Data and information management

Pearl River, N.Y.-based ACORD has enhanced the role of its Industry and Government Affairs unit by adding a legal capacity with the addition of Gary Bel, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, and Kate Ciravolo, vice president and counsel, government affairs. Their addition strengthens the Industry and Government Affairs operation and widens the scope of ACORD's involvement in the development of standards. It also expands the representation of ACORD's membership throughout the industry and regulatory agencies. Bel and Ciravolo will also be handling the general legal activities of the corporation within the in newly combined Legal, Industry and Government Affairs Department."As new regulations and data requirements are implemented across the nation, their impact on the insurance industry continues to grow. The need for data standardization to assist organizations in efficiently and economically complying with these changes is becoming ever more essential," said Gregory Maciag, president and CEO of ACORD. "We've expanded the Industry and Government Affairs group to meet these new demands."

NEW YORK--The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC) announced today that it will reintroduce its Guardian Advantage group variable annuity, a funding vehicle for qualified retirement plans. GIAC intends to initiate new sales by June 1. This decision has no impact on Guardian's other defined contribution products including 401(k) PLUS with The Park Avenue Portfolio.

BOSTON--John Hancock Life Insurance Company (JHLICO) is now offering an inflation-adjusted retail note, an addition to its SignatureNotes program. The inflation-adjusted SignatureNotes will be a medium-term note offering, but have a two-part coupon. The first part is based on the year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The second part is a fixed amount, set at the time of the offering, which is added to the year-over-year percentage change in the CPI.

Washington, D.C.--The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) announced today that it is joining with Computer Sciences Corporation, a leading information technology services provider, to evaluate state and federal regulatory environments for the U.S. life insurance industry, report on the economic impact of the current state-based charter system, and assess the potential for improvement under an optional federal charter system.

ATLANTA--Sun Microsystems, Inc., the creator and leading advocate of Java technology, today announced that it is working with Research In Motion (RIM) to extend mobile Java Web services technology to the more than one million customers currently using BlackBerry. Sun and RIM will enable the end-to-end secure delivery of enterprise data via BlackBerry based on Sun's Java Enterprise System, Java technology for mobile devices, and Web Services technologies.

BIRMINGHAM, Mich.--Richard P. Poyle announced today the formation of an innovative new enterprise called PKC. PKC will provide consulting and inspections to the insurance industry -- but PKC is much more than the typical insurance inspection company. "The vision is to provide a critical service bridge between underwriters and insured companies. Too often we find that vital risk management and loss control systems are lacking or not properly in place. The gap between the insured and the insurer hurts both parties. PKC will close that gap with consulting services, inspections, training services and documentation," said Poyle. PKC is an acronym that stands for the three principals of the new entity: Richard Poyle, Dianne Kennedy and Gary Copeland.

NEW ORLEANS--Managing general agencies, wholesalers and their agency customers can take advantage of expanded nuServe software providing an organized approach to indicating, rating, and binding business as well as processing claims and endorsements.

WASHINGTON--Employers with lower health care cost increases for 2004 more often encourage workers to take responsibility for their health care decisions, according to the 9th annual National Business Group on Health/Watson Wyatt health cost study.

HARTFORD, Conn.--Insurity Inc., a ChoicePoint company, today announced that AEGIS Insurance Services, Inc. has selected Insurity's Commercial Intellisys property/casualty policy processing services and software platform. The company is the managing general agent for AEGIS, a leading insurer of utilities and related energy businesses.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Standard Insurance Company, a subsidiary of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc. has launched 401(k) on the Brain, a new financial educational series for participants in The Standard's retirement plans. 401(k) on the Brain was developed by The Standard to provide in-depth retirement planning education for participants. It uses everyday language and a humorous, interactive approach to address a wide range of retirement, investing and financial planning topics.

Travelers Property Casualty Corp. announced that it has executed a definitive agreement settling asbestos-related statutory-based direct actions pending against Travelers under various unfair trade practices acts and similar statutes, including the Wise, Meninger and Cashman purported class actions and similar cases. The settlement in principle was previously announced on November 21, 2003.

DALLAS-- Entrust Inc., a global leader in securing digital identities and information, today announced that Aon Limited, a leading global insurance broking, risk management and human capital consulting company, is expanding its use of the Entrust Secure Identity Management Solution by capitalizing on Entrust's innovative CPU-based pricing model to make deployment of its Web-based applications more cost effective.

PHILADELPHIA--CIGNA today released the findings of a new study that reveal an unmistakable trend: Integrating disability with health care programs has the potential to lower employers' total benefits costs and help disabled employees get back to work sooner and stay at work. As a result of the positive results found in the study, CIGNA is lowering its prices on disability benefits purchased with CIGNA medical coverage.

ATLANTA, March 12 --In follow-up to definitive agreements announced with Atlanta-based Cotton States Insurance Group in December 2003, COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services has filed the required Form A with the Georgia Insurance Department to seek approval of the proposed transactions.

OLDSMAR, Fla. --eAutoclaims, a provider of claims management services, and ADP Claims Services Group, a leading provider of integrated business solutions for the property and casualty, collision repair and automotive recycling industries, announced today an agreement offering insurance carriers a new service to more efficiently and effectively administer their managed repair programs.

Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Hartford, Conn., assisted the New York Attorney General's Office and the New York Insurance Department's Auto Fraud Unit in a major investigation that led to a 100-count indictment charging 11 people and seven corporations, including health care providers, attorneys and a network of recruiters, for engaging in a scheme to defraud insurance carriers of an estimated $1 million.New York's No-Fault law allows reimbursement to medical facilities for services provided to persons injured in motor vehicle accidents. The defendants are charged with manipulating New York's No-Fault system by soliciting motor vehicle accident victims to attend Queens-based IK Medical P.C., and submitting fraudulent claims for treatment that had not been provided and for medical procedures that were unwarranted. Among the charges the defendants face are scheme to defraud, money laundering, grand larceny, insurance fraud, and falsifying business records.

Wilmington, Del.-based Rockwood Programs has initiated a promotional campaign designed to raise market awareness regarding its Sponsored Errors & Omissions Program. This campaign will be aimed at insurance companies and Managing General Agencies with large sub-producer networks.

LANSING, Mich.--Continuing a year-long process to significantly expand its life insurance operations, Jackson National Life Insurance Company (JNL) announced today that it has launched Perspective Investor, its first-ever variable universal life product. Perspective Investor is a flexible premium, variable universal life product designed to provide the security of base life coverage for the duration of the contract.

DALLAS--Docucorp International, a leading provider of enterprise information solutions, announced today the availability of Library Xpress for the insurance industry. Library Xpress provides insurers with customized electronic libraries of ISO industry standard forms for the property and casualty (P&C) marketplace.

GREENSBORO, N.C.-- Jefferson Pilot Financial, one of the nation's leading providers of fixed and variable universal life insurance and fixed annuities, today introduced its E-Delivery service for owners of variable universal life and variable annuity policies on the company's public Web site at www.jpfinancial.com. E-Delivery, or electronic delivery, enables owners of variable policies to view product prospectuses and semi-annual and annual reports online.