Customer service

Life insurer says malware at fault for leak.

Puerto Rico-based property and casualty firm Universal Insurance Co. has contracted with The Insurance Automation Group to develop an enterprise software solution to automate its surety bonding workflow. Insurance Automation Group is the developer of iAutomate: Erlon Surety, a leading surety workflow automation solution for insurance firms.

Trusted Choice, the consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers, named the Ronan Agency the Trusted Choice Agency of the Year for 2008-2009.

Insurers increasingly are choosing to direct bill insureds. But that can pose communication problems between insurers and agents.

Survey sees increasing numbers of agents and brokers leveraging real-time technology tools to handle policy rating and sales, manage customer inquiries, and deliver service.

The health care industry is entering a world where insurers and other stakeholders that view patient data as an asset will thrive.

Insurance customers aren't happy with the current level of customer service, preferring to talk to customer service reps rather than use the Web.

Forrester says P&C insurers fair well annually in its rankings due in part to their massive advertising spend.

Companies, associations and individuals now have until June 12, 2009, to nominate a woman in the insurance industry who is a true leader, progressing to greater and more diverse positions of influence and authority, and carving a path of excellence for others to follow.

Despite the sharp decline in customer advocacy for financial services companies nationwide, insurers USAA and State Farm still led the pack.

Zurich provides Webinar, information to help business owners protect their employees and profitability from risks associated with a possible Swine Flu Pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency presented USAA with the National Flood Insurance Program’s Administrator’s Quill Award. The award recognizes the company that writes the highest number of flood insurance policies within a given year.

Insurers trying to obtain the sage advice of industry research experts may feel it’s akin to hitting a moving target, but the result is industry analysis excellence.

New research from Forrester finds marketing automation software the No. 1 packaged software application for insurers in 2009.

Three-quarters of U.S. consumers prefer buying insurance products through agents and other trusted sources, but younger and higher-income consumers are more inclined to purchase products via the Web than through an agent and are more inclined to switch insurers, according to findings of a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Burmuda-based Accenture.

Insurance Networking News (INN) and Celent released INN’s third annual technology solution provider ranking for the insurance industry today at a black-tie awards event held at the ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum in Orlando.

Eight million Americans now opt for self-directed plans according to new census.

According to Forrester research, of the 18 million U.S. consumers applied for, or purchased, auto insurance via the Web, only 9% used a comparison site.

After hearing reports from across the industry last week at both IBM's IMPACT conference and Software AG's SOA Summit, it's apparent that SOA is very much alive and kicking.

A partnership with Armed Forces Benefit Association makes life insurance, financial management services available to members.