Over the next 18 months, employees will be spending more time online--not surfing the Web or checking e-mail but rather logging onto their company Web site and signing up for employee benefits with a click of the mouse. According to MetLife's recently released 2004 Employee Benefits Trend Study, employee self-service on the Internet is an important benefits strategy, particularly among large employers. As a result, companies expect a huge surge in e-benefits use over the next two years.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla.--As some insurance carriers tinker with proprietary policy download solutions in their electronic interfaces with independent agents and brokers, agents are seeing increased workflow time as well as other unanticipated issues, according to the Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet), the user group of Applied Systems agency management technology. "Agents are paying the price for unconventional download," said ASCnet President Robby Dunn. "For years, IVANS, trade associations, carriers, agents and their vendors have worked side-by-side to integrate common, multi-company communication components, develop file retrieval and update processes, and establish clear agency support services. We all saw the advantage of an industry solution. Competing on technology in this space did not make economic or business sense then, and it still doesn't."

Newark, Calif.--Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a provider of products and services for the management of catastrophe risk, today announced that it will fund technology improvements for the Florida Coastal Monitoring Program that will support its collection of real-time wind speed data during major hurricanes. The Florida Coastal Monitoring Program (FCMP) is a joint venture to develop full-scale experimental methods to quantify near-surface hurricane wind behavior and resulting loads on residential structures. The program's aim is to provide data necessary to identify methods to cost-effectively reduce hurricane wind damage to residential structures.

ATLANTA, GA--The year 2005 should be challenging, with additional complications from regulatory and legislative issues, say members of the LOMA Board of Directors. LOMA's Resource magazine surveyed members of LOMA's board for their views on what the industry can expect in 2005.

Conshohocken, PA--RippleTech, a provider of security, compliance and systems management solutions, announced today the launch of the LogCaster for Sarbanes-Oxley solution.

ISO, a provider of anti-fraud and personal injury claims solutions, has identified ten key factors that can help insurers reduce the rising costs of handling personal injury claims.

NEEDHAM, MA--New challenges in the US insurance industry are creating one of its most difficult operating environments in recent memory. In the context of such divergent issues as terrorist threats, state and federal regulatory activity, competition from other financial services players and tight global economic conditions, TowerGroup forecasts a cautious approach to technology spending by US insurers in 2005.

Uniondale, NY--OnlineBenefits Inc., provider of Internet-based HR solutions, has officially unveiled AgencyWare, the first integrated sales, service and commission tracking software product specifically designed for group benefits brokers.

Rewind-to February 2004. Outsourcing, in particular offshore outsourcing, was a bad word in the American lexicon. Merely one year later--with the presidential campaign over and President Bush still in office, it's not such a bad word anymore. In fact, industry sources say, outsourcing-even offshore outsourcing-has actually been growing, even while it was under fire. What's more, they say, "global sourcing" is here to stay."Outsourcing captured so much attention around the world in 2004," notes Lorrie Scardino, research director, at Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner Inc., during a recent teleconference. "A lot of people would say there was a lot of political rhetoric and attention that kept outsourcing at top of mind in many industry sectors-especially the IT sector, while others would say there were a lot of economic issues that kept it top of mind," she says. "But the reality is: Outsourcing in the IT services sector is a mainstream business practice."

Agent extranets that don't support quoting, issuing and servicing policies are like dinosaurs: plodding, cumbersome and heading toward extinction.Grange Insurance executives understood that merely pushing information through a portal to its agents would fail to meet its standards of service.

Life insurers continue to face resistance in their quest to sell more polices at banks, a condition largely marked by a lack of technology standardization between banks and insurers, as well as a lack of simple awareness on the part of bank customers.This ongoing struggle was detailed in a recent study by Washington, D.C.-based American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). The report, titled "Catalyst for Change: Next Steps in Bridging the Cultural Divide Between Banks and Life Insurers," offers specific proposals designed to support the growth of a vibrant bank insurance marketplace. "Creating the successful bank life insurance blueprint involves a series of detailed and precise actions, procedures and processes," states the report, which offers 21 marketing and distribution recommendations for enhancing life sales in bank branches.

Jersey City, N.J.--Reducing underwriting costs through technology is a key goal for insurance organizations in 2005, according to analysis undertaken by Jersey City, N.J.-based ISO.

Tempe, Ariz.-The Progressive Group of Cos. is opening what it believes to be the only insurance group-owned commercial auto claims training facility in the U.S.

JERSEY CITY, N.J.--ISO has acquired AppIntelligence, a provider of Web-based analytic tools designed to identify and detect fraud in the residential mortgage industry. More than 600 customers of the Weldon Spring, Mo.-based company use AppIntelligence solutions in the prequalification, processing, underwriting, quality control/quality assurance and compliance phases of the mortgage-lending process. Customers will not experience any service disruption from the transfer of AppIntelligence's control, both companies stressed. Terms were not disclosed.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--Computer Sciences Corporation today announced that five U.S. healthcare consulting organizations have licensed the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups Predictive Model (ACG-PM) software. Encompass Medical Management, Salem Health Solutions, Wakely Consulting Group and two other providers of healthcare management services will use ACG-PM to improve the performance of health plans offered by their employer-group clients.

Addison, TX--Universal Conversion Technologies (UCT), a provider of insurance industry data conversion solutions, today announced it has been selected by CUNA Mutual Group to assist with CUNA Mutual's data conversion project. The conversion involves the migration from two legacy policy administration systems to an existing system used by CUNA Mutual to support its current and future operations. In addition to their proven conversion software, UCT will provide expert conversion services.

NEW YORK--Vettro, a leading provider of mobile enterprise applications, today announced that Phoenix Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of The Phoenix Companies, Inc., has selected Vettro RainMaker to empower its sales managers and wholesalers with always-available access to Salesforce.com via BlackBerry from Research In Motion (RIM).

PARSIPPANY, New Jersey--MFX Roanoke Inc. has acquired Atlantic Mutual's data center facility in Roanoke, Virginia. Under the arrangement, which became effective January 1, MFX provides complete, on-site data center processing services to Atlantic Mutual from MFX's new operation. Atlantic Mutual will continue to maintain its technology and customer service center in Roanoke, Virginia.

HARTFORD, Conn.--The convergence of regulatory environments for the financial markets and the banking industry have created a friendlier climate for multinational life insurers, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting, Inc.

NEW YORK--The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) today announced a major expansion of its group small business distribution capabilities. In 2005, Guardian will open dedicated Small Group Sales (SGS) counterparts for each of its Regional Group Offices (RGO) nationwide.