Subject Root Tag

Insurers that tie themselves to major sporting events build brand by capturing eyeballs in an innovative way, not by trying to be "cute" with their sponsorships.

The Hartford Financial Services Group is making an effort to help employers de-stress. As the finale of a three-part direct mail campaign, the group benefits carrier recently sent stress balls to leaders at nearly 2,000 large companies. Each executive received a hand-sized, squeezable ball printed with the Web address for The Hartford Experience (http://thehartfordexperience.com/).

The ongoing impact of the financial crisis, coupled with the specter of greater governmental oversight, will color the outlook for the life insurance industry in the year ahead, according to New York-based Ernst & Young’s Global Insurance Center 2010 U.S. Outlook.

Business analytics software as a service is expected to grow three times as fast as the total business analytics software market in the 5-year period between 2008 and 2013, according a new study from market researcher IDC.

A.M. Best, Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor's announced ratings updates. The following are some of the most recent:

The latest finger-pointing between American International Group and the rest of the financial world took a turn on Saturday, when AIG’s former chief executive, Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, drew a direct reference to Goldman Sachs’ role in the insurers’ ultimate downfall.

Two insurers prove that SOA has finally reached a stage of maturity that allows it to address real business problems.

As many variable annuity providers simplify and streamline their products, Axa Equitable Life Insurance Co. in New York is bundling theirs.

The amount of data we have is growing faster than our ability to store it, and that spells trouble for enterprises.

Even to those tasked with understanding it, the insurance industry can seem opaque. After in-depth interviews with 43 financial analysts who cover the insurance sector, New York-based PricewaterhouseCoopers finds a widespread dissatisfaction with the current insurance financial reporting framework.

Dice.com, a career Web site for technology professionals and employers, issued its employment report for January 2010. As of Jan. 4, 2010, there were 48,751 jobs available in technology. Of those, 28,142 were full-time, 23,590 were contract, and 1,074 were part-time positions.

Hotels and retailers top Forrester Research’s latest customer experience ranking, Customer Experience Index (CxPi). Insurers, though, rank among the bottom four industries on the list.

WL Ross & Co. (WLR&C) has reportedly ended negotiations with American International Group, New York, to buy its mortgage insurance division, United Guaranty, Greensboro, N.C., according to industry sources.

Fond du Lac, Wis.-based Society Insurance, a provider of commercial insurance to Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, implemented Denver-based Valen Technologies Inc.’s UnderRight predictive analytics underwriting solution to improve its pricing strategies and profitability. Society is now using UnderRight for its workers’ compensation line of business to positively impact the company’s combined ratio by enabling improved underwriting decision consistency and efficiency.

Genpact Ltd. has been awarded a 3-year contract from Max New York Life Insurance Company Ltd. Under this arrangement, Genpact will provide Max New York Life with customer service related solutions in select geographies, employing multiple regional languages and sophisticated technology.

The insurance industry is offering praise for retiring Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D – Conn.), who announced last week he would not seek reelection next year.

GEICO has had enough; the insurer is working with the New York State Insurance Department’s Frauds Bureau, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and law enforcement agencies to curb fraud and increase public awareness of the problem.

Global wealth management technology spending by banks, brokerages and insurance companies is set to reach $3.7 billion by the end of 2010, up 5% from 2009, according to a report released January 7 by Boston-based research firm Celent.

As legislators work to craft a final health care reform bill, insurers are seeking to stop inclusion of a provision that would eliminate industry antitrust exemptions created by the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co.’s board elected Andrew McMahon as president of its Financial Protection and Wealth Management business, James Shepherdson as president of its Retirement Savings business, and Richard V. Silver as chief administrative officer and chief legal officer. The three executives, along with Richard Dziadzio, CFO, were also elected as senior EVPs of AXA Equitable. All four, previously EVPs, will continue to report to Christopher "Kip" Condron, chairman and CEO of AXA Equitable.