documents help agents understand the criteria carriers use when evaluating risks.
With this new feature, these guides can now be uploaded securely and integrated into the platform’s AI knowledge base.
Companies can upload both appetite guides and underwriting guides directly through their company profile on IANearMe. In addition, agents, agencies, and admins can upload appetite guides and special program documents on behalf of a company, helping expand the available data across the platform.
All uploaded files are securely stored and added to the platform’s knowledge base to support carrier matching during the quoting process.
Companies can manage their own guides directly from their profile page. They can upload new documents, edit existing ones, activate or pause files, and delete guides if needed.
Companies can also assign guides to specific states and indicate whether the file is an appetite guide or an underwriting guide. This allows the platform to match carrier rules with geographic availability and product eligibility.
Companies will also be able to see appetite guides added on their behalf by agents or administrators and manage their status if necessary.
Agents and agencies can contribute to the knowledge base by uploading appetite guides and special program documents for carriers. However, underwriting guides can only be uploaded by the carrier or company itself.
When uploading an appetite guide, agents must select the associated carrier and applicable states. Submissions linked to pending carriers will not be used by the system until the carrier is approved.
Agents and agencies can manage their own uploaded appetite guides, including editing, pausing, or deleting them. However, if a file has been paused by an admin, it cannot be edited and will not be used by the system unless reactivated. Users can still delete their own paused files if needed.
The platform’s AI connects the uploaded guides to the Leads section of the agent dashboard. When reviewing a lead, agents can click “Check Carriers” to see which carriers may match the submitted risk.
The results table includes important underwriting information such as:
This allows agents to evaluate carrier compatibility faster and move through the quoting process more efficiently.
To ensure consistency and security, uploaded files must meet specific requirements.
Supported formats include PDF, Word documents, Excel files, and URLs that do not require login credentials. Each company can upload up to ten files, with a maximum file size of 10 MB.
The upload process follows the same secure system used in the platform’s Post Board feature.
Administrators maintain oversight to ensure the accuracy and quality of the knowledge base, while companies retain ownership and control over their own underwriting and appetite guides.
Admins can pause any file if necessary and include a reason, which will be shared with the uploader via email along with the action date. Once a file is paused, it will not be used by the system and cannot be reactivated by the company or agent.
Companies can manage their own uploaded files, including editing or deleting them, while also having visibility into appetite guides added on their behalf by agents, agencies, or admins. They can also control the status of those guides where applicable.
This shared structure ensures both flexibility for contributors and control for companies, while maintaining data reliability across the platform.
This is the first phase of the Appetite and Underwriting Guide feature. Future updates will continue to expand functionality and improve how documents are managed and connected across the platform.
Future enhancements may also include deeper AI-driven capabilities to further streamline carrier matching and quoting workflows.
These improvements will continue to strengthen IANearMe’s goal of helping insurance professionals find the right carriers faster and make the quoting process more efficient. To learn more about the platform and upcoming updates, visit IANearMe today.