Digital Platforms

A top regulator says the credit crisis may necessitate greater scrutiny of credit raters.

The partnership is designed to provide NAIFA members with free, unlimited access to an online resource library that includes fact finders, concept pages, business tips and tools, client presentations, tax information and specimen documents.

Deloitte sees non-traditional growth opportunities for insurers via a distribution-centric strategy, advanced analytics application and enterprise technologies.

According to a panel of experts, insurers are using technology to devise new policies, and fine-tune existing products, to better address a range of emerging climate-related risks.

Economists say carriers need to ready themselves for the slow growth environment ahead.

On the heels of a Gartner report giving the company the highest possible rating, Guidewire Software Claims GEICO as its latest win.

Sixty-nine percent of respondents to a new AIIM survey report that less than half of their enterprise information is searchable online.

A new report shows some progress—and gaps—in the insurance industry’s quest for a higher level of risk management.

The company's Insurance Compliance Solutions group reviewed and analyzed content from last year’s market conduct exams from across the United States to comprise the top 10 criticisms lists for property/casualty insurance and life and health insurance.

Arthur Cadorine received the honor for his outstanding contributions to the growth of IASA, his significant volunteer services to the organization and his numerous contributions to the financial services industry.

Napco will use CATStation to combine exposure concentration analysis, hazard analysis and policy-level loss analysis into a single Web-based solution.

The new “Good to Drive?” pilot program focuses on reducing DUI injuries and deaths.

Google Health got shot in the arm with the signing of its first insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, which will offer its 3 million members a plan designed to enable them to keep better track of their medical information.

Policy administration system enhancements or replacement tops CIOs’ lists of priorities, causing the market to explode.

The catastrophe risk management solution provider reaches beyond insurance channels to update other industries and individuals on catastrophic events. Insurers may benefit as a result.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services nudges physicians with “EHR” incentives, while Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft partner to pilot health data transfers.

The legislative effort to create a federal insurance advisory is eliciting both praise and concern.

Today’s increasingly competitive marketplace elevates the importance of flexibility and efficiency in the policy administration process, says researcher.

C-level insurers have a better chance of improving their financial performance if they can act upon certain value levers and imperatives in order to create a true “integrated insurance enterprise.” Not unlike chasing the Holy Grail, getting there may require a sea change in corporate strategy and culture.

Surveys conducted by four chapters of the Professional Insurance Agents’ organization reveal that the treatment and support they receive from their carriers comprise more than customer service.

The reinsurer met an aggressive timetable, successfully implementing a policy admin system for its new U.S. operations.

Connecticut AG is seeking to reform the way public bonds are rated.

The CFO Forum believes a new set of market-consistent embedded values produce additional consistency and improved disclosure.

To remain competitive, insurers must be both inventive and innovative, claims the Ohio senator and astronaut. The key to our industry’s—and our country’s—success lies with education and research.

A recent Novarica/IASA survey of P&C insurer CIOs traces the evolution of focus from e-business to policy administration systems to predictive analytics.

At its annual conference last week, TowerGroup’s David West said carriers must invest in IT to thrive.

NAMIC adds voice to those opposing NAIC plan to aggregate market conduct data.

Predictive analytics, customer relationship management software and business applications are the key to carriers developing an effective mobility strategy.

FARMERS LAUNCHES IDENTITY SHIELD VIA IDENTITY THEFT 911

RISK ANALYSIS

Current board members Yvonne Norton Leung and Gary Binger will step down in December 2008.

Life insurer hopes to capture additional business with ID theft add-on.

Non-profit continuing education organization bolsters line-up with newly created targeted events, seminars.

Testifying before Congress, insurance executives make case for the use of credit scores.

The initiative threatens confidentiality, according to the industry group.

Ottawa, Ontario - Shenandoah Life Insurance Co., Roanoke , Va. , has licensed the Global IQX software platform to provide capabilities for online quoting, rating, proposal generation, underwriting, renewal management and detailed reporting.

Brookfield , Wis. , - Pekin Insurance Co., a provider of property, casualty, life, individual, business, and group products, plans to implement an advanced billing solution from Fiserv Inc., a Brookfield , Wis. , provider of technology solutions for the financial and insurance industries.

San Mateo, Calif. - The P&C companies of Unitrin, Inc., a Chicago-based $3 billion financial services company, will transition from less flexible mainframe and client/server claims systems to Guidewire’s ClaimCenter, the companies report.

Washington — Tough economic times give insurers all the more reason to be vigilant when it comes to fraud, and the FBI is helping with a new report based on data on a host of insurance crimes currently taking place.

After false starts in 2006 and 2007’s hurricane season, meteorological experts are again predicting high hurricane activity, driving reinsurers to rethink enterprise risk management and technology-based strategies.

Report says that up to 33 million licensed drivers should not be driving.

Insurer is processing claims and serving meals in storm-damaged Minnesota town.

Survey ranks data integrity high, but few companies are monitoring it.

A devalued greenback will keep American insurance companies looking inward when it comes to acquisitions.

Initiative seeks to make medical files easily transferable between insurance companies.

The insurer plans to release its property loss prevention engineering guidelines at no cost through its Web site.

In 2007, banks that sold insurance were more profitable than banks that didn’t.

In a recent message to Congress, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies cited the use of credit scoring enhanced the fairness of insurance underwriting.

Two new studies examine the implications of Treasury Secretary Paulson’s Plan to overhaul regulation of financial services.

Founder of first hurricane catastrophe model recognized as a valuable contributor to award-winning scientific climate change work.

Beginning in 2009, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will have some of the nation's largest companies file their financial results in extensible business reporting language (XBRL).

Rather than react to economic pressures, insurer CIOs are urged to respond with IT strategies that drive the greatest business value.