Policy adminstration

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.

SAN FRANCISCO--A new study that details due diligence considerations for institutions seeking an identity theft solution provider has been released by Identity Theft 911, the nation's recognized leader in identity theft resolution, defense, and education. The study examines issues that are too often overlooked by financial institutions, insurance firms, and other organizations as they sift through the diverse offerings that have emerged in response to the identity theft crisis.

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.

AQS Inc., a Hartland, Wis.-based provider of commercial policy administration solutions to the property and casualty insurance industry, has been acquired by Grey Mountain Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. The transaction closed January 12, 2005.

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.

WASHINGTON--As the Internet becomes an increasingly important resource for informing decisions about health and health care options, a new national survey of older Americans by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that less than a third (31%) of seniors (age 65 and older) have ever gone online, but that more than two-thirds (70%) of the next generation of seniors (50-64 year-olds) have done so.

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.

JUPITER, Fla.--With the economy continuing to strengthen, the number of insurance companies that failed in 2004 declined 48 percent, to 13 compared to 25 insurer insolvencies in 2003, according to Weiss Ratings, Inc., the nation's leading independent provider of ratings and analyses of financial services companies, mutual funds, and stocks. Three life and health insurers and 10 property and casualty insurers failed in 2003, compared to four and 21 respective failures in 2003.

WASHINGTON, D.C.--With the start of a new Congress and state legislative sessions, the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America is announcing its legislative agenda for 2005. Top issues for the nation's largest insurance association this year will include the following items:

HARTFORD, Conn.--Most successful small life insurance companies share specific product and performance characteristics giving them an edge among similar and somewhat larger competitors, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting, Inc.

NEW YORK--Reserve deficiencies, which have plagued property-casualty insurers in recent years, improved dramatically in 2003, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting.

Washington, D.C. --The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) issued today its 2005 Bank Insurance Study titled, "Catalyst for Change: Next Steps in Bridging the Cultural Divide Between Banks and Life Insurers." The report offers specific proposals designed to support the growth of a vibrant bank insurance marketplace.

The agent/broker compensation model is poised to change, with a departure from commissions based on profitability and volume incentives.A poll of attendees at The Conference Group's 16th annual executive conference for the property/casualty industry in December revealed insurance executives expect changes in the brokerage and regulatory models to have fundamental and long-lasting effects on the industry.

The carrier's new rating system for personal lines enables Balboa to process new applications quickly, due in part to the solution's Extensible Markup Language (XML) architecture.For almost 30 years, Balboa Life and Casualty Co. provided lender-placed insurance solutions to financial institutions. However, to become a leading player in both the consumer and financial institution spheres, the insurance carrier has begun focusing on introducing growth-oriented personal insurance products, such as homeowners insurance.

Like most large U.S. insurance carriers with aging technology platforms, CNA Financial Corp. was faced with a critical decision: How to modernize a legacy claims system to meet 21st century business requirements. And like other insurers, the Chicago-based commercial carrier is banking on technology that integrates multiple disparate systems, streamlines adjuster workflow, provides more timely management information, and reduces claims and IT costs.

When Sachin Shah began working at MetLife in 1999, the carrier was using a DOS-based system to support online benefits administration. Five years later, Shah and the MetLife Inc.'s IT team have built an award-winning benefits administration portal that has been adopted by more than 17,000 corporate customers, brokers and third-party payers.