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Software by:
Libby Fox
Madhu Gopalachari
Manual by:
Brad Temple
© 2013 N.C. Grange Mutual Insurance Company
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Ratesys Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Feature Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
Using This Document ................................................................................................................................................. 2
GETTING STARTED ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
System Requirements ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Installation ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Step 1: Downloading Ratesys ................................................................................................................................ 4
Step 2: Installating the Program Interface ............................................................................................................. 5
Step 3: Installing the Database Tables ................................................................................................................... 6
STARTING RATESYS FOR THE FIRST TIME ............................................................................................................ 7
Logging In for the First Time ...................................................................................................................................... 7
The Login Screen .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Logging In ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
The SysAdmin Screen ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Agency Setup ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Adding an Agency .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Producer Setup ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
Adding a Producer ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Setting Up New Users .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Adding a User....................................................................................................................................................... 14
Passwords ............................................................................................................................................................ 16
THE USER INTERFACE ............................................................................................................................................ 17
The Ratesys User Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 17
The Ratesys Menu Bar ............................................................................................................................................. 18
File Menu ............................................................................................................................................................. 18
Edit Menu ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
Quotes Menu ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
Window Menu ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Help Menu ........................................................................................................................................................... 21
The Ratesys Toolbar ................................................................................................................................................. 21
The Ratesys Main Window ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Browsers .............................................................................................................................................................. 23
The Ratesys Status Bar ............................................................................................................................................. 24
THE RATESYS QUOTING SYSTEM .......................................................................................................................... 25
Quote System Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 25
Quote System Tabs .............................................................................................................................................. 25
Quick Quoting a Policy ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Navigating the Quick Quote Screen ..................................................................................................................... 27
Step 1: Setup the Policy ....................................................................................................................................... 27
Step 2: Add Locations .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Step 3: Add Coverage Units ................................................................................................................................. 31
Step 4: Select Forms and Schedules .................................................................................................................... 33
Step 5: Rate the Policy ......................................................................................................................................... 34
Manually Rating a Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 35
Turning Your Quote Into an Application .................................................................................................................. 36
Working with Mortgagees ....................................................................................................................................... 41
Adding Mortgagees to Coverage units ................................................................................................................ 41
Mortgagee-Billed Policies .................................................................................................................................... 42
Adding Schedules to a Policy ............................................................................................................................... 43
INPUT DEFAULTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 44
Input Defaults Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 44
The Input Defaults Screens ...................................................................................................................................... 44
Default Policy Information ................................................................................................................................... 44
Default Location Information .............................................................................................................................. 46
Default Coverage Unit Information ..................................................................................................................... 47
UPDATING & TROUBLESHOOTING RATESYS ...................................................................................................... 48
Updating Ratesys ..................................................................................................................................................... 48
Checking Your Version of Ratesys ........................................................................................................................ 48
Updating Ratesys Automatically .......................................................................................................................... 48
Updating Ratesys Manually ................................................................................................................................. 49
Obtaining an Updating Copy of this Manual ....................................................................................................... 49
Troubleshooting Ratesys ......................................................................................................................................... 50
Contacting Technical Support .............................................................................................................................. 51
1
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Ratesys! This section will introduce you to the software, walk you
through the installation, and highlight the various features Ratesys provides. For easy
and trouble-free operation, please read through this documentation thoroughly and
refer back to it as needed.
RATESYS OVERVIEW
Ratesys for Windows is NC Grange Mutual’s policy rating software. Ratesys will automatically rate all
products offered by the company, with the exception of Commercial Fire and Special MultiPeril policies.
These policies require manual rating; you can call the company to get the rates you need, and then enter
them into Ratesys.
After rating the policy, you can print a quote suitable for presentation to your potential customer. Quote
printing is available for all policy types, including Commercial Fire and Special MultiPeril policies. If the
customer does not immediately accept the quote, Ratesys lets you store the quote for later retrieval.
Once the customer accepts the quote, you can use Ratesys to print the application for any policy type.
Better yet, instead of printing and mailing the application, Ratesys has the ability to electronically submit
the application to the company.
FEATURE OVERVIEW
Quick Quote System
Ratesys can produce quotes quickly by making it easy to see exactly what information is
needed to make the quote, and moving you quickly from screen to screen so you can have
an accurate quote for your customer in moments.
Input Defaults
By setting input defaults, you can streamline the quoting process. Set defaults (such as
for State, Policy Type, etc.) to whatever your agency uses the most to avoid having to
enter the same information for every quote. This allows you to focus your efforts on the
information relevant to your customer.
Flexible User System
The producer and user system will allow your agency to manage its users with ease by
offering various levels of security access, quick and easy addition and removal of users,
and optional password security.
Share your Database
The database tables for Ratesys can be installed on a shared network drive, enabling all
users at the agency to view and work with the same quotes.
2
USING THIS DOCUMENT
This document is best followed in order, as it will walk you through each screen and process to help you
get used to Ratesys. Afterwards, it can serve as a good reference for specific features you may have
issues with. The final chapters have useful information on ways to make Ratesys easier and faster to
use, as well as solutions to common problems.
Each chapter has a specific focus:
Getting Started
You’ll be advised on system requirements, and walked through the
download and installation process.
Starting Ratesys for the First Time
The initial startup processes will be explained, such as setting up an
administrator account, adding producers, and adding your first user.
The User Interface
The user interface will be explained in detail, including the menus, the
toolbar, status bar, and a brief overview of the browser windows.
The Quoting System
The process of making a quote will be described, and each screen
explained thoroughly. Finally, the process of submitting an application
will be covered.
Entering Input Defaults
Input Defaults will be explained, detailing the process of entering them
and suggested defaults for each.
Updating & Troubleshooting Ratesys
This chapter will go over the most common issues a Ratesys user may
experience. The process of updating Ratesys will also be covered.
3
GETTING STARTED
Before Ratesys can be used, you will need to first assess your system’s ability to run
the software, download the application, and then install both the interface and the
database. This section will walk you through this process quickly and easily.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
In order for Ratesys to run acceptably, your computer will need to meet certain minimum specifications.
Minimum System Requirements Recommended System Requirements
Operating System Windows XP Operating System Windows XP or later
Processor Pentium 750 MHz Processor Pentium 1 GHz or faster
RAM 512 MB RAM 1 GB
Free Disk Space 750 MB Free Disk Space 1.5 GB
Screen Resolution 800x600 Screen Resolution 1024x768
Additional Requirements to use certain features:
Internet access
Required for electronic application submission through Ratesys
Shared Network Drive
If you wish to allow your agents to have access to the same
database, Ratesys requires a mapped drive as a destination for the
database files.
Ratesys will not run in Terminal Services mode or from a Remote Desktop
connection. The installation will run in these situations, but once installed,
Ratesys will not run.
4
INSTALLATION
Before using Ratesys, you must install it and its associated database tables.
STEP 1: DOWNLOADING RATESYS
Ratesys must be downloaded from NCGM’s Agents Only section of the website. Follow these steps to download
the necessary files:
1. Access NC Grange’s Agents Only section via the following URL: http://www.ncgm.com/agents-only/.
2. Click the Login button, and enter your login credentials for the website.
3. To access the Agents Only screen again after logging in, click Agents Only on the left side of the screen.
4. On the Agents Only menu, click Download Center.
5. From here, you have access to links for Ratesys, Online Web Tutorials, etc. Click Ratesys for Windows
under the Downloads header.
6. As this is a first time installation, click the corresponding link to access the download page.
7. Several different downloads are available from this screen. Click the download button next to the Ratesys
for Windows – Program Interface that matches the version of Windows you are using.
If you are unsure of your version of windows, you can press the Windows Key
on your keyboard + R, and type winver into the run box, then press OK.
Alternatively, you can right click My Computer and choose Properties.
The Ratesys Download Menu.
Be sure to download the version of Ratesys that is appropriate for your operating system.
5
STEP 2: INSTALLATING THE PROGRAM INTERFACE
After downloading the installation file for the program interface, you must perform a series of simple steps to
complete the installation process:
1. After downloading the setup file, run it from its saved location to begin installation.
If User Account Control is enabled or anti-virus software is installed,
you may get various security pop-ups warning you about giving control to the
installation program or about the fact that the software is unrecognized.
Simply give the installation permission to continue in these
pop-ups and it will continue properly.
2. You will be greeted with a welcome screen upon starting the installation. Click Next.
3. The license agreement will appear next, and the license agreement must be accepted to continue.
4. The next screen lets you enter the name of the user and their organization. These fields are not required.
5. Ratesys may be installed for a single user, or for anyone who uses the computer. If it isn’t already
selected, be sure to select All Users before continuing.
6. At this point, the installation program will ask for you to confirm the installation path.
For support reasons, it is highly recommended that you leave
the destination folder at the default value.
7. Click Install, and let the process complete. After the installation completes, clicking Finish will complete
the installation of Ratesys.
Ratesys Installation Screen
6
STEP 3: INSTALLING THE DATABASE TABLES
Once the program interface is installed, you must install the database tables. This section will walk you through
the final part of the installation for Ratesys.
If your agency already has the Ratesys database tables installed
on a shared network drive and you wish to use that one,
the installation of the Database Tables is not necessary.
To install the database tables, follow these steps:
1. Download the setup file: Ratesys for Windows – Database Tables that is appropriate for your version of
Windows. (Refer back to Downloading Ratesys on page 4 if you require a walkthrough)
2. After downloading the setup file, run it from its saved location to begin installation.
If User Account Control is enabled or anti-virus software is installed,
you may get various security pop-ups warning you about giving control to the
installation program or the fact that the software is unrecognized.
Simply give the installation permission to continue in these
pop-ups and it will continue properly.
3. You will be greeted with a welcome screen upon starting the installation. Click Next.
4. The license agreement will appear next, and the license agreement must be accepted to continue.
5. The next screen lets you enter the name of the user and their organization. These fields are not required.
6. Setup will offer to make the database tables available to this user or every user. If it isn’t already
selected, be sure to select All Users before continuing.
7. The next screen gives you the ability to change the installation path for the database tables. If this is a
local stand-alone installation (not shared on a network), the default value is recommended. Otherwise,
change the installation path to the shared network drive your agency has access to.
If you are installing Ratesys on a computer which is attached to a network,
we highly recommend you install the database tables to a shared folder on a network drive.
This will allow everyone using Ratesys to see all the quotes made by all of your users.
It provides the added benefit of needing to enter your setup information (users, agency
information, producers, and input defaults) only once.
8. After deciding on the installation path, click Next, and the installation process will continue. Once the
installation completes, click Finish to end the installation.
Now that Ratesys and the database tables are installed, you will need to run the program and enter some setup
information before attempting to quote a policy. The next chapter, Starting Ratesys for the First Time, will walk
you through the necessary steps to get Ratesys up and running.
7
STARTING RATESYS FOR THE FIRST TIME
After installing Ratesys and its associated database tables on your first computer, you
will need to run the program and enter some setup information before attempting to
quote a policy. This process includes setting up the administrator account, adding
users, information about your agency, and adding producers.
LOGGING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME
THE LOGIN SCREEN
Each time you start Ratesys, you’ll be greeted by the Login Screen. This is where you supply the path to the database
you plan to use for your work, your user name, and your password.
Enter Database Name
The path to the database. This field will be populated automatically
in new installations. If this is an additional network installation, the
database name will need to be entered manually.
Use Local Server
Specifies that the database to be used is present on either your
system or on the local network.
The “Use Local Server” box should always be checked!
Enter User Name
The user name to log in as.
Enter Password
The password to go along with the user name.
Forgot Password
Enables you to login with your security question in the event you
have forgotten your password.
For new Network Installations, make a note of the prepopulated Database Name.
You will need this when installing other instances of Ratesys on your network.
8
For additional Network Installations, you can obtain the Database Name from the
Enter Database Name field on another user’s installation of Ratesys in the event that
you can’t locate it yourself.
LOGGING IN
The initial log in process will vary depending on the type of installation performed:
New Installation
For new installations, both Stand-Alone and Network, you will be required to set up an administrator
account. On the log in screen, enter the desired user name and password for the administrator account,
and click the OK button. The Sys Admin window will then appear.
Additional Network Installation
If this is an additional installation that uses a shared database, set the Enter Database Name field to the
appropriate shared database. Any existing users in the shared database will then be able to log in as
usual.
THE SYSADMIN SCREEN
Administrator User Name
The name the administrator will use to log
in as.
Be sure to enter the user name you want
to log in as, and not your full name!
Administrator User ID
The system administrator’s initials go here.
Enter Password
The system administrator’s password.
Must be between 4 and 12 characters
Re-Enter Password
Verify the password’s accuracy by retyping
it here.
Once you’ve entered the information into the fields and confirmed by clicking OK, you’ll be logged into Ratesys as
the system administrator. From this point, you can add your agency’s information into the database as well as
producers and users that you want to give access to the quoting system.
9
AGENCY SETUP
Before any real work can be done in Ratesys, you will need to properly set up your agency and add a producer.
You can add and remove agencies by using the Agency System.
ADDING AN AGENCY
Follow the steps below to add an agency to your database:
1. After logging in to Ratesys, go to:
File Maintenance Agency
2. Now, you’ll be at the Agency System screen. This is where you can add your first agency. On the bottom
of the Agency Screen, click the Add button. A screen will pop up, asking you to confirm your selection.
Click the Agency button to continue.
3. The Agency tab will now be active, and you will be able to enter details about your agency.
The Agency System
10
Agency Screen
Below is the Agency Screen. From here, you will enter the agency’s number, name, location details, tax
information, and a dedicated NCGM Underwriter’s E-Mail if applicable. Click Post to save your changes.
Agency No.
Your agency number.
Branch
Your branch number.
Name
The name of your agency, as known by
NCGM.
Sort Name
The Sort Name is the first five letters of your
agency name.
Mailing Address
Enter your address, city, state, and zip code.
Location Address
This is the location address for your agency.
The location address details are not
mandatory, but a COUNTY must be selected
from the list.
Org Type/Tax ID
Here, you will enter your organization type and
tax ID number. The tax ID field is mandatory.
If you aren’t sure of your agency’s Tax ID, you
can fill it out in the format of: 11-1234567.
NCGM Underwriter’s E-Mail
This field is for your agency’s dedicated NCGM
underwriter’s e-mail. It may be left blank if you
choose.
11
PRODUCER SETUP
Producers are your agents who are licensed with N.C. Grange Mutual, and at least one must be added in order to
use the Ratesys Quoting System. This section will walk you through adding your first producer.
ADDING A PRODUCER
Producers are added from within the Agency System. For information on
how to access the Agency System, see page 9.
Follow the steps below to add a producer to your database:
1. Click the Browse Producers button on the bottom of the Agency Screen.
If you’re on the Agency Tab and the Browse Producers button is greyed out, you
may be in Insert Mode on the current Agency record. Press the Escape key to cancel,
and you should now be able to click Browse Producers.
2. On the Browse Producers screen, click the Add button on the bottom of the screen.
3. The producer tab will now be active, and you’ll be able to enter your new producer’s information.
Agency System – Producer Browser
12
Producer Screen
Below is the Producer Screen. From here, you can enter the Producer’s number, name, personal contact
information, and an outgoing mail server for electronic application submission.
The Agency No., Branch, and Name fields on the top of the Producer window
should be automatically populated with information from the agency you just added.
This will not need to be changed.
Producer No.
The producer’s number, used for
identification in Ratesys.
Please be aware that the Producer number
assigned to each producer in Ratesys does not
correlate to the producer number assigned in
NCGM’s system.
Name
The producer’s full name.
Sort Name
The first six characters of the producer’s last
name and the first four characters of the
producer’s first name.
NP Number
The NP number assigned by the National
Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
SS#
The social security number of the producer.
For privacy purposes, you can enter
999-99-999 into this field.
This number is never transmitted, so it is not
necessary to enter correct data.
However, Ratesys does require data in this field,
and it must be in the correct format.
Gender/Sex
The producer’s gender.
13
Birthdate
The producer’s birthdate.
If you leave this field blank, you will be
notified that it is empty upon posting the record.
You can click Ignore to continue without
entering a birthdate, or Correct to enter one.
Agent Type
The agent type should always be L.
Resident
This checkbox should always be checked.
Phone
The producer’s phone number.
The producer’s e-mail address. This field is
only required if you wish to electronically
submit applications to NC Grange Mutual.
Setting Up Electronic Application Submission
Submitting your application electronically through Ratesys is the most convenient and the preferred method of
doing so. This section will help you enter the information you need to use this feature.
Below is the bottom of the producer’s screen in closer detail. This is where you will configure your electronic
submission settings:
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP)
This field is for your outgoing (SMTP) mail
server. This field is required if you wish to
submit electronically.
You may need to contact your Internet Service
Provider for this information. If you use Outlook
or Outlook Express as your email client, you may
be able to determine this information from
within either of these programs.
Port No.
The port number that your outgoing (SMTP)
mail server uses.
Mail Server Requires Authentication
If your SMTP server requires authentication,
this must be checked.
Entering an account user name and an account
password but leaving this unchecked will still
result in an authentication error if
authentication is required.
Account User Name
The user name used to access the outgoing
e-mail server.
Account Password
The password used to access the outgoing
e-mail server.
14
Please be aware that not all email service providers allow third-party software to use their outgoing mail
server settings. If yours doesn’t allow this feature, you will not be able to submit electronically using Ratesys.
In this case, see the Troubleshooting section on page 49 for details.
SETTING UP NEW USERS
Ratesys can accommodate up to ninety-nine users. Users are anyone you want to have the ability to simply log in
to Ratesys. In order to add a new user, you must be logged in as the system administrator.
ADDING A USER
To add a new user, follow the steps below:
From the Ratesys menu bar, select File Maintenance Security Add/Edit/Delete Users.
To add a new user, click the Add button at the bottom of the Users Window.
The New User form will be active, and you will be able to enter the user’s information.
The User Browser Window
15
The Edit User Screen
Below is the edit user screen. From here, you can enter a new user’s information, assign a user name, and set the
new user’s security access level.
Name
The user’s first name, middle initial, and last
name
Department
The department that the user works in
Optional
Title
The user’s title
Optional
User Name
The name the user will sign in with on the
login screen
User ID
The user’s initials
Security Access Level
The access level of the user. A minimum access
level of 3 is required to enter a new quote.
Administrator access is level 5.
We recommend you set the access level for
all users, except for the administrator, to 3.
Once the information has been entered, you can save the user’s information by clicking Post, located at the
bottom left of the page.
You may want to enter complete information on the administrator before continuing.
Click on the Browse tab, then select the row containing
the administrator (the first account you created upon initially logging in).
Click the Edit tab, and fill out any empty fields you wish to complete.
Do NOT change the access level, as Administrators require access level 5.
16
PASSWORDS
When a system administrator adds a new user to Ratesys, the user is not initially assigned a password. All users
are assigned a Security Access Level. Without a password, the user can login to Ratesys and access all functions
available to their security access level.
The use of passwords in Ratesys is a management
decision for your agency. If you decide users should
use passwords, each user must assign his or her own.
Each user should follow the instructions below to add
his or her password to Ratesys:
1. Login to Ratesys without entering a password
2. Select File Maintenance Security
Change Your Password
3. The Change Password window will appear.
Enter the password in the Enter Password
field, and press Enter.
4. Re-enter the password in the Re-enter
Password field, and click OK to save the
password and exit.
Going forward, the user will be required to enter their password in order to login to Ratesys.
17
THE USER INTERFACE
Once Ratesys has been set up with an agency, producer, and users, you’re ready to
start working with quotes. Before doing so, however, you should spend some time
becoming familiar with the user interface. There are various menus and toolbar
buttons available to take you where you want to go. This chapter will explain those
options in detail.
THE RATESYS USER INTERFACE
The Ratesys user interface consists of a title bar, menu bar, tool bar, the main window, and the status bar.
Title Bar
The title bar, at the top of the
screen, simply displays the
name of the application
(RATESYS for Windows). From
the right side of it, you can
minimize, maximize, or close
the application.
Menu Bar
The menu bar (beneath the
title bar) contains five menus
that will take you to Ratesys
setup screens, offer copy and
paste options, access the
quoting system, and access
help when you need it.
Tool Bar
The tool bar is beneath the menu bar, and offers quick links to the most used features. It also offers
convenient, quick access to various external resources that supplement Ratesys.
Main Workspace
The main window is where the browser screens and data entry screens will appear. Each of the additional
browser and entry screens that appear in the workspace have their own minimize/maximize/close
buttons on their individual title bars as well.
Status Bar
The status bar provides information about the status of the program, and is on the bottom of the screen
below the workspace.
18
THE RATESYS MENU BAR
FILE MENU
The File Menu provides selections to:
Login/Logout
If you’re logged out, this will open the Login screen.
If you’re logged out, it will log the current user out of Ratesys.
Open
The Open submenu offers two choices:
Activate Quote System
Starts the Quoting System, letting you perform quotes.
Activate Agency System
Stats the Agency System, letting you browse, add, or
remove agencies.
Close
Closes the current open window.
Printer Setup
Opens print setup, where you can change
your default printer options.
Prints the current open record.
Maintenance
The Maintenance submenu offers the
following choices:
Security
Opens another submenu, allowing you
to Add/Edit/Delete users, and change
your password.
Agency
Provides another method to access the
Agency System.
Setup
Provides a submenu allowing you to set
input defaults for Ratesys.
Change Skin
Aside from the standard Windows
appearance, Ratesys has a variety of skins,
or appearances, that it can take if you wish
to make it more aesthetically appealing.
Clicking Change Skin will open up an
explorer window, letting you pick from
various skin files to apply.
Exit
Clicking this exits out of Ratesys.
Setting input defaults for Ratesys are explained
in detail in Chapter 6: Input Defaults
19
EDIT MENU
The edit menu primarily provides options for moving text in an efficient manner. These menu items are only
enabled when the active field is one that can be edited.
Cut
Deletes the selected text and moves it to the clipboard where it can be
pasted elsewhere.
Copy
Keeps the selected text copies it to the clipboard where it can be pasted
elsewhere. Cut moves the selected text, copy just copies it.
Paste
Places the cut or copied text on the clipboard at the current position of the text entry cursor.
QUOTES MENU
The quotes menu includes every function needed in dealing with making a quote. The items on this menu will be
enabled or disabled depending on what field or page is active in the quoting system.
Activate Quote System
Starts the quote system and brings up the
quote browser.
Enter New Quote
Begins a new Quick Quote.
Print Quote
Prints the current completed quote.
Print Application
Prints an application for submission.
Submit Application
Submit the current application electroni-
cally.
Browser Fire Districts
Allows you to browse the fire districts
available in the database, along with
various information about them.
Quote Maintenance
Using this menu, the administrator can
delete quotes that are no longer needed.
20
WINDOW MENU
The Window Menu provides options for arranging open windows to make your work environment easier to deal
with. Many of the options on the Window Menu are available on the toolbar, as well.
Cascade
Arranges the open windows in a
cascading format; overlapping them
with each window’s title bar visible.
Tile Horizontally
Arranges the open windows in a
horizontally tiled format; each
window is an equal length
horizontally, and arranged top to
bottom.
Tile Vertically
Arranges the open windows in a
vertically tiled format; each window
is an equal length vertically, and
arranged from side to side.
Minimize All
Minimize all currently open
windows.
Arrange All
Arrange all open windows so that
they’re visible.
At the bottom of the Window Menu, there’s a list of currently open windows. In the above example, it is
showing the View/Edit Location window as both currently open and active. The check mark beside the
window’s number indicates the active window.
While a window menu of this kind is typical of any Windows application, Ratesys rarely
uses more than one active window at a time. Therefore, you’ll find yourself rarely using this menu.
21
HELP MENU
The Help Menu gives access to both the Ratesys Help System and information about the application.
Help
Activates the Help System, allowing you to browse Ratesys
help topics and search for specific information.
About…
Displays information about Ratesys, including the version and credits.
THE RATESYS TOOLBAR
The Ratesys Toolbar gives you quick and easy access to its most commonly used functions, as well as buttons that
will take you to external resources that you may find helpful. This section will go over what the toolbar provides in
detail.
The Ratesys Toolbar
Exit Application
Clicking this will exit out of the application
quickly.
Login/Logout of Database
Clicking this will either bring up the login
screen if you aren’t logged in, or it will log
you out of Ratesys
Open the Quoting System
This quickly opens the Quoting System. It
can also be quickly accessed by pressing
CTRL+P.
Close Current Window
Clicking this closes the current window.
(e.g. the current quote you’re working on;
not Ratesys itself.)
Open Print Menu
This opens the print menu, giving you the
option to print various documents relating
to the current policy.
Cut
Performs the ‘Cut’ function, cutting the
current selection so you can paste it
elsewhere.
Copy
Copies the current selection so that it can
be pasted elsewhere.
Paste
Pastes the current cut or copied
information at the cursor’s position.
Lookup
Accesses the current field’s lookup table.
Use this in drop down menus to get a list an
explanation of available choices.
Open the Windows Calculator
Starts Windows’ Calculator program in the
event you need to do any quick
calculations.
22
Cascade
Arranges the open windows in a cascading
format; overlapping them with each
window’s title bar visible.
Tile Horizontally
Arranges the open windows in a
horizontally tiled format; each window is an
equal length horizontally, and arranged top
to bottom.
Tile Vertically
Arranges the open windows in a vertically
tiled format; each window is an equal
length vertically, and arranged from side to
side.
View the Underwriting Guidelines
Launches your preferred PDF viewer and
shows the current underwriting guidelines.
View the Reunderwriting Guidelines
Launches your preferred PDF viewer and
shows the current reunderwriting
guidelines.
Email your Underwriter
Sends an e-mail to your agency’s
underwriter. Your underwriter’s e-mail can
be entered or edited via the Agency Setup
screen.
Open Online Billing Inquiry
Launches your preferred web browser and
takes you to NCGM’s online billing inquiry
application.
Open Jackson Sumner Umbrella Rating
Website
Launches your preferred web browser and
takes you to the Jackson Sumner website,
where you can enter quotes for umbrella
policies.
Open Remote Support
Opens a web browser and navigates to the
Log Me In support website. This will be
used in the event you receive technical
support that requires a remote session.
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THE RATESYS MAIN WINDOW
The Ratesys Main Window is where all of the data and entry screens will display. Before entering any of the
Ratesys systems, the main window will be blank with a Ratesys Logo. Upon entering a system, however, you will
see a browser window appear.
BROWSERS
While each of the browsers in Ratesys cover different types of data (i.e. agencies, producers, users, quotes, and
locations), their layouts and functions are generally the same.
Each system is actually made up of a series of tabs, or pages. The Browse page is merely what the system will start
on when it’s opened. This window will give a comprehensive list of each agency, user, producer, or quote that has
been entered, along with fields that pertain to that specific system and the information entered for them.
Looking at the example above, you can see that the information on the browse screen can be sorted either
numerically by quote number, or alphabetically by name. Navigating through the records is easy; you can press
the arrow keys up or down to navigate, use page up or page down to skip through them more quickly, use the
scroll bar on the right of the screen, or the arrow buttons on the bottom. As your database grows, it will become
much easier to locate individual records by doing a Seek for the individual quote, if you have the quote number on
hand, by clicking the Seek button at the bottom.
New users, producers, quotes, etc. may be added from the bottom left of the browse windows. Each browser
screen will have an Add button or, in the case of the quoting system, a New Quote button. Likewise, records can
be deleted, though the methods to do so vary depending on the system you’re using.
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For deleting a Quote, the administrator account must select the quote at the browser screen, then click
Quotes Quote Maintenance Delete Quote. Producers can be removed by clicking the Terminate button on
the Agency’s System browser producer screen. Likewise, users can be removed from the system by clicking the
Delete button at the bottom of the User Browser screen.
Each record can be edited easily by clicking on the desired record and then clicking on the tab of the property you
would like to edit. For instance, you can click the Policy tab to enter or edit policy information for the currently
selected record. If you wish to change a specific field that you see on the browse screen, double clicking that field
will take you to the appropriate tab where you can make the desired changes.
THE RATESYS STATUS BAR
The Status Bar resides at the very bottom of the Ratesys application window and displays useful information about
the state of the program itself.
In order of fields from left to right, the status bar displays the following information:
DB
Shows the full path to the database you are
currently logged in to.
Table
Shows the current table in the database
that you are currently working with.
Status
Shows the current status of the application.
(e.g. Browse, Edit)
Current User
Shows the User ID of the currently logged in
user.
Editor Mode
Shows the current type of input mode;
Insert or Overlay. This setting can be
changed by pressing the Insert key on your
keyboard.
Date
Shows the current day’s date.
25
THE RATESYS QUOTING SYSTEM
Needless to say, the primary function of Ratesys is to provide quick, accurate quotes.
This chapter will cover the Quick Quote process, how to manually rate a policy, the
process of turning your quote into an application, adding schedules to a policy, and
attaching mortgagees to coverage units and scheduled items.
QUOTE SYSTEM OVERVIEW
To start a new quote, you need to open the Quote System. There are three ways to open the
Quote System:
From the menu bar, select: Quotes Activate Quote System
From the menu bar, select: File Open Activate Quote System
From the tool bar, select the button
Once you start the quote system, you will see a screen that consists of a series of nine pages, or tabs, in which you
can view and edit data. This section will describe each tab in detail.
QUOTE SYSTEM TABS
The nine tabs in the Quote System
Browse
Shows all entered quotes.
Policy
Contains data about the selected policy that
you have entered. It includes policy type,
effective date, the insured’s name and address
and other identifying information, primary
form, deductible and other rating information,
the agency, branch and producer code, and
billing information.
Location
Shows the locations insured on this policy. On
home owner and farm owner policy types
(including most mobile home programs) you
will have only one location. On all other policy
types, it is possible to have more than one
location.
Cov Units
The coverage units on this policy. On home
owner and form owner policy types (including
most mobile home programs), you will have
only one coverage unit. On all other policy
types, it is possible to have more than one
coverage unit.
Forms
Shows the additional forms and schedules
on this policy. To add a form or a schedule,
click on the form name. If additional data
is needed, an input screen will open in
which you will enter the scheduled
information.
The red captions indicate fields
required to rate a policy.
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Underwriting
This tab contains a set of sub-tabs. The
number and types of sub tabs you see depend
on the type of policy you are entering. In
order to print or submit an application, you
must complete the questions on each
underwriting tab. These tabs contain
underwriting questions used by Ratesys and
your underwriter to evaluate the risk of the
policy.
Premium
Displays the premium quoted on a policy.
After the information necessary to rate the
policy has been entered, go to this page and
click on Rate Policy to get a rate. Re-rating
the policy is important if you have changed
data or added/removed schedules on the
Forms tab.
Tran History
Displays transactions which have occurred on
a quote. For print and submit transactions, an
image of the application or quote will
generate automatically. This .pdf image is
accessed by clicking on the image icon located
in the pdf column.
Notes
This tab is for your use. You can keep notes
on this quote for whatever purpose you
desire. This data is never transmitted to the
company so it remains confidential to your
agency.
QUICK QUOTING A POLICY
There are two ways to start a new quote:
Click the New Quote button at the bottom left of the screen
Select Quotes Enter New Quote from the menu bar
The Quick Quote screen will appear and the Policy Tab will be the active page, as shown below:
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NAVIGATING THE QUICK QUOTE SCREEN
Navigating through the various fields and tabs of the quick quote system can be done in a variety of ways in order
to make your work quick and efficient.
You can move quickly through the various fields on a page by doing the following:
Pressing the Enter or Tab key
Clicking the desired field to make it active
The active field is denoted by a yellow background.
Likewise, there are a few methods to quickly switch from one tab to the next:
Pressing the Enter or Tab key after completing the final field on a page
Clicking the desired tab name
Pressing the Next or Back buttons at the bottom right of the window
In order to get a basic quote, the required fields captioned in red must be completed. The fields captioned in black
are not required, and are available to provide additional information.
STEP 1: SETUP THE POLICY
The first step in the quick quote process is the Policy Screen. Here, you will enter information about the policy
type, as well as the insured’s information.
The Policy Tab
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Quote No.
The current quote number. This increases by
one for each quote you add.
Type
The policy type you wish to quote. If you are
unsure of the available policy types, click on
the arrow to the right of the field to see the
available choices.
On most drop-drown fields,
you can press the F10 key to open
a lookup window providing more
information on your available choices.
Eff.
The effective date for the new policy.
Exp.
The policy’s expiration date. This is
automatically filled based on the effective
date.
Term
The term for the policy. This is pre-set at 12
months.
Status
The status of the policy. New policies being
entered have a status of NA.
Insured Name 1
The customer’s name.
Insured Name 2
This field is available if you wish to put two
names on the policy.
Insured Addr 1
The insured’s address.
Insured Addr 2
A second address field available if necessary.
City
The customer’s city.
Internat’l
Select this box if the customer has an
international address.
State
The state the customer resides in.
Zip
The customer’s zip code.
Primary Form
The primary form that this policy will use.
Deductible Size
The deductible you wish to select for this
policy.
Preferred Risk
Depending on the policy type selected, the
preferred risk checkbox may be available. If
the preferred risk checkbox is checked, you
must provide the estimated replacement cost
per square foot amount for the first floor of
the dwelling as shown above. This information
is required in order to determine if the risk
qualifies as preferred risk.
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STEP 2: ADD LOCATIONS
After completing the policy page, the location screen appears. Here, you will enter information about the insured
location.
The Location Screen
Address / St / Zip
The location address. If you entered the mailing
address on the Policy Tab and the mailing
address and location are the same, you can click
the Copy Mailing Address button to fill in the
information you entered on the Policy Tab.
Acreage
The acreage or lot size. The field will accept
decimal data entry (e.g. 0.5 acres).
County
The location’s county. You can type in the first
five letters, or select it from the drop down list.
This will automatically fill out the territory
number above, as well.
Fire District County
This field will automatically be filled with the
value entered in the County field. If the servicing
fire department is in another county, enter the
first five characters of the fire district county.
Fire District
The fire district servicing this risk. To view a list of the
fire districts available in the selected county, you may
press the F10 key or click the View Fire Districts
button to the right of the field.
Protection Class
Depending on the Fire District selected, this field will
automatically be filled. If the Fire District selected is
a split classification, then the Protection Class Info
dialog box will appear.
The Distance to Fire Dept and Distance to Hydrant
must be provided to accurately assign the Protection
Class for this risk.
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PROGRAM LINES SUPPORTING MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
For Homeowners and Farmowners program lines, only one location is allowed. For other program lines, it is
possible to enter additional locations. Multi-location policy types display the Location Tab, shown below.
To add another location for these policies, click Add Loc and you can then enter the information for the additional
location(s).
After entering the locations and their information, click Save and continue to the Coverage Unit tab by clicking the
Next button on the bottom of the screen.
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STEP 3: ADD COVERAGE UNITS
The Coverage Unit page will allow you to add and enter coverage unit details for your policy.
The Coverage Unit Page
Location
The location associated with this coverage
unit.
Description
The dwelling’s description. For home owners
and farm owners program lines you can either
choose a description from the drop-down list
or, for mobile homes, the description consists
of the manufacturer, model, and dimensions
of the dwelling.
Year of Constr
The year of construction for the dwelling.
Construction
The construction code for the dwelling.
Owner/Tenant
The occupancy type.
Cov A
The coverage amount for the dwelling.
Cov L
The amount of liability coverage desired.
For certain policy types, liability is quoted
by adding a schedule form on the Forms
Tab. Policy types requiring a schedule form
for liability will display a note at the top
right above the description field.
Cov M
The amount of med pay coverage desired.
Depending on the policy type and the information entered on the policy and location tabs,
additional data may be required. The Foundation, ABC Endorsement (Prot Class A, B, C),
Building Type, Stored In Type, or CSP Class fields may be visible.
If so, enter the information required.
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PROGRAM LINES SUPPORTING MULTIPLE COVERAGE UNITS
For Homeowners and Farmowners program lines, only one coverage unit is allowed. For other program lines, it is
possible to enter additional coverage units. Program lines that allow additional coverage units will have a
Coverage Unit page that looks like the one below:
To add another coverage unit for these policies, click Add CU and you can then enter the information for the
additional coverage unit(s).
After entering your coverage units, you have entered enough information to rate the policy. However, if you need
to add other forms or schedules to this quote, you can do so from the Forms tab.
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STEP 4: SELECT FORMS AND SCHEDULES
The forms page contains a list of forms/schedules to add to the policy.
The Forms Page
You can scroll down the page to find the form/schedule you want to add. Select the form/schedule by clicking on
it. If the selected form is a schedule form, an input screen unique to the form will open.
To add a new scheduled item:
1. Click Add to add a new scheduled item.
2. Enter the required information for the schedule in the entry fields, and click Post at the bottom of the
screen to save your additions/changes.
3. Click the Close button to close the schedule form.
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STEP 5: RATE THE POLICY
Now that you’ve entered all of the information you need, you can rate the policy.
Go to the Rates tab, and the quote will rate automatically.
The Rates Tab
The premium will display on the far right of the Rates page. You can click Save at this point to save your
changes. You can access this saved quote at any time via the Quote System Browser.
After rating the policy, you can print a quotation suitable for presentation
to your customer. However, we do not recommend you provide a printed quote
unless you are certain you will ultimately write this policy with NC Grange Mutual.
By providing a printed quote to a customer, who may be shopping, you have given him
all the information a competitor needs to steal this customer away from you.
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MANUALLY RATING A POLICY
Ratesys will not automatically rate Commercial Fire or SMP policies. Although Ratesys does not rate
these policies for you, it does provide a way for you to complete and submit the application.
To have Ratesys generate an application on either of the above mentioned policy types, proceed to
enter all the data into the system you would normally enter if this were automatically rated by Ratesys.
Upon reaching the Rates page, the Manual Rating Input screen will appear as displayed below:
When the Manual Rating Input screen appears, call Deb Welch at NC Grange Mutual to get the rate for
any of these manually rated policy types. Deb will rate the policy and provide you the rates you need to
enter into this screen. After you enter the rates, click on the OK button. The Rates tab will reappear and
the rates you just entered will display.
36
TURNING YOUR QUOTE INTO AN APPLICATION
You have just quoted your potential new customer the cost of protecting his or her valuable assets. The
quote, along with your superior sales skills, convinces the customer to purchase the policy. Now you
just need to convert this quote into an application that you can submit to NC Grange Mutual.
During the Quick Quote process, you entered only the data necessary to obtain a quote for the policy.
To convert the quote into a policy, you must enter information necessary for NC Grange Mutual to
properly evaluate the risk. During this process, Ratesys does some limited evaluation and error checking
for you. If any data required by NC Grange Mutual is missing or incorrect, Ratesys will notify you.
To turn your quote into an application, do the following:
1. Go to the Policy tab by clicking on the tab or by pressing Alt-P
2. At a minimum, the following fields on the Policy tab must be completed before Ratesys will print
or submit this quote as an application:
Addr1 Branch City Producer State Bill Type Zip Bill Plan Risk Type (if enabled) Bill To Package Type (if enabled) Bill To ID (if billed to a third party) CPP Type (if enabled) Bill To Acct # (if billed to a third party) Agency
Although NC Grange Mutual does not absolutely require the following information, it is very
helpful in evaluating the risk if we also have:
Phone Number Date of Birth (of insured and spouse)
The Policy tab, properly filled out for application submittal
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3. Go to the Location tab by clicking on the tab itself or by pressing Alt-L
4. Select the location you want to view, and then click on the View/Edit button on the bottom right
of the tab to open the View/Edit Location screen.
5. Make sure valid data exists in all of the fields on this screen. Assuming the minimum data was
already entered to quote the policy, you must complete the following remaining fields:
Township/City Distance to Fire Department Zip Distance to Hydrant
6. Click on OK to save your changes and close the View/Edit Location screen.
A location, properly filled out for application submittal
7. Go to the Cov Units tab by clicking on the tab itself or by pressing Alt-U.
8. Select a coverage unit, then click on View/Edit on the bottom of the tab to open the Coverage
Unit input screen.
9. Make sure all fields are completed. All fields on this screen are required in order to produce an
application. Estimated replacement cost per square foot must be equal to or greater than the
minimum values shown in your Underwriting Guidelines manual. Ratesys will notify you if your
values do not meet NCGM’s minimum guidelines.
10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Coverage Unit input screen. A message will remind
you to enter mortgagees if applicable.
For more information, see Attaching Mortgagees to Coverage Units on page 41.
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1. Go to the Forms tab by clicking on the tab itself or by pressing Alt-M.
To properly rate the policy, it is assumed you already entered any forms/schedules
which generate premiums or credits. Therefore, if you haven’t already,
you still need to add special exclusion forms required by NC Grange Mutual.
These special exclusion forms do not generate premiums or credits.
2. Be sure to select EXCL-ATVa Special ATV Liability Exclusion 06-05 and EXCL-DOGa Special Dog
Liability Exclusion 06-05 on any policy providing liability coverage. Enter the scheduled
information requested by the schedule input form. Click Post to save your changes, then click
the Close button to close the schedule input form.
The EXCL-ATVa and EXCL-DOGa forms
3. Select any other special exclusion forms applying to this risk. Enter the scheduled information
requested by the schedule input form. Click Post to save your changes, then click the Close
button to close the schedule input form.
4. Go to the Underwriting Tab by clicking on the tab itself, or by pressing Alt-W.
5. The Underwriting Tab contains another set of tabs referred to as sub-tabs as displayed below:
39
The number and type of sub-tabs you see depends on the type of policy you are entering. All
policies will have the following sub-tabs:
Insured Images Location Remarks Cov Units Submission Requirements Loss History
Depending on the policy type and other information you entered on prior pages, you might see
the following sub-tabs:
Farm Info Dog Comm Info Pool Older Home Wood Heat
The Underwriting sub-tabs contain questions required by NC Grange Mutual to properly
evaluate and underwrite the risk. All questions on each displayed sub-tab must be answered.
The Remarks sub-tab provides a free-form input field where you can provide any additional
comments which will assist your underwriter in properly evaluating the risk. Be thorough and
descriptive when answering these questions. Some underwriting questions on several pages ask
you to further explain in the Remarks section. Please provide
specific details in the Remarks section when applicable.
11. After completing all questions on each sub-tab, go to the Premium
tab by clicking on the tab itself, or by pressing Alt-I.
12. We recommend that you rate the policy again before continuing.
While completing the application, you may have accidentally
entered or changed some data which affected the premium. To rate
the policy again, click on the Rate Policy button.
13. To submit the application to NC Grange Mutual at this point, you
have the option of printing the application and mailing it by USPS, or
electronically submitting the application. The quickest, least
expensive means of submission for you and us is electronically.
TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION ELECTRONICALLY
1. Click on the Submit App button.
2. A message will display asking if you want to submit payment electronically. If you wish to do so,
click Yes and see the walkthrough for submitting electronic payment below. Otherwise, click
No.
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3. The Print window will appear. When submitting the application electronically, Ratesys defaults
to printing two copies; one for your records and one to give your customer. You must print at
least one copy to submit an application electronically. Click OK.
4. The application will print and a message will display, stating “Application has been submitted to
NC Grange Mutual”. If any problems exist with electronic submission, Ratesys will notify you.
5. Within 30 minute after submitting the application, you will receive an email message indicating
the application was received by NC Grange Mutual. The email will contain further instructions
regarding signatures, diagrams, etc.
SUBMITTING ELECTRONIC PAYMENT
1. Click on the Submit Pmt button. The Pay by Check input form will appear. Enter the check
information requested, then click Submit at the bottom of the page. Another screen will
appear, and you will have to indicate your understanding of the terms by clicking “I
Understand”.
2. The Electronic Check Amount window will appear. Enter the amount of the check you just
submitted, and click OK.
3. At this point, you must resubmit the application by clicking Submit App. See above for further
instruction on the application submittal process.
Electronic Check Payment Amount
Electronic Check Payment Agreement
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WORKING WITH MORTGAGEES
Mortgagees are attached to individual coverage units or scheduled items. You attach a mortgagee to a
specific coverage unit from the Cov Units tab.
ADDING MORTGAGEES TO COVERAGE UNITS
1. On the Cov Units tab, click on the coverage unit that you would like to attach the mortgagee to.
This makes it the active coverage unit.
2. Click on the Mortgagee button.
3. The Mortgagee/Lienholder screen appears. Click on the Attach button to bring up the Browse
Mortgagees/Lienholders window.
4. To find the mortgagee, you can search by name and city, zip code, or mortgage ID. Enter the
information you want to search by, and click Seek.
5. A list of mortgagees will appear in the window. Scroll through the list until you find the correct
mortgagee. If you find the correct mortgagee, you can skip to step 8. Otherwise, the steps
below will help you in adding one manually.
6. If you failed to find the mortgagee you needed, click the Add button. A mortgagee input area
will appear at the bottom of the Browse window.
7. Enter the mortgagee’s information, including their phone number, if available. When entry is
completed, click the Post button, then the OK button.
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8. The mortgagee number and account window will appear. Enter the mortgagee number (e.g., is
this the first or second mortgagee), and the loan account number. If the loan account is not
available, enter NEED INFO. If this mortgagee requires the Farmers Home Administration
endorsement or the Vendor’s Single Interest Endorsement, click on the appropriate checkbox
before clicking the OK button.
9. The mortgagee/lienholder screen will reappear with the mortgagee you just attached displayed
in the grid. The coverage unit to which the mortgagee is attached is displayed immediately
above the grid.
Up to four mortgagees/lienholders can be attached to
a coverage unit or to a scheduled item.
Adding Mortgagees to Scheduled Items
Mortgagees can be added to scheduled items by clicking the Mortgagee button on the specific
schedule’s screen. While different schedule screens will often look different from one another, the
process for adding the mortgagee will be the same as adding them for coverage units described above.
MORTGAGEE-BILLED POLICIES
If a policy is escrowed and billed to the mortgagee, you must indicate this on the Policy tab.
To mark a policy as a mortgagee-billed policy, follow these steps:
1. Return to the Policy tab by clicking on the tab itself, or by pressing Alt-P.
2. In the Billing Info section of the page, set the Bill Type to M for Mortgagee.
3. In the BT ID# field, press the F10 key to open the Browse Mortgagees/Lienholders window.
4. Select the mortgagee to bill using the browse window (Refer to the previous section on
attaching Mortgagees/Lienholders to Coverage Units if necessary). When you click OK, the
system ID of the mortgagee you selected will be entered in the BT ID# field.
5. Lastly, enter the loan number in the Bill To Acct # field. If you do not know the loan number,
enter NEED INFO.
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Ratesys will not let you print or submit an application if the bill-to mortgagee is not attached
to a coverage unit or scheduled item. Ratesys uses the BT ID# to verify the same mortgagee
is attached. When viewing the mortgagee screen from the coverage unit tab or from
a scheduled item, the value in the column titled ID# must match the BT ID# in the policy tab.
ADDING SCHEDULES TO A POLICY
Schedules are added to a policy from the Forms tab. While in the Quote System, you access the Forms tab by
clicking on the tab or by pressing Alt-M.
The Forms tab displays additional forms and schedules you can add to the policy. Some forms may be disabled, as
they are not available for the particular risk you are rating. For instance, if your primary form was an HO0003, the
DP0002A form would be disabled. The DP0002A form is only available on an HO0008 policy.
You will also see some forms which are disabled, but are also checked. These forms are mandatory or have been
selected on an earlier input screen. For instance, if HO0055 was disabled but checked, you would likely find that
Replacement Cost on Contents had been selected on the policy’s coverage unit.
To add additional forms/schedules to a policy, do the following:
1. Scroll down the list until you find the form or schedule you want to add to the policy.
2. Click on the form name. If the form doesn’t have an associated schedule, then simply clicking the name
will successfully add it. Otherwise, a unique form will appear in which you will enter the scheduled item.
3. Click the Add button to add a scheduled item to the form.
4. Enter the location number to which the scheduled item applies.
If you do not remember the location number, you can press the F10 key
to open a lookup window that will show you the possible selections.
5. Click on Post to complete the entry. You can add more scheduled items by clicking Add again, or if you
are done, you can click the Close button.
All of the numerous schedule input screens require detailed information about the scheduled item being entered
directly on the display grid. Many schedules are very similar. For instance, most of the EXCL forms use a similar
input screen which requires entry of the covered location only. Other forms may require additional information
about the scheduled item.
Some schedule input screens will contain data items which require you to select the correct data item from a list
of choices. Clicking on the arrow for these drop down fields will display a list of choices for that particular field.
Sometimes, you may need more information before making your selection. The F10 key in this situation can be
useful, as it will show information about each of the potential choices.
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INPUT DEFAULTS
While Ratesys is easy enough to navigate and work with right out of the box, there are
a number of shortcuts and extra features that you can use in order to make your work
go even faster. This chapter will go over input defaults; a feature that can streamline
your quoting process.
INPUT DEFAULTS OVERVIEW
You will have a better experience using Ratesys if you take the time to set up input defaults. Doing so is
optional, but by establishing input defaults, the speed of the quoting process can be significantly
increased. Input defaults are values which are automatically entered for specific fields whenever you
start a new quote.
Input defaults can be established for:
Policy Information
Location Information
Coverage Unit Information
To set up input defaults, from the Ratesys menu, select File Maintenance Setup and then select the
input default information that you want to enter.
THE INPUT DEFAULTS SCREENS
At first glance, these pages are identical to the ones from the quoting system. However, only the fields
with available default inputs are selectable. By placing a value into these fields and clicking OK, that
data will thereafter be populated in every quote by default. Depending on how your agency does
business, taking the time to set these default values can save your agents a great deal of time.
DEFAULT POLICY INFORMATION
When you select Policy, a screen opens displaying the Policy tab of the Quoting system. From here, you
can set the defaults that will appear on the Policy page when you perform a quick quote. Almost all of
these options are beneficial to set, as there are certain fields that are always the same (State, Renewal
Term, Agency, etc.). Setting these up allows you to better focus on the information that is unique and
important to each customer and to each quote.
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Below is a brief description of each field, as well as recommendations for each:
Type
The default policy type (e.g. HO, HOM, FO,
CF, etc). We do not recommend you set a
default value for this field unless you write
primarily one product with NC Grange
Mutual.
State
The default state. Always default this to NC.
Renew Term
The default renewal term. Always default
this to 12.
Deductible Size
Set the default deductible size to whichever
you most often recommend to your
customers.
Agency
Always default to your NC Grange Mutual
agency number.
Br(anch)
Default this to your NC Grange Mutual
branch number.
Pr(oducer)
If you have multiple producers quoting
business with NC Grange Mutual, we
recommend you do not default this value.
If you have primarily one producer quoting
business with NC Grange Mutual, default
this field to that producer’s name.
Bill Plan
Default to the bill plan most often used by
your insured. Bill plan 0 is the full term
prepaid pay plan (one payment) while Bill
Plan 1 is the 40-30-30 plan (three
payments). Bill plan 2 is not available.
Bill To
Choices are I(nsured), M(ortgagee), and
P(remium Finance Company). We
recommend you default this field to I.
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DEFAULT LOCATION INFORMATION
When you select Location, the location input screen opens.
St(ate)
Always default to NC.
County
Default this field to the county in which
you quote most of your policies.
Township/City
We do not recommend you default this
field. However, if most of your business is
located in a particular city or township,
set this value to that city.
Territory
Default this field to the NC Grange Mutual
rating territory in which the majority of
your policies reside. NC Grange Mutual
uses territories 1-4.
Fire District County
Default this field to the county in which
you quote most of your policies.
Protection Class
We do not recommend you default this
field. However, if you quote business
primarily in one protection class, set the
value to that particular protection class.
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DEFAULT COVERAGE UNIT INFORMATION
Coverage unit default values can be set for the following coverage unit types:
Commercial Fire Homeowner Dwelling Fire Mobilehome – Farm Mobilehome – Dwelling Fire Mobilehome Farm Fire SMP Farmowner
When you select a Coverage Unit type, a custom coverage unit input screen opens. The fields available
for input defaults depend on the coverage unit type selected and are shown in the table below along
with their recommended default value:
Field Name Recommended Default Value
Coverage Unit Type
CF DF MH-DF FF FO HO MH MH-FO SMP
No. of Families 1 x x x x x x x
Owner/Tenant O x x x x x x x
Primary Residence True x x
Seasonal False x x x x x x x
Town/RowHouse False x x
Heated True x x x
Wood Heat False x x x x x x x x x
Construction x x x x x x x x x Const(ruction) Grade ORD x x x
Superior Constr(uction) False x x x
Approved Roof True x x x x x
Tied Down True x x x x
Masonry Foundation False x x x x
Replacement Cost on Contents True x x x x
Replacement Cost on Structure False x x x
Optional Perils True x x
Vandalism/Malicious Mischief False x x x
Extended Coverage True x x x
Add’l Extended Coverage False x x
Theft Exclusion True x
Coinsurance 80 x
Curing Permit False x
Exclude Curing False x
Liability 300,000 x x x x x
Med Pay 2,000 x x x x x
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UPDATING & TROUBLESHOOTING RATESYS
Whether you’re trying to update Ratesys, install it, add users, or use the Quote
System, it’s always possible you could run into an issue you can’t resolve on your own.
This chapter will go over how to update Ratesys, ways to get help, and fixes to the
most common problems you may encounter.
UPDATING RATESYS
The best way to ensure that your experience with Ratesys goes as smoothly as possible is to keep the
application and database tables up to date.
CHECKING YOUR VERSION OF RATESYS
Verifying the version number of Ratesys will help determine whether an update is needed. You can
locate the version number by doing the following:
1. Log in to Ratesys.
2. Click Help on the menu bar.
3. Click About. A window will pop up containing the current version and build number of Ratesys.
UPDATING RATESYS AUTOMATICALLY
When there is an update available and you have active access to the internet, Ratesys will prompt you to
update upon starting the application.
If the database tables are installed to a shared location, make sure all users
have closed out of Ratesys before attempting to update the database.
You can update Ratesys automatically in this scenario by doing the following:
1. The prompt screen that Ratesys will ask if you wish to update to the latest version. Click Yes.
2. You will be prompted to read the information file, which contains important information about
the update you’re downloading. If you click Yes, the information screen will appear. Click OK to
dismiss this window and continue.
3. A message will appear noting that a file transfer is in progress. It may take a few minutes for the
process to complete.
4. When the file transfer is complete, you will be notified that the update has been downloaded.
Click OK.
5. Another dialog box will appear, notifying you of the version number. Click OK to continue.
6. After Win-Zip Self-Extractor completes the process of preparing the update, you will be notified
that downloaded files are being transferred. Once the transfer is complete, you will be notified,
and Ratesys will open automatically.
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UPDATING RATESYS MANUALLY
If automatic update isn’t working, updates are available for download from the Agents Only section of
the website. All published updates are cumulative (i.e. you don’t need to download multiple updates).
If the database tables are installed to a shared location, make sure all users
have closed out of Ratesys before attempting to update the database.
To manually update Ratesys, do the following:
1. Log in to the Agents Only section of the NCGM website.
2. After you log in, you will be at the dashboard. Click the Agents Only link on the left side of the
screen to continue.
3. After you click on the Agents Only link, you will see a menu with an option labeled
Download Center. Click this, and click the link for Ratesys for Windows.
4. There will be two options available. For the update, click on the Update link.
5. Navigate to the bottom of the page, while making note of updates and fixes to the software if
you wish. At the bottom, you will see the link for the manual update download. Click this, and
then click Run on the pop up window. The file will download and open once completed.
6. Depending on your operating system, you may see various security warning dialog boxes
appear. Click “Allow” or “Run Anyway” depending on the message to allow the update to begin.
Once the update window announcing the version number appears, click OK to continue.
7. The Win-Zip Self-Extractor will appear, displaying an Unzip to Folder: field. Make sure this
points to the path where Ratesys is currently installed. If it isn’t, click Browse… to point it
towards the correct folder, then click Unzip.
8. Once all files have unzipped, click OK. If the update completed successfully, Ratesys should
open automatically to the login screen.
OBTAINING AN UPDATING COPY OF THIS MANUAL
This manual will be updated periodically as new features are added. More importantly, however, the
troubleshooting section at the end of this document will be expanded periodically as well. The latest version of
this manual can always be accessed via the NCGM Website’s Agent’s Only Downloads section.
50
TROUBLESHOOTING RATESYS
This section contains common issues that users may encounter coupled with their common solutions.
Lastly, in the event that the issue isn’t resolved, contact information is given for technical support.
Issue Possible Solution
I am unable to log in to Ratesys.
Ensure that your username and password are
entered correctly. Passwords are case sensitive.
Ensure that the “Enter Database Name:” field is
populated with the correct path to your database
folder. A correct example for this field would be:
C:\RATESYS4WIN\DATABASE
If your database is stored on a network, ensure
that the server hosting the database is functional.
If your database is stored on a network, make
sure that you have access to the network drive.
Try to navigate to the network drive and folder
the database is stored in using Windows Explorer,
then try to log in again.
Ensure that the permissions for the folder the
database resides in are enabling you to access it
on both the client side and the server side where
applicable.
I am unable to submit an application
electronically.
Go into the Agency System and click on Browse
Producers. Select the producer you’re submitting
the application with, and ensure that the SMTP
settings for that producer are correct. If you’re
unsure of your SMTP server settings, contact your
e-mail provider. If your agency uses Outlook, you
may also try checking Outlook’s account settings
for the correct server information.
Check to see if your SMTP server requires
authentication. If it does, you will need to enter
your authentication information on the producer
screen. Make sure Mail Server Requires
Authentication is checked if it does.
51
I receive the error: Floating point div by Zero
Check exp date of the policy. If there are barns
on the policy, see if construction is empty.
If the policy is of type FFP or FFH, the primary
form needs to be 330-4NC.
Ratesys fails to update.
Ensure that you have connectivity to the internet,
and attempt to run the automatic update again.
Depending on your connection, the download
may take some time. While it isn’t typical, give it
approximately 10-15 minutes to download the
update.
If you are using a shared network database with
Ratesys, make sure that everyone is logged out of
Ratesys before attempting the update.
Ratesys keeps trying to update, even though it
already said the update succeeded.
Make sure that Ratesys isn’t installed in multiple
locations. The update program will update the
first instance of Ratesys it finds, which may not
be the same instance that you’re using.
I’m unable to resolve my issue. Contact technical support. Contact details are
provided at the end of this chapter.
CONTACTING TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Our company’s motto is “Together We Can”. If you need further help, please do not hesitate to contact NC Grange
Mutual.
Submitting a Help Desk Ticket
The preferred method for contacting technical support is by submitting a ticket. This can be done by sending an
e-mail to [email protected] and stating your issue. By doing this, it is easier to track your issue and have a
solution ready more quickly. You can leave your phone number and contact information, and we will get back to
you as soon as possible.
Technical Support Contacts
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: Brad Temple Madhu Gopalachari Libby Fox
1-800-394-1236 1-800-394-1236 1-800-394-1236
Ext 489 Ext 486 Ext 485
