The extended agreement is designed to further reduce RSA's IT costs, enhance its product offerings and online presence, and improve customer service.

Under the agreement, originally signed in 2003, Accenture will continue to provide ongoing development, implementation and maintenance services for RSA's applications that support the insurer's commercial and personal lines operations in the UK, including customer relationship management, claims processing, policy administration and back-office applications.

Giles Baxter, RSA UK & Western Europe Information Systems and Change Director, said: "Making it easy for our customers to interact with us is extremely important and our relationship with Accenture ensures that we're able to do this. The extension of our partnership with them reflects their commitment to delivering a superior service while at the same time offering us cost savings and we look forward to continuing the work we do together to deliver what's best for our customers."

"Insurers need to evolve continuously to address policyholders' changing needs, and so do their IT systems," said Simon England, managing director and head of Accenture's Insurance industry practice in the UK and Ireland. "I am delighted that we have been able to extend our successful application development and maintenance contract with RSA as this is a testimony to the business value Accenture has helped RSA create since 2003. The new arrangement will build on the work we have already done to further streamline RSA's business processes and improve application design, building and testing."

The initial agreement was extended in 2010 for three additional years through 2015, and has now been extended for five additional years.

The application outsourcing services provided to RSA are being delivered through Accenture Property and Casualty Insurance Services, a business service within Accenture's Financial Services operating group that provides management consulting, technology and outsourcing services to property and casualty insurers. Its services are designed to help insurers achieve profitable growth through product innovation, enhanced customer interactions and reduced operating costs.