Our tools consist of a group of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow members to access RMIS insurance information in real time, and to integrate the real time information directly into their own software systems. Checking insurance status by hand is a tedious and error prone activity. One of the biggest risks that a shipper or broker faces is having an employee neglect to check a carrier's insurance status, or tender a load to a carrier that does not have sufficient coverage to cover the load. Now, with the new RMIS APIs, RMIS members can check the insurance status of a carrier automatically via their own software, completely behind the scenes.

RMIS has developed a system to provide carrier insurance data via XML and HTTP. Why XML and HTTP? This allows any RMIS member with an internet connection to access the insurance data regardless of their computing platform, be it PC, Mac or any flavor of UNIX. XML (find out more about XML here or here) is a convenient way of transmitting data as simple text. Since text is universal, the data does not require any proprietary software to read the data. By using HTTP to transmit the data (HTTP is the same protocol that you use when reading this web page), any member that has internet access can access carrier insurance information from the RMIS system in real time. There is no need for special phone connections, or high cost leased data lines. There is also no worry about having to deal with the complex problems of firewalls or proxy servers.

So how do members use the RMIS APIs? For example, a broker has developed their own proprietary load dispatching, billing and tracing software. While this system works very well, the only ingredient missing is the ability to automatically check the insurance status of the carrier chosen to move a given load. Before, the dispatcher had to manually check whether the carrier selected to move a load had the proper insurance coverage and sufficient coverage limits. Unfortunately, the dispatcher would occasionally forget to check a carrier's insurance status, or get to busy to spend the time to look up the carrier's status by hand.

However, after signing up with RMIS as a member, the broker is provided with their carrier list and with the carrier ID codes that the broker uses to identify the carrier in their own system.

After doing some simple programming to their system to connect to the RMIS insurance status database, the broker's system can now check the insurance status of a carrier automatically. The dispatcher doesn't have to make the labor wasting extra step of checking a carrier's insurance status. When the dispatcher selects a carrier to tender a load, the broker's system silently connects to the RMIS database with the ID of the carrier to check. The RMIS system immediately returns a reply via XML containing the current insurance status of that carrier, and the limits of that carrier's liability. The broker's system then validates that the coverage is up to date, and compares that the value of the load does not exceed the carrier's coverage limit. All in real time! If the carrier does not have valid insurance, or if the the value of the load exceeds the carrier's limit, the broker's system can prevent the load from being booked! A tedious and potentially dangerous process is now completely automatic.

Periodically the broker will download a roster of the carriers that RMIS monitors for them (also via the API in XML format) so that the broker can notify RMIS if they have added any new carriers, or change the IDs of the carriers already on the roster.

Please call Registry Monitoring Insurance Services, Inc. today to speak with a representative and learn how you can benefit from the RMIS application tools.