WHITEHILL ACQUIRES INSYSTEMSMoncton, New Brunswick-based Whitehill Technologies Inc. purchased InSystems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Register, Dayton, Ohio, Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The combined company's critical mass will be nearly 1,000 customers strong, including several hundred insurance companies and more than half of the world's largest law firms, according to Paul McSpurren, president and CEO of Whitehill Technologies. Current InSystems customers should expect business to continue without interruption, according to the companies.
IBM UNLEASHES DB2 VIPER
IBM Corp. has released its next-generation DB2 9 data server-code named "Viper," which is designed to deliver significant database technology enhancements. DB2 9 marks the culmination of a five-year development project at Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM that has transformed traditional, static database technology into an interactive data server designed to enable clients to better manage all types of information, such as documents, audio and video files, images, Web pages, and digitally signed XML transactions. IBM's new data server provides a seamless and simultaneous information flow of XML and relational data, regardless of format, platform or location. More than 750 software developers working out of eight countries contributed to the creation of Viper, which was developed and tuned to be the preferred information engine for SOA environments.
ORACLE INTEGRATES SIEBEL INSURANCE AND CONTENT DATABASE
In order to help insurance companies to streamline core insurance processes, such as policy issuance and claims management, as well as improve customer service, Oracle Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif., has integrated the Oracle Content Services with Siebel Insurance applications. Insurers can now manage diverse forms of content-including documents, e-mails, instant messages and images-directly from Siebel Insurance instead of having to access multiple systems. Now, a claims adjuster, for example, can enter all necessary claims information in Siebel Insurance and then access Oracle Content DB directly to upload documents associated with the claims. Insurers can then use Oracle Content DB features, such as access control, search and query, auditing and tracking to manage that content. The end result is a single claims file that includes up-to-date information about losses, policies, claimants, financial transactions and diverse associated documents that can be easily shared among all parties involved in settling a claim.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT BENCHMARK REPORTS AVAILABLE
Verint Systems Inc., a Melville, N.Y.-based provider of analytic software, has expanded its Opus performance management solution with a series of benchmark reports that identify key metrics for enterprise service performance. Through the delivery of performance improvement solutions for some of the largest names in the insurance, technology support and contact center markets, Verint Opus has amassed a large database of benchmark metrics that illustrate the evolution of customer-facing, technical support, and back-office performance trends within these segments. The new reports for property/casualty, life and health, tech support and contact centers offer more than 60 benchmark metrics for organizations to compare their performance to industry standards.
INSUREWORX KICKS OFF MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY
InsureWorx, headquartered in Oakland, Calif., has launched a series of initiatives to support a broadening market strategy. The introduction of the company's redesigned Web site at www.insureworx.com coincides with the rebranding of its flagship product set to PowerSuite (formerly PowerComp). In 2005, InsureWorx focused on managing the logistics of merging the operations of WorldGroup Consulting Inc. and Taliant Software LLP and launching the J2EE version of its workers' compensation policy and claims insurance software. The company's focus in 2006 is to establish a broader footprint across multiple lines of business in commercial property/ casualty insurance, while continuing to leverage and expand InsureWorx's enviable presence in the workers' compensation market or for any other reason.
