adesso AG rolls out software platform drebis: New standard for communication and data exchange between legal insurance providers and law firms

Dortmund, 25 May 2010 – drebis, the new software platform for data exchange between insurance providers and around 150,000 law firms in Germany has recently gone online. 12 large legal insurance providers have already chosen to use the portal developed and operated by adesso AG. Those insurers already using drebis – Advocard Rechtsschutzversicherung AG, BGV Badische Versicherungen, D.A.S. Rechtsschutz-Versicherungs-AG, DEURAG, DEVK Rechtsschutz, Hamburg Mannheimer, LVM Versicherung, Roland Rechtsschutz and WGV-Versicherung and shortly also ARAG, HDI Gerling and DMB Rechtsschutz – are setting a high standard when dealing with law firms. drebis makes it possible to exchange information efficiently and without media discontinuity. With this new platform, adesso has defined a new standard which developers of legal software and the law firms themselves can quickly and easily implement. Law firms do not incur any costs when using drebis.

drebis offers lawyers and insurance providers a direct data link with up and down streams for exchanging information and data. Around two thirds of all legal insurance claims can be transmitted via drebis, making the platform the most important interface between law firms and legal insurers. The system allows insurers to communicate with law firms and also automates parts of the claims process. Leading legal software developers have integrated drebis functions such as invoicing, requests for coverage, open communication and lawyers’ references in their main applications and more are set to follow suit.

Law firms communicating with insurance providers via drebis are guaranteed to receive clearly defined services. If a fully completed request for coverage is received, it is usually no longer necessary to make any further enquiries, and cost notes and advance invoices submitted via drebis are processed immediately. Insurers usually respond within two working days via the same electronic platform. If drebis is integrated in legal software, electronic file and workflow management functions are included automatically.

“Using drebis offers distinctive advantages to law firms and clients. By speeding up the decision process, lawyers and insured parties find out at a much earlier stage if a case is covered by legal insurance. Organisational efforts are also reduced, helping staff at law firms to work more efficiently – this obviously has a positive effect on costs,” explains Dr. Hubert W. van Bühren, member of the advisory board of the working group on insurance law of the German Bar Association (Deutscher Anwaltverein).

In the future, adesso plans to also integrate structured communication for vehicle insurance claims into drebis. The company has already engaged in talks with several large insurance providers to this end.

Statements

Dr. Hubert W. van Bühren, member of the advisory board of the working group on insurance law of the German Bar Association (Deutscher Anwaltverein):

“Using drebis offers distinctive advantages to law firms and clients. By speeding up the decision process, lawyers and insured parties find out at a much earlier stage if a case is covered by legal insurance. Organisational efforts are also reduced, helping staff at law firms to work more efficiently – this obviously has a positive effect on costs.”

Michael Kenfenheuer, Member of the Executive Board, responsible for Consulting & Sales at adesso AG:

“We have tailored drebis to fit the needs of lawyers in every way. Only if this software is accepted by the majority of law firms, can insurance providers achieve more potential for rationalisation. The success of the recently completed test phase involving around 1,800 law firms has shown that we are on the right track.”

Ralph Vonderstein, CEO of AnNoText GmbH:

“Our software solutions help lawyers and legal organisations increase their productivity – the integration of drebis in the AnNoText software follows this approach. With drebis, we offer our customers a simple and modern solution for increasing the quality of their client management, saving time and optimising their resource management. It is also another step towards a fully electronic filing system, which is sure to represent the future of management and communication for law firms.”

Helmut Plote, Head of Claims Management at D.A.S. Rechtsschutz-Versicherungs-AG:

“We feel that our decision to use drebis is an important step towards optimising our processes and increasing efficiency. With this form of direct digital communication, we can also offer law firms a future-oriented service, which will optimise our cooperation even further. The fact that drebis is already being supported as an open platform by the majority of legal insurance providers constitutes a huge success and proves the potential of the project.”

Mr. Hartmut Roddewig, Lawyer:

“Our staff have tested drebis inside and out and were particularly impressed with how much quicker clients received decisions on their requests for coverage. Up to now, a request by post took about one week – with drebis, we received an answer after just 24 hours, even without using legal software.”

drebis at a glance

Legal insurance providers that are using drebis

• Advocard Rechtsschutzversicherung AG
• BGV Badische Versicherungen
• D.A.S.
• DEURAG
• DEVK
• Hamburg Mannheimer
• LVM Versicherung
• Roland Rechtsschutz
• WGV-Versicherung

• ARAG
• DMB Rechtsschutz
• HDI Gerling

• Cost notes and advance invoices are processed immediately.
• If a fully completed request for coverage has been received, the insurer normally does not need to make any further enquiries.
• Insurers normally respond within two working days.
• Replies are sent via the same electronic platform without media discontinuity. If drebis is integrated in legal software, electronic file and workflow management functions are automatically included.
• Law firms do not incur any costs when using drebis.

• Implemented in the legal software of leading providers
• Requests for legal insurance coverage and follow-up communication are processed quickly (decision, further written communication), right up to sending the (advance) cost note.
• Structured communication with around 150,000 law firms in Germany.