Distribution

Daniel Burrus, a leading technology forecaster and one of the New York Times' top three business "gurus will keynote the ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum, to be held May 23-25, 2004, in Las Vegas, NV. Burrus has a worldwide reputation for accurately predicting the future of technological change."In times of great uncertainty, we must ask ourselves what we are certain about," says Burrus. "Changing times mean changing strategies." At the Forum he will share "Technostrategies for Creating and Sustaining Strategic Advantage" in an uncertain world.

Atlanta, GA--DWL, a provider of Enterprise Business Services Software, today announced the release of DWL Insurance for Group Life and Health 3.0, giving health insurers the market's most functionally rich set of self-service business capability for agents, customers, call center staff, internal employees and distribution networks. Built on a composite application framework, version 3.0 has more than 35 new end-to-end business services to allow group life and health companies support plan member enrollment, dependant enrollment, billing, coverage selection and provide new and enhanced claims processing functionality.

The Agents Council for Technology (ACT) has published "The Real-Time Revolution: Redefining How We Work," a report to help independent agents and brokers and carriers better use real-time technology to improve workflows, customer service and sales, and understand the broad reach technology is likely to have in the industry. ACT, affiliated with the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA), Alexandria, Va., formed a work group to study the potential of real-time transactions and to help agents and brokers and their carriers keep pace with the efficiencies provided by technology that allows the agency system to effectively compete long-term with other distribution systems.

Sun Life Financial has contracted for NaviSys Front Office(TM) illustration software. Sun Life Financial's producers will use the software to propose term, whole life, universal life and variable universal life products to their clients.

St. Louis, MO--Genelco Software Solutions, a division of Liberty Insurance Services Corporation (LIS), today announced the newly released version 3.0 of its front-office Web portal product, Genelco LifeView. Genelco LifeView 3.0 builds upon its common-sense approach to Web access with innovative improvements to function and design.

The question still remains whether a critical mass of consumers will actually purchase insurance online-not just research options and get quotes. But 21st Century Insurance Group is betting they will.Even with that belief driving its e-commerce strategy, however, the Woodland Hills, Calif.-based personal auto carrier hasn't been passively waiting for consumers to get accustomed to the idea of buying their policies online.

There's no way around it: It takes a long, long time to develop the software programs for a new underwriting and billing system. Then throw into the mix the risk of the internally built system not working properly, taking longer to implement, and perhaps even draining cash flow."I've been in the business for about 30 years," says Mark Gire, vice president of information services for Norcal Mutual Insurance Co. "I've never seen it take less than four to five years" to develop a solution internally.

State Farm unveiled a new financial education Web site that provides fun ways for K-12 students to learn basic principles of financial responsibility and money management. With only a handful of states requiring students to complete a personal finance course before graduating high school, the State Farm "Common Cents" online program can help parents and educators give children the real-life skills they need to become smart consumers, sensible savers and responsible investors, according to the Bloomington, Ill.-based insurance company.

Worcester, MA--Kemper Auto and Home's Syracuse office and Blue Cod Technologies, Inc. of Worcester, MA announce the signing of a contract under which Blue Cod will be responsible for providing outsourced application and technical support for Kemper's New York Assigned Risk Automobile business. Blue Cod will host Allenbrook's Phoenix policy processing solution and provide it to Kemper Auto and Home over the Internet. Blue Cod will also build and maintain a number of interfaces to various external applications.

DALLAS--Docucorp International, a leading provider of enterprise information solutions, announced today the availability of Image Resource, an affordable content management and workflow solution, for the managing general agent (MGA) market.