Users will now have easier access to Sesame's portal of choice, Assureweb, along with provider extranets and e-services, such as contract enquiries and valuations.

The award winning digital certificate, now used by over 17,000 advisers in the UK, provides users with seamless access to an ever increasing range of provider extranets. By eliminating the need to remember multiple user-ids and passwords, UNIPASS makes life easier for advisers working online as well as improving security.

A major supporter of e-commerce, Sesame believes UNIPASS delivers real value for advisers working online and is keen to endorse the use of UNIPASS to its members and customers. UNIPASS will also give Sesame users streamlined access to its e-enabled multi-tie proposition, Sesame Select, which incorporates pensions, investments and protection products from five leading providers - AXA, Prudential, Norwich Union, Standard Life and Legal & General.

Chris Pitt, Head of Proposition Development for Sesame, comments: "We've been working closely with Origo and have been encouraged by their flexibility and the changes they have made for us. Making life easier for advisers and helping them provide a better service to their customers is what it's all about and I strongly believe that e-commerce is the key to realising this. We have experienced steady growth in our online business over recent years and we aim to generate as much acceleration in the uptake of e-services during 2006.

"Encouraging our members to use UNIPASS is one part of this process. Our users will be able to use UNIPASS for whatever purposes they choose - no doubt many will use it for contract enquiries as well as simple extranet access - and we will be developing our own systems to allow the use of UNIPASS wherever practically feasible."

This news follows the announcement of Origo's annual UNIPASS user survey results, published earlier this month, which revealed that 86% of advisers find financial websites are easier to use with UNIPASS, and 61% said they use online services more often now they have the digital certificate. Assureweb also recently revealed its support for UNIPASS after 96% of its users declared they were in favour of using the service.

UNIPASS has received buy-in from all of the UK's major life companies and portals and is now accepted by many organisations, including: 1st, AXA, Bankhall Online, Clerical Medical, CoFunds, Friends Provident, Intelliflo, Legal & General, Norwich Union, Prudential, Quay Software, Scottish Equitable, Scottish Life, Scottish Widows, Skandia, Standard Life, The Exchange, The Hartford and Zurich Intermediary Group.