In 2010 nine insurance companies proved to have led or contributed to a business application or project that uses innovation to successfully drive business impact, technical impact or the innovation itself. For the fourth consecutive year, Insurance Networking News recognizes these companies with the 2010 INNovators Awards, a designation intended to advance the spread of business and technology acumen in the insurance industry.
The program was broken down into three categories:
Core Systems. Back-office technologies and initiatives that drive bottom-line results. (Examples: policy administration, claims, underwriting, etc.). The winners in this category are:
- First Place:
Harleysville Insurance (nominated by Harleysville) - Second Place:
Travelers Select Accounts (nominated by Travelers) - Third Place:
XL Insurance (nominated by XL Insurance)
Enterprise Systems. Enterprise-class technologies and initiatives that bridge cross-functional, operational boundaries. (Examples: business process management, enterprise risk management, ERP, networking, etc.). The winners in this category are:
- First Place:
Farmers Insurance Group (nominated by Pegasystems) - Second Place:
USAA (nominated by Outcast/Salesforce.com) - Third Place:
Pacific Compensation Insurance Co. (nominated by Jarus Technologies)
Customer Experience. Front-office technologies and initiatives that successfully attract, retain and drive customer loyalty, satisfaction and retention. (Examples: social media, portals, customer service, distribution, etc.). The winners in this category are:
- First Place:
CUNA Mutual Group (nominated by CUNA Mutual) - Second Place:
Encharter Insurance (nominated by Encharter Insurance) - Third Place:
Plymouth Rock Companies (nominated by Version 2 Communications)
“Our INNovators are a testament to the industry’s ability to successfully develop and promote technology and business innovations across functional lines to create a win-win,” says Pat Speer, editor in chief of Insurance Networking News. “This year’s entries make it clear that insurers understand the importance of innovation as a key to competitive advantage.”
This year’s winners were determined by an expanded panel of top industry experts, including Matthew Josefowicz, director and insurance practice lead at Novarica, Mark Gorman, principal with Mark B. Gorman & Assoc., Karen Pauli-Bradshaw, research director, TowerGroup, Ellen Carney, senior analyst at Forrester Research, and Lloyd Chumbley, VP, standards, ACORD.
Judges also included INN staff editors, and INN’s prestigious editorial advisory board members: Eric Bulis, SVP & CIO, SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Co., Ursuline Foley, SVP and CIO, XL Capital/ XL Global Services/XL Reinsurance; Dennis Mehmen, CIO, VP, Business Information Services, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co.; Mike Murray, VP, Finance, OneBeacon Insurance Co.; Michael Romano, SVP, Risk & Administrative Services, Highmark Inc., Anthony Sisti, Information Systems Director, Travelers Insurance, and Jan Tomlinson, EVP, International Field Operations Manager (Retired), The Chubb Corp. INN thanks its industry experts and advisory board members for bringing a superior peer-based review to the process.
The 2010 INNovators program was designed as an educational vehicle and, as such, Insurance Networking News will publish the winner’s stories its special January/February print edition. Videotaped interviews of winners will also appear online on Insurance Networking News’ INN TV channel.
