Digital Platforms

While Principal Financial Group says no to funding, The Hartford Financial will receive up to $3.4 billion in federal TARP funds.

Agent-based insurers have been slow to develop a comprehensive multi-channel distribution strategy, and this could result in lost customers, lost agents and profitability struggles, according to a Forrester report.

Observers said the new standards, unveiled earlier this week, include a call to require compensation committees to be independent of management, are already widely practiced, and would not have a significant impact.

Critics of new health care legislation contend that a public option would eventually displace the private market.

The United Nations agency’s rating is the first since 1968.

Insurance business and IT executives agree that when an IT solution is on the table, IT is responsible for communication tied to its success.

A new survey finds that the high cost of coverage is a primary deterrent.

Some people may be tired of talking about it, but the temptation to give up must be fought at every turn.

Ratings firm says weak investment returns and underwriting results will continue for the remainder of 2009.

IT Governance needs to be a continuous process for examining and re-evaluating projects as they move through the pipeline.

In order to expand their international footprint, carriers will need to focus on operational efficiencies, a new report says.

After previously peddling its Japanese headquarters, AIG now has found a buyer for its two Manhattan offices.

Citi Investment Research analyst Joshua Shanker cut his rating of the company to "Hold" from "Buy" yesterday.

Treasury Secretary says the job is too complex for just one agency.

Gridiron legend stresses importance of preparation in energetic keynote address.

Exclusive video coverage of the IASA Educational Conference: Executives from leading insurance companies offer insights on the technologies that should be deployed now to properly position firms for the economic recovery. Plus: IASA’s outgoing president Mike Holmes reflects on the organization’s accomplishments the past year.

Humana Inc., HSBC Insurance and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., among others, recently receiving ratings changes.

The partnership seeks to enable P&C insurers to strengthen relationships with their clients and distribution channel partners.

Analysts say it could be a challenging time to introduce an advisory platform of any sort.

Sometimes the solution to reaching insurance company customers is deceptively simple.

The Treasury is expected to announce today that a few firms have been allowed to repay Troubled Asset Relief Program funds, signaling government confidence that the worst of the crisis may be over.

AQS, Duck Creek and Sapiens enter the first day of the conference with news of system enhancements, while Insurance Systems opens its first U.S.-based office.

The Nolan Company released a new report on the topic of service improvement and differentiation.

A new survey eliciting the opinions of insurance executives about the software products they use yields some interesting results.

StoneRiver, a provider of technology and strategic solutions for the insurance industry, announces that Montgomery, Ala.-based Alfa Life Insurance Company (Alfa) has reported immediate improvements in their new business processes with the use of LifeSuite, a Web-based new business and automated underwriting system from StoneRiver – Insurance Solutions (previously Fiserv Insurance Solutions).

Legislation seeks to undue Securities and Exchange Commission decision to regulate fixed annuities as securities.

Troubled company expected to trim 17% of workforce.

Reports show that five large private insurers and the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans spent a total of $6.4 million in the first quarter on lobbying efforts.

The president says all the right things about the threat to our nation’s systems, but his plan remains sketchy at best.

Document/content management saw the most activity among property/casualty and life/health insurers and vendors.

President signals intentions regarding health care reform in letter to Senate heavyweights.

In a letter to the Treasury Secretary, ACLI chief denies federal charter will cause regulatory race to the bottom.

New report holds that of the lessons to be learned from the financial crisis, risk management should serve as the primer.

Forrester research finds that 60% of U.S. insurers hope to replace their core applications and its underlying server infrastructure.

Casualty Actuarial Society hosts panel on climate change.

Life insurer says malware at fault for leak.

The companies posted a combined net realized loss of $3.17 billion for the quarter, according to a report from the Reinsurance Association of America.

Celent profiles 45 policy admin systems for commercial and personal P&C insurers, and details seven advanced functionalities that indicate a good modern system.

Given insurers' tight budgets and expectations of greater regulation, more companies have begun to adopt governance practices.

Insurers should consider ERM a process, not just a platform, say study authors.

Wisconsin senator cautions on health insurers’ solvency issues.

Downturn results in biggest drop in 66 years.

Travelers chosen "to restore the financial industry to full representation in the Dow.”

Experts say that the next wave of bank and wealth management products will be linked more to insurance offerings to provide customers more guaranteed income streams.

In a down economy, gold futures are up, and the insurer is betting on a healthy return on its investment.

The insurance industry was at the forefront when mainframe technology began to be used in business some 40 years ago, but we quickly lost that reputation in the years since. In fact, insurance—by nature a risk-averse business sector—has been slower than most to adopt new technologies, and wireless devices are no exception.

Rochelle, Illinois is probably not the first place one would look to find a data center replete with leading edge technology. Yet, it is here in this pastoral hamlet 80 miles west of Chicago that Northbrook, Ill.-based Allstate Insurance Co. has built a new facility that employs a mix of technologies and design elements to markedly reduce energy consumption.

Auto-Owners Insurance Group and Transamerica Life Canada among those rated in A.M. Best’s most recent reports.

Puerto Rico-based property and casualty firm Universal Insurance Co. has contracted with The Insurance Automation Group to develop an enterprise software solution to automate its surety bonding workflow. Insurance Automation Group is the developer of iAutomate: Erlon Surety, a leading surety workflow automation solution for insurance firms.

Supporters of an optional federal charter (OFC) for insurers are taking exception to a New York Times editorial, which charged that an OFC would engender regulatory arbitrage.

Vertafore, a provider of software and services to the insurance industry, today announced that TransactNOW and PL Rating facilitated more than 3.4 million agency-carrier transactions in the first quarter of 2009. The strong first quarter results show that agency-carrier connectivity has reached a critical mass, with more carriers enabling real-time transactions through Vertafore's systems and more agencies taking advantage of this connectivity, the provider says.

The insurer plans to sell $1.25 billion in stock and use the funds to boost capital or repay debt.