Digital Platforms

With the exception of whole life premiums, the fourth quarter marked the single sharpest decline in premium since the same time period in 1951, according to LIMRA.

Electronic health records will be a major part of President Obama's recovery plan.

Although the newly passed act doesn’t directly target the insurance industry, it will have some consequences.

The New Jersey Supreme Court rules that the uninsured motorist statute only applies to damage caused by vehicles.

A new survey sees practical benefits in the proposed federal regulatory regime.

Regulatory bodies must improve governance in today’s interconnected world and take an “ex-ante” approach, which brings insurance to the table in proactive efforts to help the private sector prioritize disaster preparedness, says the OECD.

Two major insurers allegedly make bids for AIG units, competitors recruit AIG execs.

Corporate leadership is expecting some economic recovery by the end of the year, with only one-quarter believing problems will persist unabated into 2010, according to a survey conducted by The Ken Blanchard Cos.

The reinsurer says scenario analysis is most frequently utilized in areas such as strategic planning, risk management and underwriting.

The U.S. health care industry will increase spending on information technology by 2.6% to $28.4 billion in 2009, according to the Stamford, Conn.-based research and consulting firm.

The latest survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers shows worry over investment performance vaulting past overregulation, which fell to fifth, in its “Insurance Banana Skins 2009” poll.

The flailing insurer issued a statement after CNBC today said it will report a $60 billion loss next Monday, and is seeking further support from the government.

Genworth Financial, Prudential Financial and CNA are the most recent carriers to experience downgrades from ratings agencies.

According to a survey of advisers, clients are delaying their retirement ages and making unwise decisions.

The insurance division stands alone as StoveRiver, while the rest of the company unites as one brand.

Texas insurer of last resort sees Guidewire’s billing system as foundation for customer service and operational improvements.

The legislation would have required drivers to carry more liability coverage.

Association says Wisconsin plan to raise minimum amount of liability coverage required for drivers is too costly.

The result of feedback from the working uninsured, Startbridge.com offers benefits and health-related information.

Report from LOMA: Recent research offers a unique perspective on the insurance industry’s financial health, namely, that the industry has a historic opportunity to move past the economic downturn to accelerated global growth.

After more than a year of work, the Health Information Trust Alliance, an industry consortium, on March 2 will unveil its first Common Security Framework.

Consultancy says operations will continue as it restructures.

After more than 12 years as Chairman, Sy Sternberg will give way to Ted Mathas, who will be the 13th chairman of New York Life since the position was established in 1931.

MBIA says the split should signal to investors that it will not be using its public finance book to subsidize its structured finance guarantees, and it has ample capital to meet its expected claims.

Novarica and Nielsen Online team up at the LOMA Distribution Technology Conference to discuss the challenges life and health insurers face when using aggregators, and the benefits they can reap.

CIGNA has agreed to join Aetna, UnitedHealth in the establishment of an independent database that will determine reimbursement rates.

Several insurers and brokers team to make aggregated loss data available to the European marketplace.

With goals on growth on top-tier investment clients, Mercer has its sites set on Callan Associates.

Respondents to AutoInsuranceQuotes.com’s survey say they still value working with a live agent, and e-mail bridges that gap.

An industry analyst says state-based regulation is hampering direct-to-consumer distribution.

The group applauds the steps taken by Congress and the Obama Administration to ensure the utilization of electronic health records.

Outsourcing professionals’ organization releases lists of leading outsourcing companies and advisors.

Insurance regulators need a wide purview to operate effectively, association contends.

President of agents association says modernization act is “more of the same.”

Specialty lines carrier will use the product to model, build, deploy and manage several rate plans in the U.S. market.

Legislation says federal insurance regulators will establish physical offices in all states.

Property/casualty association head says systemic risks still not addressed in new legislation.

AIG is fully cooperating with a U.K. fraud probe, while it puts several pieces of property on the block.

Sent to the Senate for a final vote, the latest provisions are more liberal than the previous Senate version’s.

Study suggests insurers establish an efficient risk-based compliance culture throughout their enterprise, or risk the consequences.

Serving as acting CIO since October 2008, Mark Esposito now will take ownership of IT strategy across all business segments of The Hartford’s life operations.

The impending amendments offer adaptable insurers strategic advantages from the resulting structure, says a Conning Research study.

Quarterly report from brokerage well received on Wall Street despite revenue decline.

The insurer said in November that it would acquire troubled Bonifay Holding Co. Inc. to qualify for TARP assistance, but still has not heard from the Treasury about its application.

Seeking to address systemic risk, reps say they will soon introduce legislation to create national insurance regulator.

The new course is intended for employees new to the insurance industry who need quick understanding of how their company's products serve customers.

The bill includes $3 billion in "jump start" funds to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to rapidly disseminate grants and loans to increase I.T. adoption.

A source says the auto insurance business is expected to fetch about $2 billion.

Report says investments in automation and Web services are key to improving profitability.

A report by the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) says assets the federal government received from AIG plan were valued at only $14.8 billion.

Despite the predicted IT spending crunch, new options abound for insurers looking to upgrade their risk management software applications.

The AMA lawsuit charges the insurers schemed to shift medical costs to physicians and their patients.