Custom SaaS Product Launch Powers Long Term Success for Insurance Startup

The Opportunity 

OneProtection was founded in 2018 by two industry veterans, Jim and Mike, who together bring more than 50 years of experience in disability insurance. They identified a clear gap in the market: insurance professionals lacked a streamlined, user-friendly platform that could both manage client information and deliver compelling visual data during sales conversations. The founders envisioned a tool that would go beyond the capabilities of standard CRM systems, enabling agents to generate charts and illustrations on the fly: something that would differentiate their pitch and make the value of disability income protection immediately clear to prospective clients. 

Jim and Mike initially explored the marketplace for pre-built software that could serve this need, but found nothing that met their standards or vision. Most tools were built for general use cases and didn’t provide the graphical features necessary to support dynamic, visual conversations with clients. Additionally, most platforms lacked the modern, mobile-friendly experience that today’s insurance professionals and customers expect. It became apparent that building custom software was the only path forward to achieve the level of polish, flexibility, and functionality they were looking for. 

To bring their idea to life, they needed a technology partner who could not only deliver a proof of concept to demonstrate the platform’s potential, but also scale it into a full-featured commercial product. That’s when they engaged Emergent Software. 

The Solution 

Emergent Software began the engagement by deeply understanding OneProtection’s goals for the platform, which would later be branded as IPSA (Income Protection Software Analysis). The objective was clear: design a lightweight, intuitive, and powerful system that enables independent agents to visualize and explain complex disability insurance concepts to clients in a way that feels modern and professional. 

Emergent’s approach started with building a proof of concept focused on the IPSA platform’s core feature: auto-generating visual charts based on input client data. These visualizations would allow agents to compare income protection scenarios, coverage gaps, and potential outcomes in real time. The prototype used React and Bootstrap for rapid development and front-end flexibility. This early version validated OneProtection’s concept and laid the groundwork for expanding into a fully-featured platform. 

To ensure brand consistency and a cohesive experience across the platform and its marketing presence, Emergent Software engaged LN Design Co., a long-standing creative partner. The team collaborated on brand identity, visual design, and UX best practices for both the internal platform and the public-facing marketing site. This holistic design approach ensured a seamless experience for agents evaluating the platform and ultimately subscribing to the service. 

The IPSA platform itself was developed using React on the front end and .NET Core for the API back end, offering a scalable and high-performance architecture. HighCharts was selected as the data visualization library for generating interactive, responsive, and accessible charts. These visual elements are a cornerstone of the user experience and have proven especially valuable in sales conversations where complex information needs to be simplified. 

Security was also a major focus for the team. Emergent integrated Auth0 and Formik to handle authentication and secure user sessions. Stripe was implemented for seamless subscription billing, enabling OneProtection to monetize the platform through a self-service model. The content for the marketing site and select portions of the app are managed through Contentful CMS, giving OneProtection’s team full control over updates without needing developer intervention. 

The marketing website itself was built using Jamstack architecture, Gatsby, and Netlify for speed, SEO performance, and flexibility. The end result is a robust ecosystem: a client-facing marketing site that drives adoption, a secure and intuitive user platform, and a backend that scales with demand. 

The Impact 

The IPSA platform launch marked a major step forward for disability insurance professionals seeking modern, effective tools to support their clients. The interactive platform allows agents to input client data and immediately see personalized charts that visually demonstrate the benefits and risks of different coverage scenarios. This ability to tell a story with visuals has transformed the way insurance conversations are conducted. 

Beyond its core functionality, the platform has had a measurable impact on the sales process. Agents now have a streamlined tool that not only simplifies their workflow but also increases their credibility during client interactions. The clear visuals and intuitive interface help clients make better-informed decisions, leading to faster sales cycles and stronger customer confidence in the value of income protection insurance. 

From a business perspective, the success of the platform validated OneProtection’s unique market insight. The software has attracted growing interest from agents across the country, supported by live webinars, referral campaigns, and a steadily expanding user base. The Stripe integration has made it easy to onboard new users and manage billing, while the Jamstack site ensures that OneProtection’s digital presence is fast and reliable. 

Emergent Software continues to serve as OneProtection’s strategic development partner. As the company grows, new features and integrations are being rolled out regularly to support additional use cases, deepen user engagement, and enhance performance. From initial ideation to long-term evolution, the partnership between Emergent Software and OneProtection is a textbook example of how visionary founders and a collaborative tech team can bring a transformative product to life. 

James Leary, co-founder of OneProtection, noted: “Their patience and ability to work through several different dynamics were both very impressive.” This testimonial reflects the collaborative, agile approach Emergent Software brought to the engagement—a quality that has helped OneProtection scale confidently from a startup concept to a game-changing platform in the insurance space.