Digital distribution

Ninety-five percent of payers say publicly funded HIEs are struggling with flawed business models and are not providing meaningful connectivity.

Customer service rises in importance as a business driver and cost containment declines, according to Strategy Meets Action.

Higher enrollment should benefit WellPoint Inc., Humana Inc. and other managed-care insurers that rely on a large and diverse patient-mix to balance out the costs of coverage.

New business unit consolidates recently acquired Extend Health, Liazon and others to help employers deliver health benefits to employees, company says.

The sale, which is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter, includes six locations in West Virginia and offices in Ohio, Idaho and Alaska.

Uncertainty over the enrollees in individual products through the exchanges and the unclear impact of the industry assessment tax are key factors in the change.

Shifting mobile strategies and two other trends will change the industry in 2014 and beyond, according to an Aite Group report.

Insurer is looking at new distribution deals, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico and Brazil.

CEO says there’s less business going into the reinsurance market, and there’s more appetite from both traditional players and newcomers.

Obamacare has always depended, both operationally and politically, on an alliance between the administration and insurance companies. But that alliance is vulnerable.

Nearly all insurers also expect Congress will reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, according to I.I.I. survey, which revealed deeply divided economic outlooks.

UnitedHealth Group Inc., the biggest U.S. health insurer, said earnings rose 15 percent, boosted by growth in its Optum technology business as well as enrollment gains.

Insurer selects DataHub and InfoCenter to help increase responsiveness to customers, business partners.

Business interruption and natural catastrophes pose the biggest threats, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer; for the first time, cybercrime and reputational loss enter the top 10 risks in United States.

Chief distribution officer says company is "moving a bit upscale into a more mass-affluent space, incorporating retirement planning into the protection focus."

The patient-mix is important to health insurers that would have to decide by the end of May whether to keep selling exchange plans in 2015.

Companies enter into 10-year distribution agreement to allow MetLife to provide credit insurance products to Citi clients in 15 markets.

Health insurers are in a tough place; asking the administration for a break is almost begging members of both parties to beat the snot out of them, but unless the administration bails them out they look set to lose quite a bit of money next year.

In a recovering economy and armed with strong capital positions, life insurers and annuity providers should take the opportunity to become more customer centric through technology innovation, industry experts say.

While affirming its 2014 profit forecast, insurer said it was evaluating expectations for the new year.