Digital Platforms

Carriers are sending more than 41,000 claims download transactions per month using IVANS communications platform.

Producers will be able to create National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) transactions out of the same message elements they are using today to communicate with each other.

Changes to the insurer's wholesaling model are a result of distributors' desires, and the opportunity to increase its sales of investment, annuity and guaranteed-income products.

Carrier fined $1.2 million over supervision of broker e-mails.

New York Life and Allianz top Beacon Research’s list despite dip in overall annuities sales.

Jackson will use technology to track key metrics and proactively address changing market conditions.

Association questions whether states will choose to “opt-out” of public option.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases its annual list of safest vehicles.

California authorities say mini-Madoff cost investors more than $3 million in losses.

Lawmakers scramble to keep premium subsidy that’s set to expire at year’s end.

Data from medical records may hold the key to insurers hoping to fully optimize their medical claims processing.

Association hails amendments to bill creating Federal Insurance Office.

The regulatory and macroeconomic environment is causing carriers to rebuild their capital positions and consider necessary technology strategies.

With 50% of large hospitals having experienced at least one data breach this year, health insurers should keep tabs on how their data is being stored and secured.

Trade associations pen joint letter to Barney Frank asking for an industry exclusion.

After a year making and implementing difficult IT decisions, insurers are focused on getting back to delivery in 2010.

Retirement planning fraud will be part of the purview of new, multi-agency unit.

In spite of some changes to the core operations of its sponsor, the 2009 ISOTech Business Conference ended in Orlando today with a homogeneous approach, offering education and networking opportunities, as well as several new product announcements.

Insurers should prepare for an expanded focus by regulators on risk mitigation and consumer protection in 2010, say compliance experts.

A.M. Best and Fitch announce ratings changes on senior unsecured notes for CNA and HCC, affirmed AVIVA and revised Transatlantic Holdings’ outlook to negative.

INN reports from ISOTECH 2009, where Monday’s general session speakers discussed challenges the industry faced in the past and will face in the future.

The enterprise IT services survey offers insights into insurers' IT and outsourcing decision-making in North America and Europe.

Aon, Marsh and Willis agree to support endorsement exchange based on ACORD standards.

Trade associations issue joint letter expressing concern over provisions contained in health reform bill.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and U.S. News Media Group released the fifth annual edition of America's Best Health Insurance Plans on USNews.com. Published at the start of open-enrollment season, when Americans nationwide prepare to select their health coverage, the 2009-10 Best Health Insurance Plans guide provides consumers with comprehensive rankings and important detailed information for over 600 commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans.

Designed to manage claims operations for group employee benefits products, the new system replaces an in-house legacy system.

The visible departure of several high-profile employees has not weakened the insurer, but instead created room for others to take bigger roles, says firm’s CFO.

Producers’ status affects unique preferences, and shapes business plans, notes Mintel Compermedia.

Putnam Investments' CEO says 401(k)s need to be improved so that their income stream does not run out too early.

Program administrators and managing general agents are interested in growing through acquisition—in other PAs/MGAs and carriers, according to a recent survey.

The patent-claim elements of Accenture’s 2007 lawsuit against Guidewire were never dismissed.

IIABA study finds that buyers foregoing savings when purchasing insurance.

Holy temblors, Batman, what will the global warming acolytes do with this one?

A study says a failure to implement service catalogs can blunt process improvements.

While legacy architectures may make things easier on IT departments, they don't necessarily ease headaches for users.

The rhetoric is heating up as Accenture issues clarification, justification statements in response to Guidewire’s strong response to technology patent infringement charges.

HP's acquisition of 3Com will speed the convergence of networking and storage in insurance company data centers.

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You know that you don't have an enterprise BI strategy if:

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it's impossible to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. A pair of California-based economists probably recognized this following an attempt to construct an “early warning system” to predict another global financial crisis in the wake of the 2008 catastrophe.

Year-over-year growth for Software-as-a-Service is forecast at five times that of the total application market.

Critical to 75% of personal lines P&C carriers, predictive modeling is also becoming a popular pricing tool with commercial lines insurers.

The European Parliament and Council have reached agreement on new solvency rules for insurance companies.

Blue Cross Blue Shield confirms that its laptop containing personal information on healthcare professionals was stolen in Chicago area in August.

The banking committee chairman’s sweeping regulatory reform to limit systemic risk has significant implications for insurers.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance bestowed the “Accreditation with Performance Reporting” rating on the insurer for its health and wellness programs.

AIG's restructuring plan will still rely heavily on government support, advises the ratings group.

Critics contend the failure of Gramm-Leach-Bliley is that it failed to produce a coherent regulatory mechanism that was up to the new powers it created.

An expanded sales force will be expected to sell the company's MainStay mutual funds to advisers, brokers, plan sponsors and consultants.

A.M. Best, Fitch Ratings and S&P react to Berkshire Hathaway’s acquisition announcement, and announce changes to 14 other insurers’ ratings.

Pending regulatory approval, Assured Guaranty Ltd., the holding company for Assured Guaranty Corp. and Financial Security Assurance Inc. (FSA), will change the name of FSA to Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. The Company also plans to change the names of the FSA companies worldwide.

Access and authority can be tricky and risky, but someone—or some thing—has to be in charge. Is automation an option?