> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.axle.insure/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Quickstart
> Axle's powerful API makes it easy for you to quickly retrieve detailed information from your users' insurance policies. Here at Axle, we're champions for consumer data control and privacy, so you'll need to gain consent from the user to access their information.
This is where Ignition - Axle's consumer facing consent widget - comes into
play. This guide will walk you through setting up Ignition, obtaining access
tokens, and making requests against the Axle API.
#### How it works
Axle provides a consistent, single point integration to connect
your users' insurance accounts to your application. To do so, Axle closely
follows the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code flow which begins when your user wants
to connect their insurance account to your application.
**Never send requests from your application's client to the Axle API.**
Instead, make requests from your application's protected services to avoid
exposing your sensitive Axle API credentials.
### Step 1: Generate an Ignition token
Make a `POST` request to `/ignition`. In return, you'll retrieve an ignitionToken which
you'll need to pass to your application's client. This token will be used to initialize
Ignition and allows us to create secure, trackable session with your user. Ignition tokens do not expire.
```bash Request Sample: cURL theme={null}
curl --request POST \
--url https://api.axle.insure/ignition \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'x-client-id: cli_mZj6YGXhQyQnccN97aXbq' \
--header 'x-client-secret: RZM-5BErZuChKqycbCS1O' \
--data '{
"redirectUri": "https://example.com/insurance/success",
"webhookUri": "https://example.com/webhook",
"user": {"id": "usr_123456789"}
}'
```
You can specify fields when generating an Ignition token to handle Ignition
events (see the guide on [Ignition events](/guides/ignition-events) for more
details) as well as attach user information or other metadata (see [Start
Ignition](/api-reference/ignition/start-ignition) for more details).
```json Response Example theme={null}
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"ignitionToken": "ign_ur7EPeAa0km4wRlDrPJ4Z",
"ignitionUri": "https://ignition.axle.insure/?token=ign_ur7EPeAa0km4wRlDrPJ4Z"
}
}
```
### Step 2: Initialize Ignition and process Ignition events
Here are some common ways you can present Ignition to your application's users:
* **Recommended:** display Ignition at the right step within your application's user experience (such as before booking a rental or closing a loan application) via an iframe or webview
* Send Ignition URL in an asychronous user communication (such as email or push notification)
For guidance on specific implementations based on your application's
requirements, refer to the [Initialize Ignition](/guides/initialize-ignition) and [Optimizing conversion](/guides/optimizing-ignition-conversion) guides.
Then, process events generated during the course of the Ignition session. See the [Ignition events](/guides/ignition-events) guide for each Ignition event.
### Step 3: Exchange tokens
Once the user successfully connects their account, you'll receive an authorization
code (`authCode`) as an Ignition event via redirect parameters, Window MessageEvent, or webhook.
However, for additional security (particularly if the Ignition event is delivered to your application's client), you'll need to exchange the short-lived `authCode` for a long-lived `accessToken` in your application's protected services.
Each `authCode` expires after 10 minutes so be sure you're exchanging codes in
real time.
To do so, make a `POST` request with your `authCode` to `token/exchange`. In
return you'll receive an `accessToken`, `account` identifier, and list of `policy` identifiers.
```bash Request Sample: cURL theme={null}
curl --request POST \
--url https://api.axle.insure/token/exchange \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'x-client-id: cli_mZj6YGXhQyQnccN97aXbq' \
--header 'x-client-secret: RZM-5BErZuChKqycbCS1O' \
--data '{
"authCode": "cod_LGUgD5ZnqWy3pThdOLUsT"
}'
```
```json Response Example theme={null}
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"account": "acc_gM2wn_gaqUv76ZljeVXOv",
"policies": ["pol_CbxGmGWnp9bGAFCC-eod2"],
"accessToken": "tok_IwShXCT_JPr6rmtiCVxcQ"
}
}
```
### Step 4: Store access credentials
Store the `accessToken`, `account` identifier, and list of `policy` identifiers received in step 4 in your database - these values will be used to access account and policy information for the user going forward.
**Congrats!**
You have now received an `accessToken` that represents consent from the user and
can now leverage the Axle API to access their insurance data 🎉🎉!
### Step 5: Retrieve the Policy
Now that you have an `accessToken`, you can retrieve the [Policy](/api-reference/policies/policy) object that was shared by the user by making a `GET` request to `policies/{id}` with
the `accessToken` passed in the `x-access-token` header.
```bash Request Sample: cURL theme={null}
curl --request GET \
--url https://api.axle.insure/policies/pol_CbxGmGWnp9bGAFCC-eod2 \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'x-access-token: tok_IwShXCT_JPr6rmtiCVxcQ' \
--header 'x-client-id: cli_mZj6YGXhQyQnccN97aXbq' \
--header 'x-client-secret: RZM-5BErZuChKqycbCS1O'
```
```json Response Example theme={null}
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"id": "pol_CbxGmGWnp9bGAFCC-eod2",
"accountId": "acc_gM2wn_gaqUv76ZljeVXOv",
"type": "auto",
"carrier": "state-farm",
"policyNumber": "123456789",
"isActive": true,
"effectiveDate": "2023-10-22T04:00:00.000Z",
"expirationDate": "2024-10-22T04:00:00.000Z",
"premium": "543.23",
"address": {
"addressLine1": "123 Fake St.",
"addressLine2": "Unit 456",
"city": "Atlanta",
"state": "Georgia",
"postalCode": "30315",
"country": "USA"
},
"properties": [
{
"id": "prp_uSdzLVpi8c76H7kl6AQ-F",
"type": "vehicle",
"data": {
"bodyStyle": "sedan",
"vin": "WDDWJ8EB4KF776265",
"model": "C 300",
"year": "2019",
"make": "Mercedes-Benz"
"use": "commute"
}
}
],
"coverages": [
{
"code": "BI",
"label": "Bodily Injury",
"limitPerPerson": 250000,
"limitPerAccident": 500000
},
{
"code": "PD",
"label": "Property Damage",
"limitPerAccident": 100000
},
{
"code": "UMBI",
"label": "Uninsured Bodily Injury",
"limitPerPerson": 100000,
"limitPerAccident": 300000
},
{
"code": "COMP",
"label": "Comprehensive",
"deductible": 500,
"property": "prp_uSdzLVpi8c76H7kl6AQ-F"
},
{
"code": "COLL",
"label": "Collision",
"deductible": 500,
"property": "prp_uSdzLVpi8c76H7kl6AQ-F"
}
],
"insureds": [
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"dateOfBirthYear": "1990",
"licenseNo": "•••••1234",
"licenseState": "GA",
"type": "primary"
},
{
"firstName": "Jane",
"lastName": "Doe",
"dateOfBirthYear": "1992",
"licenseNo": "•••••5678",
"licenseState": "GA",
"type": "secondary"
}
],
"thirdParties": [
{
"name": "Super Leasing Trust",
"type": "lessor",
"address": {
"addressLine1": "Po Box 105205",
"addressLine2": null,
"city": "Atlanta",
"state": "GA",
"postalCode": "30348"
},
"property": "prp_uSdzLVpi8c76H7kl6AQ-F"
}
],
"documents": [
{
"source": "carrier",
"name": "Declaration Page",
"type": ["declaration-page"],
"url": "",
"id": "doc_jd73dw6fn02sj28.pdf",
"issuedDate": "2023-12-31T00:00:00.000Z",
"effectiveDate": "2024-01-02T00:00:00.000Z",
"createdAt": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}
],
"createdAt": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
"modifiedAt": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
"refreshedAt": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}
}
```
**Well Done!**
Be sure to visit the full [📖 API Reference](/api-reference) to learn more about each endpoint and resource!