Digital Platforms

SCOR agrees to acquire Transamerica Re from AEGON, and AIG awaits regulatory approval on the divestiture of its Taiwan unit.

Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf earn highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

However, the index remains in negative territory, as rising fuel costs have concerned many Americans, Bloomberg says.

The effort by commercial lines underwriters to hold the line on premiums gave way under the pressure of a highly overcapitalized market in the first quarter of 2011, according to the RIMS Benchmark Survey. The survey tracked property, workers’ compensation, D&O and general liability. Administered by insight services provider Advisen Ltd., the survey results posted material decreases in average renewal premiums in three of four lines of business tracked.

Business intelligence spending slated to increase in 2011; demand is up, resources are down, according to study.

While the number of records breached dropped from 2009, the overall number of breaches rose to its highest-ever level.

Oracle is throwing some cold water on the NFC hype; says tech’s performance too slow to be workable as an instant enabler of contact-less payments.

New report forecasts firming of pricing in property/casualty commercial lines by 2012.

Too many agents are self-oriented, focusing on products instead of on client needs, expert says.

A Deloitte study suggests leveraging analytics and investing in technology as two of the ways to enhance claims management for P&C insurers.

Life insurers may benefit from this trend if they provide products that meet consumers' demands, according to a Northwestern Mutual Life study.

Despite the highly publicized breach, Alliance Data's Q1 net income surged 85% to $86.4 million, from a year earlier.

Gartner study identified cloud computing as the top strategic technology investment for CIOs.

Organized vehicle scams defraud insurers and customers alike, costing billions of dollars annually, says Insurance Information Institute.

Insurance enterprise solution includes software, services, hosting and maintenance.

The platform is designed to assist insurers implementing usage-based insurance programs by collecting and analyzing telematics data.

The technologically-conservative North American life insurance industry is finally recognizing the value of automated underwriting platforms.

Marsh announces three new executive appointments, and a new insurance coverage for executives facing expanded liability under Dodd-Frank.

Aon report says Q1 2011 was the worst quarter ever for the facultative reinsurance market.

A John Hancock study finds that while LTC costs are rising, they're not escalating as quickly as other goods and services.

Widespread deployment of virtualized servers is laying a strong foundation for the adoption of cloud computing, says IDC report.

A new report offers cause to celebrate the industry’s move beyond the recession; yet pricing hurdles may remain.

Buffett, Sokol sued by shareholder over actions prior to March acquisition.

PCI official says P&C insurers need to be mindful of attempts to whittle away anti-trust exemption.

Legal and financial analysts expected the justices to reject the request.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will develop a new system of records as part of a program to oversee states' development and operation of health insurance exchanges.

Sluggish growth, inflation fears discussed during Big “I” CEO panel.

Global reinsurer capital reached an all-time high of $470 billion at the end of 2010, says an Aon Benfield study.

Against a backdrop of global catastrophes and political distress, CEOs rank fueling business growth as No. 1 priority; talent management and innovation emerged as the most critical vehicles for implementing strategies.

Study results based on evaluation of more than 13.8 million video events of drivers recorded over the course of 2010.

Financial firms sold 27% more annuities in February than they did in January, and 33% more than they did in February of 2010, studies say.

LIMRA CEO recently issued a plea to insurance professionals to get with the times when trying to teach the younger generations about retirement.

A pair of vendors shine a light on the role of keylogging and social engineering as a growing threat to insurers in the wake of the Epsilon breach.

California pest control company is accused of avoiding $2.9 million in workers’ compensation premiums.

North America should account for more than half of the 300 million NFC-enabled phones, research says.

The system is designed to enable Physicians Mutual to better manage multiple product lines, and help the company quickly deploy new products.

New England insurer will offer online billing to its large and small group, and individual customers.

The consulting firm helped COUNTRY Financial to devise a disciplined methodology for core system evaluation and selection.

The insurance industry is well positioned to grab more of the $16 trillion-plus in U.S. retirement assets in the coming years. This was the message given by Robert Kerzner, to 400 attendees at the 2011 Retirement Industry Conference being held this week in Las Vegas. The annual Retirement Industry Conference event is hosted by LIMRA, LOMA and the Society of Actuaries.

Speaker of the House talks budget battle, lauds insurance agencies for history of job creation.

Business intelligence delivery needs to change for better self-service, says Aberdeen research.

The suggestions are intended to improve the health care act’s individual mandate clause, regardless of whether the law’s controversial centerpiece is legally removed over time.

Crazy as it sounds, the Department of Justice needed a court order to disrupt a botnet that has been operating for a decade.

Change is in the wind at insurance company across the country, and with that breeze comes a spate of new executive hires, many of which seem to be focused around American International Group Inc. (AIG).

Report says use of analytics, social media, and mobile technologies are essential to gaining market share in a low growth environment.

Insurers may learn from how banks are addressing the fallout from the Epsilon data breach.

Health care and annuities are playing a major role in Americans' retirement planning strategies.

A Texas judge orders the insurer to reimburse policyholders for charging "excessive premiums."

Industry executives agree that they must tap the middle market, and will do so by attracting customers online and via social media.

New PWC report examines the top issues confronting the insurance industry in 2011.

Risk modeling companies issue new predictions for insurers’ costs from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami.

Accenture has extended its contract to provide RSA UK with insurance business process outsourcing services for 4 more years.