Digital distribution

Crump will provide sales support, underwriting, technology and brokerage services to MetLife’s financial professionals.

Sensing an opportunity among small commercial buyers, ACE Commercial Risk Services created a simpler international travel package policy and a Web-based platform to support it.

Distribution, BI, agent portal and policy administration top life insurers' list of priorities as they look to differentiate themselves in an increasingly commoditized market.

There are four significant and costly life events that cost the average worker $117,000, according to a survey conducted by Ameriprise.

A committee of 11 insurer CIOs has selected nominees for the second-annual Novarica Research Council Impact Awards. Nominees include: AIG, Aegis, Erie Family Life, Great American, Nevada General, PURE, RLI and XL.

The form’s background questions include reprinted elements from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Uniform Licensing Application, which are included with permission from the NAIC.

Polaris’ Intellect AWX is designed to improve operational efficiency and quality of engagement for insurers.

Mullen tasked with aligning, developing sales across U.S. employee benefits lines of business.

INN developed the ranking in partnership with Celent, an independent business research and advisory service with a specialization in insurance technology. Celent facilitated survey development, data collection and analysis. The result is an insightful set of rankings based on objective peer review.

Mphasis, an IT services provider, has launched its Billing as a Service (BaaS) solution for the insurance industry. BaaS is a cloud-based solution that enables carriers to manage their complex billing requirements.

Eighty-three percent of P&C insurers indicate that they will increase their spending over the next three years. The top three areas for investments in analytics, according to SMA’s data, “remain the risk-centric areas” of product development, underwriting and claims.

State Farm is beginning to test RightLane, which collects basic information about a person's driving via an Android smartphone.

App brings Microsoft’s newest platform and operating system into GEICO's mobile app catalog.

The average year-over-year increase in insurers’ 2013 IT budgets was 6.3 percent; policy admin, underwriting and two other areas consume just over half of total new project resources, according to a recent survey of 24 CIOs.

The proportion of life insurers now offering e-signatures in their dealings with customers or agents has increased to 74 percent from 47 percent over the past five years, according to “Have E-Signatures Finally Arrived? An Update for Life Insurers,” from Celent, a research and advisory firm.

Of those currently using smartphones to make payments, 60 percent said they would increase their usage if they could track receipts, manage personal finances (56 percent), or show proof of insurance (56 percent) or a valid driver’s license (54 percent).

Mobile platform developed as a companion to Web-based risk software released by the insurer last year.

U.S. consumers are turning to digital sources for insurance quotes and other information, but still prefer personal contact with agents when purchasing.

Towers Watson, a global professional services company, has appointed three senior specialist insurance brokers to its crisis management brokerage and consultancy operation.

Aetna, Cigna and Humana among the first to offer benefits through Mercer's Marketplace.