Chris McMahon

Gartner finds the number of organizations investing or planning to invest in big data technologies has increased significantly though the number of implementations remains low.

Just days before this issue, which contains our security cover story, went to press, we got some interesting news: 1.2 billion unique usernames and passwords and 542 million email addresses were reportedly stolen from 420,000 websites, according to The New York Times. The websites ranged from Fortune 500 companies down to small online retailers.

Three recent HR moves demonstrate that large life insurers recognize customer experience as a strategic differentiator.

This growing combination of real-time data collection from remote sources, wireless connectivity and analytics could affect virtually every aspect of insurance.

Satisfaction highest among 'Loyal Advice Seekers;' Auto-Owners, State Farm and The Hartford lead the pack, J.D. Power says.

Google unveils prototype; simple vehicles will lack steering wheels.

Having driven nearly 700,000 autonomous miles, Google’s self-driving car now is taking on the hazards of city driving.

Access to a growing number of models through a single platform enables insurers to build a more complete view of risk while achieving operational efficiencies in underwriting and portfolio management.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods leaves ratings unchanged due to the generally stable operating environment, but analysts are adjusting earnings-per-share estimates because of winter weather and a flatter yield curve.

Top trends include core and legacy system transformation, data mastery, and analytics and digitization, Celent says.

Buyers' market is improving, as capacity remains abundant, according to Willis Group; commercial casualty rates likely to experience single-digit increases.

The new company will distribute connected car products to consumers in the UK and Canada, fleets in Europe and to vehicle makers globally, company says.

Consumers are eager for a better customer experience, and while things are improving in the insurance space, the gap between the haves and the have-nots is getting deeper and wider.

Annual awards are based on 3,835 customer scores and rankings for 15 auto, home, health and 14 life insurers.

Decision could clear hurdles for smaller insurers to enter UBI market, industry experts say.

Market conduct exams, privacy and data protection rank at the top of insurers' regulatory concerns, according to a recent survey.

Having established core capabilities last year, chief risk officers now are focused on making core processes and tools work better, according to Ernst & Young survey.

However, a lack of testing tools and lower-quality assurance resources are holding back mobile website and app developers and IT professionals, according to survey.

The insurer's usage-based insurance program could next leverage GPS, smartphones and OEM telematics hardware, company says.

The vast majority of insurers report positive impact on bottom line, but a survey by Towers Watson finds applications and adoption rates vary substantially by line of business and insurer size.