Standards Project & Advisory Groups

Next-Generation Digital Standards SPG

The Next-Generation Digital Standards (NGDS) SPG was established to leverage subject matter expertise from members representing a broad cross-section of the industry as we continue to develop a common approach to setting digital standards, structures, and implementation guidelines. In this group, we leverage member inputs across geographies and communities to ensure ACORD API Specifications are cross-domain. Members provide valuable subject matter expertise and guidance by sharing business scenarios, providing recommendations on Standards Enhancement requests, providing feedback based on implementation experience, and more.

⮞ Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 9:00 AM ET

Next-Gen Digital Standards Technical Subgroup

The ACORD NGDS Technical Subgroup is a key forum for items related to current Next-Gen Digital Standards development activities. While this group delves into more technical aspects of the Standard, we also discuss some high-level business concepts and may create separate focus groups to discuss/review specific topics as needed. These focus groups meet separately and report back to the Technical subgroup for review and agreement before submitting to the SPG for inclusion in the Standard. The Technical subgroup helps drive the conversation and direction of where the NGDS Standard will focus next.

⮞ Meets every other Tuesday 9:00-10:00 AM ET

Next-Gen Digital Standards Electronic Health Records Subgroup

The Electronic Health Standards Subgroup is part of the Next-Gen Digital Standards, with a focus on the life insurance industry. The advent of electronic health records has triggered a need for a standardized format for the transmission of electronic health data between carriers, vendors, and point of care source systems. This subgroup leverages the expertise of its members and existing industry standards to identify the gaps in digitizing unstructured data. This subgroup reports back to the Technical Subgroup for review and agreement before submitting to the SPG for inclusion in the Standard. Members and nonmembers are welcome to join this subgroup.

⮞ Meets on 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month 3:00-4:00 PM ET

Next-Generation Digital Standards Producer Management Subgroup

The Next-Generation Digital Standards Producer Management Subgroup provides an opportunity for member organizations to contribute to the creation and enhancement of reusable structures that can be implemented across similar Producer Management business processes such as Sales & Distribution Channels, Hierarchies and Producer Training. Members provide valuable subject matter expertise and guidance by sharing business scenarios, providing recommendations and by providing feedback based on implementation experience, and more.

⮞ Meets on 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at 3:00-4:00 PM ET

ACORD GRLC Accounting and Claims SPG

This group provides valuable subject matter expertise and guidance by sharing business scenarios and providing recommendations on Standards Enhancement requests and reinsurance business processes. The group drives the community members to adopt the latest ACORD GRLC Standards, reviews business process/standards-related issues, and provides advice. If any issue requires further discussion, the group recommends convening a subgroup of experts to address the specific issue. Once the solution is agreed upon, the subgroup provides feedback to the SPG along with the solution proposal for further approval from the SPG.

⮞ Meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at 15:00-16:30 UK Time

ACORD GRLC Placing SPG

This group is developing implementation guidelines for usage of the ACORD GRLC Placing message in all types of transactions related to the placing of reinsurance and insurance contracts globally. The group has completed guidelines for treaty reinsurance contracts and is in the final stages of drafting guidelines for facultative reinsurance contracts. During 2024, the group will commence consideration of other types of contracts (such as commercial insurance) and structured data messages that could support all kinds of reinsurance and insurance contracts (such as schedules of values). In addition, as implementation of the Placing message guidelines moves forward, the group will provide ongoing subject matter expertise to address any questions raised by implementing organizations. All new implementation guidelines, changes to existing guidelines, and changes to underlying ACORD Standards proposed by this group are processed through the full ACORD Standards approval process.

⮞ Meets every other Wednesday at 15:00-16:30 UK Time

ACORD GRLC Technical Design Authority SPG

The Technical Design Authority SPG was created to assess, develop, and establish design principles for extending ACORD Global Reinsurance and Large Commercial (GRLC) Standards to JSON/RESTful implementations. The group will review feedback and/or proposals from other ACORD GRLC SPGs, ACORD members, or other interested parties with regard to technical alignment between XML/SOAP and JSON/RESTful implementations.

⮞ Meets every first Thursday of the month at 14:00-15:00 UK Time

L&A Standard Enhancements (SE) Review Group (Advisory Group)

The objective of this group is to review submitted Standard Enhancements to understand the use case and ensure there are no negative impacts on the Standard prior to providing recommendation. This group provides feedback as needed on questions, issues concerning potential enhancements, and architectural and suggested modeling. Relevant industry topics are brought to this group, and subgroups are formed as needed to address targeted needs, as well as provide feedback and publication approval for Transaction Specifications.

⮞ Meets every Thursday 10:00-11:00 AM ET

L&A Annuity Transaction Advisory Group

The current focus of this group is to update the Product Profile for Annuity (PPfA) Transaction Specification guide to include the latest requirements, enhancements and relevant documentation needed to accurately reflect the latest industry modeling and trends. We also plan to work on updates for the 103 New Business for Annuity (NBfA) Transaction Specifications to reflect the latest requirements.

⮞ Meets on 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at 10:00-11:30 AM ET

ACORD L&A DTCC Mapping Advisory Group

The objective of this group is to provide expertise in the alignment between the L&A XML and DTCC EDI Standards. This consists of providing insight into definitions and use cases and helping to address gaps. There is an increasing need to provide standard documentation of the mappings between these two Standards, which could benefit the ACORD Next-Generation Digital Standards, the DTCC Data Strategy initiative, as well as support companies that need to transition between the two Standards. Standard Enhancements (SE) will be prepared to address gaps.

⮞ Meets on 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month at 1:00-2:00 PM ET

L&A Standardized Life Insurance Application SPG

This SPG has oversight of subgroup activities and provides direction and approval of work. The overall effort is provided to the Life & Annuity Program Advisory Council for approval. The focus is to create an application that best supports underwriting requirements, elicits the most complete and accurate information, incorporates the latest in behavioral science, is easily completed in a digital/online environment, and creates structured data output that can be easily shared with downstream systems. This work will also feed into the ACORD Next-Generation Digital Standards while conforming to the Life & Annuity Data Model.

⮞ Meets on 1st Monday of the month at 3:00-4:00 PM ET

L&A Life Insurance Application Subgroup

This group consists of SMEs who have the knowledge and skillset to complete the tasks as noted in the Charter. It is responsible for standards development efforts to create deliverables and processes. Overall, the effort is reported to SPG on a regular basis for guidance and approval.

⮞ Meets every other Tuesday 1:30-2:30 PM ET

L&A ACORD 951 and ACORD 951e Form SPG

This group's goal is to review specific enhancement requests, including additional disclosure language, language concerning Required Minimum Distributions, and Letter of Acceptance language for the ACORD 951 and ACORD 951e Forms. The group will also look to examine whether two forms need to be retained.

⮞ Meets every other Tuesday 1:30-2:30 PM ET

P&C Data Standards Advisory Group

This group convenes members with broad industry and ACORD Standards expertise in order to share insight and provide feedback regarding proposed enhancements to the P&C Data Standards. The scope of this group also includes impact analysis of new/enhanced P&C Forms on the P&C XML and AL3 Standards. This group may be consulted for architectural advice and recommendations related to initiatives like Next-Generation Digital Standards and other augmentations of ACORD Standards.

⮞ Meets on 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Asia Pacific General Insurance (APGI) SPG

The Asia Pacific General Insurance (APGI) SPG focuses on the XML data standard and API specification development activities for the General Insurance community by adhering to the insurance practices specific to the Asia Pacific region including various insurance lines of businesses. The members provide valuable subject matter expertise and guidance by sharing best practices and business scenarios, providing recommendations on Standards Enhancement requests, providing feedback based on implementation experience, and more. The members also coordinate marketing and communication activities to promote ACORD XML Standards within the Asia Pacific insurance community.

⮞ Meets on 2nd Thursday bi-monthly 2:30 PM AEST