Digital Platforms

Moody's rates Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corp., Fitch affirms Northwestern Mutual Life, S&P removes State Auto from it CreditWatch list.

A combination of regulatory, political, and economic factors are set to create an uncertain environment for U.S. health care insurers, Moody's Investors Service says, leading to a continuation of the negative outlook for the industry.

The memorandum of understanding marks the first formal coordination effort between states and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Legacy replacement, mobile applications and better use of analytics are among the issues confronting insurers.

National health insurer Aetna this week announced its formal acquisition of Medicity, a health information exchange technology company from Salt Lake City. The move is seen by many as a proactive approach to meeting health care reform requirements.

Of particular interest for many in 2011 will be mobile, social media and PFM that make for more efficient customer service.

While opinions on how to fix them vary, nobody would dispute that the problems surrounding the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are legion.

Industry group Agents of America (AOA) reports that it has formed a strategic partnership with the Professional Liability Committee of the Defense Research Institute (DRI). DRI is an international organization of attorneys devoted to the defense of businesses and individuals in civil litigation. It consists of approximately 22,000 members, including defense attorneys, corporate counsel, and insurance claims attorneys. Known as “The Voice of the Defense Bar,” DRI says that it is committed to educating and enhancing the professionalism of defense lawyers, and to improving the overall civil justice system.

Wall Street validates 2010 as a stellar year for insurance shares.

Anecdotal data from new research released by the National Council on Compensation Insurance Inc. (NCCI) confirms that work-related injuries are far more costly if the injured worker is obese.

Oversight of the Dodd-Frank Act has become the prevailing theme for lawmakers as they discuss their agendas, but will substantive changes occur?

Insurance companies worldwide have suffered less than banks since the collapse of the subprime market in the United States in late 2007, Celent says. However, they have been impacted by the volatility of international markets and the uncertainty linked to the slow recovery of economies in industrialized countries. European insurers, in particular, have reacted to the changing environment successfully, implementing actions to adapt to the current changes and gain operational efficiency, according to the analyst/consulting firm.

By integrating disparate data elements, carriers can gain more granular insights, but need to first address data quality issues.

Providence Mutual Launches Agent Portal

The insurance industry faces some headwinds entering 2011 – the most prominent of which is a persistent soft market.

AIG unit adopting remediation plan based on review of statutory filings to Pennsylvania Department of Insurance.

The lawsuit claims the excessively high default rates on the underlying loans shows that Countrywide, now part of Bank of America, disregarded underwriting guidelines to match the "worst features of mortgage products" by competitors.

2010 lessons rely heavily on financial regulation, risk management, according to an Enterprise Data Management Council report.

Royal Neighbors of America a non-profit fraternal organization, will use StoneRiver’s Life Portraits ES e-Application and LifeSuite automated underwriting solutions to improve the efficiencies and speed of new business processing, the companies report. The solution is described as moving information from point A to point B without interruption, error or human intervention, eliminating cost in time and business.

Agile business intelligence the hot trend; pervasive BI and skilled talent sought, says Forrester research.

Advancements in mobile deposit technologies in the coming year may be of interest to insurers.

AIA and ACLI contend interim rule would violate McCarran-Ferguson Act.

Gearing up to redefine health insurance is among the list of issues that will take front and center for the health care industry in 2011, according to PwC’s Health Research Institute.

New report says in the wake of the financial crisis, life insurers face some major challenges.

SPM provider recognized in MarketScope for Insurance Incentive Compensation Management software.

National Insurance Crime Bureau names the 11 holidays with the most reported auto thefts.

A.M. Best affirmed USAA’s ratings, Fitch affirmed ratings for The Chubb Corp. and S&P affirmed its negative outlook on Kingsway and its subsidiaries.

The coming year will bring additional regulatory oversight and new efforts by health insurers to manage it. Health insurers will be asked to justify rate increases for individual and group policies, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Last week HHS said it will require rate increases of 10% or more to be publicly disclosed and reviewed.

Provision of Dodd-Frank Act would require agencies to issue ratings using identical terminology.

Executives from across the globe are wrapping up reports on just what went wrong and why this year, with the key goal of avoiding similar glitches in the future.

Insurers may learn something from banks' successes in the social media realm.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may prove to be the most important agency to watch in 2011.

Setting $4.3B of credit, AIG systematically tries to exit bailout.

Sedgwick Claims Management Services purchased the unit for $278 million in cash.

Gartner predicts continued growth and increased deployment of social business technologies; cloud and SaaS remain keys to adoption.

Analyst flips the coin to uncover the biggest losers by market cap in 2010.

Perhaps no section of the law is more critical to that discussion than the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s power to unwind failing giants.

Survey finds misgivings about annuities rampant in wake of financial crisis.

SSA & Co. predicts 2011 will feature more complexity in the insurance industry and less customer service outsourcing.

Deciding which financial firms beyond banks are systemically important is one of the biggest decisions still to be made by regulators under the Dodd-Frank Act.

A member of RIMS’ board since 2000, Scott Clark will succeed Terry Fleming as RIMS’ president.

Business intelligence and document automation solutions introduced for insurance companies.

Insurer revamps website with research and tools to help employers manage the issue of absence administration.

New figures from PCI and ISO reveal a 62% gain in net income for P&C insurers.

New report highlights best practices for ensuring that projects come in on budget.

A.M. Best affirms AIG’s P&C and life/health subsidiaries; Moody's affirms Fireman's Fund intercompany pool; Fitch affirms Lloyd's of London.

IIABA says removal of uncertainty going forward is key as President Obama signs extension of existing rates

With all the reports about how much insurers plan to spend on technology in 2011, little has been written about the impetus behind the decision. For carriers focused on compliance with regulatory bodies (which comprises the bulk of insurers), the strongest incentive for technology investments is risk management.

Association will focus first and foremost on working with regulators on implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Fitch’s methodology is based on strategy/franchise strength, sensitivity to the insurance pricing cycle, earnings performance, and funding and capital.

Throughout the United States, arson, motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft fell and burglary all decreased this year, says FBI.

Vendors serving the insurance industry make analyst's year-end list.