Contract for the work required to produce an acceptable package, with measurable responsibilities on both sides. A headline per-file fee and a delivery promise leave too much of the operating model undefined.
Use this proposed schedule:
| Contract area | Buyer requirement to negotiate |
|---|---|
| Scope | Included documents, file types, formats and excluded tasks |
| Input standard | Required evidence and responsibility for missing-input requests |
| Acceptance | Carrier-approved checklist, severity rubric and adjudication process |
| Corrections | No-charge supplier-defect correction terms and time limits |
| Supplements | Evidence cut-off and rules for new scope or new information |
| Service levels | Clock definitions, upper-tail performance, pauses and correction times |
| Case mix | Complexity bands, assignment acceptance rules and decline reporting |
| Commercials | Minimums, transaction fees, surge charges and price-change mechanisms |
| Staffing | Qualifications, subcontracting, supervision and location disclosures |
| Change control | Approval and testing for material workflow or model changes |
| Assurance | Audit access, security evidence and regulatory cooperation |
| Accountability | Decision authority, escalation and prohibited actions |
| Exit | Data rights, formats, transition support and deletion evidence |
The NAIC model bulletin specifically discusses appropriate third-party audit rights or audit reports and cooperation with regulatory inquiries. Ask counsel to translate applicable expectations into enforceable terms rather than copying generic AI language. (content.naic.org)
Set quality and service thresholds from your baseline, risk tolerance and pilot evidence. Do not invent industry-standard acceptance percentages or make service credits the sole remedy for persistent material defects.
Sources cited on this page
- content.naic.orgcontent.naic.org