Following on from the content modelling (and having reviewed well over 100 policy wordings), we have started to outline a set of requirements for InsurML, a markup language specifically for the commercial Insurance industry. These include the following:
Contract object structuring using component groups, components (topics) and elements (or sub-components) i.e. reflecting the ERD shown earlier in the document.
Content objects that are both text-based and table-based. There will be a need for extensive nested listing capabilities, and in some instances, nested tables will be needed.
A flexible profiling strategy that allows for component variants to be configured differently in (typically) 10 to 20 different products or policy wordings.
Handling of composite constructs, that permits the authoring of industry-specific phrases in accordance with schemas.
Embedded variables, which may well be in the form of an array, and that operate well in conjunction with the profiling strategy.
Cross-referencing to other components and to document locations (including footnotes).
Foreign code should be embeddable within InsurML. This will include InsurLE, a Prolog-based controlled natural language to expose the conditional logic expressed in the wording.
Standard modes of emphasis – bold, italics, underlining and colour.