9 Submission Automation Tools That Seamlessly Integrate With Existing Broker System

The best submission automation tools for brokers in 2026 are the ones that read from and write back to your agency management system (AMS), so nobody re-keys a client's data to send it to market. In this guide, we compare eight insurance tools (FurtherAI, Applied Epic, EZLynx, the Ivans Distribution Platform, Vertafore, Outmarket AI, Semsee, and Bold Penguin) on that one question: how deep their AMS integration goes. 

The list is written for retail brokers and agencies placing commercial business. If your main problem is the sheer volume of inbound submissions rather than integration, our guide to high-volume submission intake for brokers is the better starting point.

Key takeaways

• Re-keying is the problem to solve. 98% of independent agents re-key data that already exists in their AMS, and 74% name re-keying as their top workflow pain point, according to the 2026 Ivans Connectivity Survey.
• Integration depth varies widely. It runs from emailing attachments, through ACORD file upload and screen automation, to two-way sync that writes results back into the AMS with an activity log.
• AMS vendors are building submission AI in. Applied launched Epic Conductor in September 2026, and Vertafore previewed Smart Submissions agents the same month, with early-adopter programs starting this winter.
• Independent tools still matter when your brokerage runs more than one AMS, handles complex commercial or specialty risks, or needs work done outside the AMS vendor's roadmap.
• Ask for the write-back, not the logo. A tool that lists your AMS as an integration may only prefill a form. Confirm what it writes back, to which fields, and where the log lives.

Why AMS integration decides whether submission automation pays off

According to Insurance Journal's coverage of the Big "I" market share report, independent agents wrote 87.7% of US commercial lines premium in 2025, which means most commercial submissions start in an agency management system. The friction comes when that data has to leave the AMS to reach a carrier.

The 2026 Ivans Connectivity Survey of 702 independent agents puts numbers on it. Re-keying was the top workflow pain point at 74%, well ahead of inconsistent underwriting questions (42%), slow portals (38%), and multiple logins (37%). Commercial-focused agencies re-key at a 70% rate and still rely on email (49%) far more than on dedicated submission capture software (7%), as per Insurance Business.

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Agencies are ready for help. Nearly half (46%) of agencies now report using AI, up from 15% in 2024, according to the 2026 Big "I" Agency Universe Study. The question is which tools put that AI where the data already lives.

The five levels of AMS integration

"Integrates with Applied Epic" can mean very different things. Before comparing tools, sort each one into one of five levels:

1. Email or file drop. Data leaves the AMS as attachments, and someone types it in on the other side.
2. ACORD file upload. You export an ACORD PDF from the AMS, and the tool reads it to prefill a submission.
3. Screen automation (RPA). Bots type data into carrier portals. They're fast to set up but break when screens change.
4. One-way API prefill. AMS data flows out through an API to start a quote, but results come back by hand.
5. Two-way native sync. The tool reads from and writes back to the AMS, and every change is logged in the client's activity history.

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Levels 1 to 3 save some typing. Level 5 is the one that removes re-keying, because the results land back in the system of record. For a deeper look at the integration patterns themselves, see our guide to integrating submission automation with legacy systems.

The eight tools at a glance

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Each entry below uses the same structure: what the tool is, which AMS and broker management systems (BMS) it connects to and how, what it does for submissions, its proof points, its watch-outs, and who it fits best. Facts were checked in October 2026. Integration depth is as stated by each vendor unless an independent source is cited.

1. FurtherAI — best for brokerages running more than one system

FurtherAI is an agentic AI workspace built for insurance. It reads submissions and supporting documents where they arrive, in Outlook and SharePoint, structures the data, and writes the results back to the systems your team already works in.

• AMS and BMS connections: FurtherAI Connectors, launched in July 2026, include native connectors for Applied Epic, AMS360, Sagitta, and EZLynx, plus CRMs (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics), document systems (SharePoint, ImageRight), and enrichment sources. It also runs inside Outlook through the Outlook plugin and is available in the Microsoft Marketplace.
• Submission features: extracts data from ACORDs, statements of values (SOVs), loss runs, and supplementals; compares carrier quotes; drafts proposals; and checks issued policies against what was quoted.
• Proof points: Leavitt Group, which Insurance Journal ranks among the 20 largest independent P&C brokers in the US, uses FurtherAI for workflows including proposals, policy checking, document comparison, and loss run analysis. A loss run that took a producer hours with general AI tools was structured in minutes. A large national MGA cut proposal assembly from 30–45 minutes to under 10 minutes, as per another case study.
• Watch-outs: it isn't a multi-carrier rating exchange, so pair it with your comparative rater for instant small commercial quotes. 
• Best for: mid-size and large brokerages with complex commercial or specialty submissions, more than one AMS or CRM, and a need for one AI layer across them.

2. Applied Epic (Epic Conductor) — best for agencies standardized on Epic

Applied Epic is the agency management system from Applied Systems. Epic Conductor, launched at Applied Net in September 2026, is an AI layer built directly into Epic that automates data entry, policy checking, and commercial submissions.

• AMS and BMS connections: native to Epic. It runs inside Epic's existing security controls, so there's no separate tool to connect, according to Insurance Business.
• Submission features: its connected trading module routes commercial new business and remarketing submissions through one workflow, with status, checklists, and quotes by carrier shown in one Epic view. Small commercial quoting can start from email, and ACORD applications populate automatically from submission documents, according to FinTech Global. Applied acquired the commercial quoting tool Tarmika in 2022 with plans to embed it in Epic and EZLynx.
• Proof points: Applied says Conductor cuts submission handling time by 60% and saves account managers more than two hours a day, as per FinTech Global. On renewals, Applied launched a "submissionless" experience with Travelers as the first carrier partner, sending renewal quotes directly into Epic, according to FinTech Global.
• Watch-outs: it only helps agencies on Epic, the performance figures are Applied's own, and Conductor was announced in September 2026, so ask what's generally available today.
• Best for: agencies that run everything on Applied Epic and want submission automation without adding another vendor.

3. EZLynx — best for growing agencies adding commercial lines

EZLynx is an agency management system and rater from Applied, popular with personal lines agencies moving into commercial business.

• AMS and BMS connections: native to EZLynx. Instant Commercial Quoting, launched in June 2026, shows real-time carrier quotes inside the EZLynx submission workflow, with no separate rater or portal, according to the company's announcement.
• Submission features: launched with general liability, business owners policy (BOP), and workers' compensation, with more carrier markets being added. It's powered by the Ivans distribution network (same source).
• Proof points: Schelley Bedell of LGE Insurance Services, a longtime EZLynx user, says Instant Commercial Quoting "felt immediately familiar" (same source).
• Watch-outs: EZLynx users only, standard commercial lines only, and the details come from the vendor's own announcement.
• Best for: small and mid-size agencies on EZLynx that write simple commercial lines.

4. Ivans Distribution Platform — best for carrier connectivity behind your AMS

Ivans, a division of Applied Systems, runs the network that connects agencies with carriers and MGAs. Its Distribution Platform handles appetite checks, submissions, and quoting for commercial lines.

• AMS and BMS connections: Ivans connects carriers to agencies through agency management and commercial quoting platforms; it powers the EZLynx quoting above.
• Submission features: digital submission and quoting across 12 commercial lines, plus a book roll solution for moving blocks of business, according to IA Magazine.
• Proof points: Ivans' own 2026 survey found commercial submission automation was the top capability agents want from carriers, for the second year running, at 79%. 
• Watch-outs: you mostly experience it through your AMS or rater, and which carriers and lines are live depends on carrier participation. The most recent independent product coverage is from 2023.
• Best for: agencies that want carrier connectivity standardized behind the scenes rather than another front-end tool.

5. Vertafore (Commercial Submissions and Velocity agents) — best for AMS360 and Sagitta shops

Vertafore makes the AMS360 and Sagitta agency management systems. Its Commercial Submissions tool handles small commercial quoting, and its new Velocity AI agents target data entry inside the AMS.

• AMS and BMS connections: Commercial Submissions prefills applications with customer data from AMS360 and Sagitta, according to its product data sheet. The Velocity Policy Intake agent reads source documents, maps the data into the AMS, updates records, and logs an activity trail, according to FinTech Global.
• Submission features: real-time pricing indications for small commercial lines from multiple carriers. Vertafore also previewed a Data Collection agent that flags missing submission data and a Carrier Routing agent that recommends markets based on appetite, as future Smart Submissions features.
• Proof points: Vertafore says the Policy Intake agent can make intake up to 87% quicker.
• Watch-outs: the submission-specific agents were a preview in September 2026, not a released product, and the tools fit Vertafore's own AMS platforms.
• Best for: agencies on AMS360 or Sagitta that want AI inside their existing system.

6. Outmarket AI — best for AI-native paperwork automation

Outmarket AI automates the paperwork around commercial placement for agencies and brokers, including ACORD form filling, quote comparison, and proposals.

• AMS and BMS connections: Outmarket lists integrations with Applied Epic, AMS360, HawkSoft, ImageRight, and Nexsure, and says its Epic and AMS360 integrations are fully two-way, reading client, policy, and activity data and writing updates back, as stated on the company integrations page.
• Submission features: fills commercial ACORD forms from source documents, compares quotes, and prepares proposals.
• Proof points: Outmarket raised a $34.5 million Series B led by SignalFire four months after a $17 million Series A, and says more than 300 agencies and over a quarter of the 100 largest US brokers use the platform, according to American Bazaar.
• Watch-outs: integration depth is stated on its own site, and its focus is document work rather than sending submissions to carriers and tracking their status.
• Best for: brokerages on Epic or AMS360 that want AI-native ACORD and proposal automation.

7. Semsee — best for multi-carrier small commercial quoting

Semsee is a small commercial quoting platform that lets agents quote multiple carriers from one submission.

• AMS and BMS connections: agents upload ACORD forms exported from any AMS, and Semsee uses Appulate's technology to prefill the submission, then download updated forms, according to Coverager. HawkSoft sends data to Semsee through its partner API, as per HawkSoft release.
• Submission features: its Agent Intelligence tool, launched in December 2025, reads uploaded documents, structures the key fields, flags what's missing, and prepares the submission for quoting, as per company release.
• Proof points: Chenango Brokers is a named user, according to Coverager.
• Watch-outs: AMS integration is mostly file-based (level 2), and HawkSoft's connection is one-way. Small commercial only.
• Best for: agencies on any AMS that want multi-carrier small commercial quotes without a native integration project.

8. Bold Penguin — best for small commercial and E&S placement

Bold Penguin, a subsidiary of American Family Insurance, runs a commercial insurance quoting exchange for agents and brokers.

• AMS and BMS connections: a round-trip integration with the Veruna AMS lets agents launch an application from Veruna and get quotes back into it, according to FF News.
• Submission features: multi-carrier quoting for small commercial, extended into specialty and excess and surplus (E&S) markets through its October 2025 acquisition of SquareRisk, which connects brokers to more than 45 specialty carriers and MGAs, according to Insurance Journal.
• Proof points: the SquareRisk deal adds wholesale and specialty access beyond admitted markets (same source).
• Watch-outs: we found no published integration with Applied Epic, AMS360, or EZLynx, so most agencies will work in Bold Penguin alongside their AMS rather than inside it.
• Best for: agencies on Veruna, or any agency that wants one exchange for small commercial and hard-to-place risks.

General-purpose alternatives

Some agencies bridge their AMS with general automation tools instead of an insurance-specific one. They can work, but they aren't built for insurance documents or carrier submissions:

• Microsoft Power Automate moves data between Outlook, SharePoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps, which suits agencies already standardized on Microsoft.
• UiPath and other robotic process automation (RPA) tools script data entry into portals and legacy systems that lack APIs. They're the level 3 option above: quick to start, but bots break when screens change and don't write structured records back to the AMS.
• Zapier connects web apps without code and can handle light routing for small agencies, but it doesn't read ACORDs or loss runs.

Form builders such as Formstack, Jotform, and Cognito Forms can collect client information, but they don't connect to carriers or interpret insurance documents, so we've left them off this list.

How to choose a tool for your AMS

1. Start from your AMS. If you're fully on Epic, EZLynx, AMS360, or Sagitta, check what your AMS vendor ships natively before adding another tool.
2. Place every shortlisted tool on the five levels. Ask the vendor to show the write-back on a live record, not a slide.
3. Map your submission mix. Simple admitted small commercial suits multi-carrier raters; complex commercial and specialty submissions need document AI that reads SOVs, loss runs, and supplementals. Our broker submission prep checklist covers what underwriters expect by line.
4. Check the activity log. For errors and omissions (E&O) protection, every automated change should be logged against the client record.
5. Pilot on real accounts. Run a month of renewals or new business through the tool and measure re-keyed fields, time per submission, and quote turnaround.

Submission automation is one of several broker workflows that depend on AMS integration. See also our guides to renewal pack preparation tools and claims intake software for brokers. If you're on the carrier or MGA side, our guide to submission processing platforms for carriers and MGAs covers the receiving end.

Frequently asked questions

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REFERENCES

^{American Bazaar. "AI Startup Outmarket Raises $34.5 Million to Automate Insurance Paperwork." americanbazaaronline.com}

^{Coverager. "Applied Systems Acquires Tarmika." coverager.com}

^{Coverager. "Semsee Adds ACORD Upload and Download to Its Small Commercial Insurance Platform." coverager.com}

^{Coverager. "Semsee Unveils a New Logo and Significant Platform Enhancements." coverager.com}

^{EZLynx. "EZLynx Launches Instant Commercial Quoting, Making Real-Time Carrier Quotes a Seamless Part of the Submission Workflow." ezlynx.com}

^{FF News. "Bold Penguin and Veruna Announce Industry-Leading Integration to Return Quotes From Bold Penguin to Veruna." ffnews.com}

^{FinTech Global. "Applied and Travelers Explore Submissionless Insurance Quoting." fintech.global}

^{FinTech Global. "Applied Systems Brings Native AI to Applied Epic." fintech.global}

^{FinTech Global. "Vertafore Brings AI Agents to Independent Insurance Agencies." fintech.global}

^{FurtherAI. "Broker Case Study: Client Proposals in Under 10 Minutes." furtherai.com}

^{FurtherAI. "Leavitt Group Case Study." furtherai.com}

^{GlobeNewswire. "SEMSEE Unveils Agent Intelligence for Small Commercial Submissions." globenewswire.com}

^{HawkSoft. "HawkSoft Adds Commercial Lines Quoting Solution With Integration With Semsee." prnewswire.com}

^{IA Magazine. "Ivans Expands Commercial Lines on Distribution Platform, Launches Book Roll Solution." iamagazine.com}

^{Insurance Business. "Applied Systems Builds AI Directly Into Epic to Automate Agency Workflows." insurancebusinessmag.com}

^{Insurance Business. "Submission Friction Now Beats Price in Where Agents Place Business, Ivans Finds." insurancebusinessmag.com}

^{Insurance Journal. "Bold Penguin Acquires SquareRisk to Expand Specialty, E&S Access." insurancejournal.com}

^{Insurance Journal. "Market Share Up in 2025." insurancejournal.com}

^{Insurance Journal. "Independent Agencies Total About 37,000 in 2026, a Decrease From 2024." insurancejournal.com}

^{Ivans. "More Than 700 Agents Report What It Takes for Carriers to Win." ivans.com}

^{Ivans. "2026 Carrier-Agency Connection Report." ivans.com}

^{Outmarket AI. "Integrations." outmarket.ai}

^{Vertafore. "Commercial Submissions Data Sheet." vertafore.com}

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DISCLAIMER 

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, compliance, underwriting, or other professional advice. The content reflects information available as of the date of publication, and FurtherAI undertakes no obligation to update it as laws, regulations, or AI technologies evolve.