Policy adminstration

Motivated by health care reform and the advent of exchanges, the mutual life insurer will offer dental, vision, life, disability and accident products on the Bright Choices Exchange.

Agency and brokerage management system with Internet-access capabilities chosen in an attempt to unite the operations of offices in various geographic locations.

Social media and mobile computing serve as a backdrop for several of Deloitte’s insurance tech trends and opportunities for 2013.

When insurers buy a new core system, they're not just buying the technology, they're buying an underlying model for how an insurer should operate.

The second quarter of 2013 saw $2.2 billion of non-life catastrophe bonds issued through 14 tranches (representing 10 deals), compared with $2.1 billion issued in the same period last year, with 12 tranches (representing 7 deals), according to Willis Capital Markets & Advisory (WCMA), part of Willis Group Holdings.

Catastrophes costs were $340 million for the second quarter, down from $549 million a year ago.

The insurer selected the fully integrated platform in an effort to improve operational efficiency and keep pace with business growth and demands.

After overseeing several individual aspects of the insurer's IT operations, Jared Ashland is now responsible for the entire department.

Social media and digitization have made it easy to get closer to customers; the question is how to use that knowledge and access without becoming invasive.

The first quarter of 2013 brought improved underwriting results, according to a new financial report from A.M. Best, which also lists the largest five P&C, personal insurers with their combined ratios.

As investments in data technology rise, so does the urgency to find talent to manage it, which has some in the industry pointing to chief data officers.

Insurers included on the Financial Stability Board's list of global systemically important insurers (G-SIIs) could see a modest improvement in their credit profiles due to the higher risk and capital management standards imposed on them, according to Fitch Ratings.

Among private auto insurers, GEICO and Liberty Mutual post double-digit increases; among homeowners insurers, direct incurred loss ratios shrink as premiums increase, according to SNL Financial report.

Starr Insurance Holdings Inc., a member of the Starr Cos., has selected PolicyWriter as its policy administration platform for its general casualty, energy, environmental and commercial auto lines of business. PolicyWriter is a product of Adaptik Corp.

American International Group Inc. and Allianz SE are among insurers deemed systemically important by global financial rule makers, meaning they may face tougher capital standards and tighter regulation.

Minnesota Department of Commerce finds agents’ dismissal for failing to achieve sales quota violates state laws.

To expand its product offerings, distribution and geographic presence, Nevada General Insurance, a midsize P&C insurer, replaced its Web portal for policy quoting, issuance and endorsements with a packaged solution and integrated it with the policy administration system, enabling agent and direct-to-consumer sales.

Cognizant, a provider of IT, consulting and business process outsourcing services, and XL Group, a global P&C, professional and specialty insurer, announced a mobile-enabled risk-engineering platform for Global Asset Protection Services (GAPS), XL Group’s property loss prevention services business.

Aflac Inc. has hired Julia Davis to serve as SVP and CIO. Davis will oversee the day-to-day operations and the strategic initiatives of Aflac's Information Technology Division. She will report to Teresa White, executive VP and COO of Aflac Columbus.

Support of Microsoft SQL Server has been added to The Innovation Group’s Insurer Suite. It has been validated with performance and efficiency testing in Microsoft's Redmond labs, Innovation Group said.