Digital Platforms

AIG and four former senior executives have agreed to pay shareholders $115 million to settle claims stemming from charges of self-dealing transactions.

New research predicts a shift in IT priorities as the deadline for comprehensive regulations for European insurers nears.

The property/casualty association believes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers vital protection to policyholders, and is important to the U.S. economy.

Association says its support comes with caveats.

The Sting Trailer was built to aid in the successful apprehension of organized cargo theft rings.

As more and more blogs penetrate the Web-o-Sphere, the industry shouldn’t be surprised that a blog that tracks and comments on health and life insurance blogs is becoming mainstream.

Strong Q1 universal life sales kept overall life insurance sales from dropping during the first six months of 2008, but Q2 premiums were flat, says the organization.

The GOP's support of federal disaster insurance reform follows the Democratic National Committee's call in late August to create a National Catastrophic Insurance Fund.

Complex market requirements call for complex technology offerings by policy administration solution providers.

The law is intended to curb abusive tactics targeting senior citizens.

CRC Insurance Services Inc. completed the purchase of Southern Risk Operations LLC.

Robert Dunn continues to serve on Integro's Canadian board, while Mark Rankin was elected as a director.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will use the software to automate new business quoting, rating, underwriting and enrollment.

Business professionals recognize the importance of IT security investments and predict and increase in their budgets for 2009.

Broker’s risk management platform heralded as success at “The Review’s” awards ceremony in London.

By acquiring data sets containing VINs that meet specific "indicators" of insurance fraud and/or vehicle theft, the National Insurance Crime Bureau improves its recovery rate.

Report says modern policy admin systems a fit for growing Islamic insurance market.

In its third annual program, Insurance Networking News recognizes the accomplishment of female industry leaders.

With overall predicted losses topping $10 billion, insurers’ mobile teams and technologies may need to remain in hard-hit areas as three more tropical storms line up behind Gustav.

Without congressional action, the National Flood Insurance Program will expire at end of month.

The association lists its objections to a proposed rule change in a letter to the SEC.

The NICB Board elected Joseph Wehrle, Jr. to succeed Robert Bryant as president and CEO, effective at the close of business, September 2, 2008.

FARMERS SELECTS 360VALUE TO ESTIMATE HOME COSTS

ADOBE UPDATES ITS LIVECYCLE ENTERPRISE SUITE

SAPIENS, IBM AND MILLBROOK PARTNER ON BI

To maintain vigilance, information security officers need to combine technological savvy with knowledge of the business.

Global insurance outsourcing is growing at a CAGR of 8%, expected to become a $24 billion industry next year.

Based on findings from a new Fitch Ratings report, the property/casualty profitability decline is a result of poor investment performance and deteriorating accident-year underwriting results.

A new report says insurers need to clearly define the position for these jacks-of-all-trades.

The company's chief claims officer says the claims function has evolved in such a way that it now requires more sophisticated technical expertise and the ability to coordinate diverse and complex information systems.

Survey of reinsurers confirms that property catastrophe data integrity impacts reinsurance pricing, and predicts that implementing world-class data quality controls and management practices has the potential to create a win-win for all parties.

When asked, "What is the top issue facing the insurance industry?," 44% of survey respondents chose competitive price/adequate profitability.

Swiss Re contends a country risk officer, comparable to the role of a chief risk officer, is a useful model to develop an integrated perspective across the social, economic and environmental risks of a country.

Association says the proposal to reclassify indexed products as securities is unnecessary.

Designed specifically for insurers, the tool provides assessment of likely tropical cyclone impact.

Replacing its existing system, Kaiser is betting that Pegasystems’ Customer Process Manager for Healthcare packaged solution will drive first-call resolution rates.

The office will contain the growing post-production client support services group as well as insurance business analysts, project managers and insurance technology staff.

Chicago-based broker pays $1.75 billion to acquire British reinsurer.

A new study says Americans would pay billions if Congress passes the Hurricane Insurance Proposal and another Katrina-like storm strikes.

Indianapolis — Blue Cross & Blue Shield Rhode Island (BCBSRI) has inked a deal with WellPoint NextRx, an independent pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company and a division of Indianapolis-based WellPoint, Inc., to offer the SureScripts-RxHub to physicians in Rhode Island.

New reports cite implications of vendor mergers on the important functions of creating and managing documents.

Sacramento, Calif. – Julie Davis believes that women working in insurance have the unique skill sets and innovative ideas that are keys to reforming the industry, and that risk-taking in bringing forth these innovations should be rewarded. The problem, Davis said, is that risk-taking is something women tend to avoid in the insurance industry.

Newark, N.J. — A new research report from Prudential Financial Inc. finds an increase in the average cost of long-term care ranging from 5% to 13%, varying by type of service, in the past two years alone. The findings are significant in light of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which estimates that by 2030, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double to 71 million, comprising approximately 20% of the U.S. population.

Tallahassee, Fla. — The travails of Allstate Cos. in Florida are at an end after the company reached a limited agreement with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

Hartford, Conn., - Information sharing among Internet users via Web-based communities such as social-networking sites is apparently becoming a real liability threat for many organizations.

Sweeping action to overhaul insurance regulation unnecessary, association says.

Association says bills affirms state-based regulation of the insurance industry.

Tool helps underwriters to quickly assess risks globally.

The MIB Life Index reports that North American application activity for individually underwritten life insurance was down last mont, off -0.2% year-over-year.

Forrester Research lists service-oriented architecture (SOA), business process management (BPM), mobility and X Internet as trends that will drive a dramatic change in technology adoption and use.

A new reference model should hasten efforts by insurers to achieve straight-through processing.

New research finds that incorporating analytics into governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) initiatives offers organizations the opportunity to capitalize on improved operational efficiencies.