The Surplus Line Association of Idaho oversees surplus lines insurance filings, broker compliance, and financial reconciliation for the state of Idaho. In 2020, following security vulnerabilities in a legacy system, the SLA adopted a replacement platform intended to modernize operations. Over time, however, that system proved to be a poor fit for Idaho’s regulatory model and day-to-day workflows.
SLA-Idaho engaged Kikoda to design and implement a replacement system tailored specifically to their operational needs, supported by improved usability, transparency, and support for both internal staff and the broker community.
The Challenge
The system introduced in 2020 was a multi-state solution designed around another state’s business rules, which created persistent challenges for SLA-Idaho’s two-person office and for external filers.
Operationally, due to a lack of validation in the submission portal, a high volume of filings needed to be returned to the filer for correction. Payment information was not available within the management portal, making payment/filing matching difficult and manually intensive. Broker account management and organization were not designed with the requirements of Idaho codes and licensing requirements leading to challenges in managing data. System and support limitations, in particular in the area of system performance, as well as a lack of reliable responsiveness for support requests, caused significant dissatisfaction among the user base.
Discovery & Approach
Given the SLA’s team size and the importance of broker usability, discovery focused on depth rather than duration.
Our process included:
- Analysis of the previously retired legacy system, including application behavior and data structures, to identify effective patterns worth preserving
- Extensive discovery and review sessions at the start of the project, both remote and in person, allowing the SLA to clearly define workflows, requirements, and pain points
- Interviews with members of the broker community to understand filing challenges, preferences, and usability expectations
- Translation of findings into a prioritized backlog, delivered through an agile development approach
This upfront alignment ensured the solution reflected both regulatory needs and real-world usage.
The Solution
Kikoda’s collaboration with SLA-Idaho delivered a fully integrated platform, along with a refreshed branding and a new public-facing website.
1. Filing Portal: A modern submission experience designed to reduce errors and improve review efficiency.
Key capabilities included screen layouts designed for the specific rules and requirements for the Idaho surplus line regulatory environment. Enhanced data validation was incorporated to prevent common filing errors before submission. Strong security practices appropriate for regulatory and financial data were built into every aspect of the filing portal.
2. Administrative & Management Portal: An internal system built specifically around SLA-Idaho’s processes and regulatory model.
Features included screen layouts optimized for reviewer efficiency and interfaces designed to mirror internal workflows. A broker and account model aligned with Idaho licensing requirements were enhanced, both in the interface and the underlying data structures. The ability to view relationships between filings, brokers, and users, as well as between filings, invoices, and payments were incorporated throughout. Finally, oversight and traceability of system data and changes were improved.
3. Service Desk Portal: To address support challenges, a centralized service desk experience was implemented.
This included a single portal for both internal and external support requests and structured request tracking and resolution workflows. A knowledge base with how-to documentation and templates for filing and administrative users was created and tied into the support portal.
4. Branding & Website
In addition to internal systems, the branding for SLA-Idaho was refreshed and a new SLA-Idaho website was created, providing a clear, modern presence and improved access to information and resources for the broker community
For more information about the rebranding and updated website on this project, click here!
Results
The new system significantly improved day-to-day operations without increasing organizational complexity.
Internal Outcomes
- Greater confidence in data accuracy and completeness
- Improved visibility and control over invoicing and payments
- Faster and more predictable filing reviews, reducing manual effort
External Outcomes
- A more intuitive and streamlined filing experience
- Fewer rejected or flagged filings due to upfront validation
- More effective support interactions through centralized service desk
Conclusion
By replacing a misaligned, multi-state platform with a solution designed specifically for Idaho, the Surplus Line Association of Idaho gained a system that supports its regulatory responsibilities with clarity, efficiency, and confidence – while improving the experience for both internal staff and the broker community.
- Services Provided:
- Software Development
- Business Analysis
- Application Architecture
- Cloud Development
- Data Analytics
- Project Management
- Branding Design
- Website Design & Development
- Technologies Used:
- Backend: AWS CDK, MariaDB via MikroORM on AWS RDS, TypeScript & Node in Docker on AWS ECS, AWS API Gateway & Elastic Load Balancer, AWS Secrets Manager, AWS CloudWatch, AWS SES, Puppeteer
- Frontend: AWS CloudFront, AWS S3, TypeScript & React w/ MUI, React Query, React Form, React Router
About Kikoda:
We are coders, problem solvers, and innovators. Our clients are our partners—their business priorities are ours, so when they succeed, we succeed. Our teams are known for their exceptional responsiveness and approachability, ensuring that we provide effective solutions that align with our clients’ requirements, budgets, and timelines.
As a client-focused technology company that excels as an end-to-end partner, Kikoda offers a wide range of comprehensive technology services. Our expertise includes custom software development, product idea-to-market, team scaling, cloud and platform solutions (IaaS, PaaS), data analytics, and creative services.
Serving our clients since 2016, Kikoda is a rapidly growing, Florida-based company composed of experienced software engineers, analysts, and designers. Our commitment to growth and innovation is evident in our mission to deliver the most effective technology solutions to our business partners.