Reston, Va.-based National Association for Variable Annuities (NAVA) and Pearl River, N.Y.-based ACORD are collaborating to develop XML-based standards for the annuity industry. The specifics call for NAVA to coordinate and develop requirements and priorities for annuity standards through its technology committee, which will make its findings available to ACORD for inclusion in its standards-setting processes.StatementOne, an enterprise financial data consolidation and performance reporting company based in Lawrenceville, N.J., has formed a strategic alliance with E-Z Data Inc., Pasadena, Calif. Through the alliance, the companies will incorporate data collected via StatementOne's system into the data management capabilities of E-Z Data's Enterprise CRM Platform.
Insurance Technologies, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC), El Segundo, Calif., have integrated CSC's Visual Product Modeling System (VP/MS) with Insurance Technologies' ForeSight point-of-sale management system. VP/MS enables carriers to share common calculations between administration and illustration systems. ForeSight is a multichannel desktop, Internet and wireless system that integrates various steps in the sales process, from needs analysis to application generation.
Ajasent Inc., an application service provider (ASP) based in West Monroe, La., has formed an alliance with Opendesk Corp., Montreal, Canada, to offer additional, Web-based groupware products to carriers, agents and brokers. Opendesk licenses a fully integrated ASP platform with more than 30 Web applications, which will enable Ajasent to offer private-label intranets customized for its customers.
Greenwich, Conn.-based BenefitPort has formed a strategic alliance with vSimplify, Fairfield, Conn. The alliance enables BenefitPort and its broker partners to provide employers with online benefits management tools from vSimplify. With vSimplify's Web-based system, relevant information-including employee data, carrier materials, benefits plans and reports-is integrated through a suite of administrative tools for the employer.
Expanding its workers' compensation services, Jersey City, N.J.-based Insurance Services Office Inc. has entered an exclusive and perpetual licensing arrangement with HNC Software Inc., San Diego, to offer Proof of Coverage services provided by ClaimPort Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HNC. The services enable insurers to electronically submit Proof of Coverage reports to state industrial accident boards that accept electronic submissions.
In effort to provide a broader range of capabilities to insurers, Nashua, N.H.-based AscendantOne Inc. has joined forces with Align360, ConfirmNet, Maxim, and Terrace Consulting. Align360 LLC, is a Richmond, Va.-based firm that manages the deployment of complex business software for banking, insurance and public administration organizations. ConfirmNet, San Diego, has a flagship product called CertificatesNow, which enables agents, brokers, carriers and their customers to securely create, deliver and manage certificates via the Internet. Maxim, Manchester, N.H., offers the Ebenezer total billing solution. And Terrace Consulting, Oakland, Calif., provides a range of e-commerce services.
Cigna Corp. has formed an agreement with online media giant Yahoo! Inc. that will give the Philadelphia-based insurer's 16 million healthcare members and retirement plan participants personalized benefit sites on the Internet. The multiyear pact comes as Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo! tries to diversify its revenue stream away from advertising. The Web sites, which will have the Yahoo interface, will provide Cigna members with online access to their health and retirement plans.
