Customer experience

Instead of focusing on product features, insurers are focused on growing customer wallet share and capturing emerging customer segments, such as Gen Y. Tech vendors need to pay attention.

The Hartford Financial Services Group is making an effort to help employers de-stress. As the finale of a three-part direct mail campaign, the group benefits carrier recently sent stress balls to leaders at nearly 2,000 large companies. Each executive received a hand-sized, squeezable ball printed with the Web address for The Hartford Experience (http://thehartfordexperience.com/).

Hotels and retailers top Forrester Research’s latest customer experience ranking, Customer Experience Index (CxPi). Insurers, though, rank among the bottom four industries on the list.

Global wealth management technology spending by banks, brokerages and insurance companies is set to reach $3.7 billion by the end of 2010, up 5% from 2009, according to a report released January 7 by Boston-based research firm Celent.

Sircon, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vertafore Inc., took to the road the past 14 months to facilitate discussions between Sircon and representatives from a number of insurance companies. Stopping in cities such as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia, Sircon’s insurance-industry solutions team provided attendees with insights into upcoming product developments, industry trends and challenges, and provided hands-on training and question-and-answer sessions on pressing topics.

CSE Insurance Group, released its second iPhone application, the CSE Accident Tool Kit application for the Apple iPhone and iTouch. The mobile application is designed to have everything policyholders need to report an auto accident and file a claim from an iPhone or iTouch.

While still seen by many as a double-edged sword, social media helps insurers bring bring about new innovation.

The Guardian Investor Services subsidiary launched the funds due to consumers' increased appetite for fixed-income investment options.

New report designed to assist agents in creating their own social media practices and policies.

In an effort to boost sub-par fixed-income annuity sales, AIG has renamed one of its subsidiaries in an effort to distance the brand from its tarnished image.