Practice management

Technology should enable complete automation of underwriting to the point where getting insured is a simple plug-and-play process, but will that happen?

The effort by commercial lines underwriters to hold the line on premiums gave way under the pressure of a highly overcapitalized market in the first quarter of 2011, according to the RIMS Benchmark Survey. The survey tracked property, workers’ compensation, D&O and general liability. Administered by insight services provider Advisen Ltd., the survey results posted material decreases in average renewal premiums in three of four lines of business tracked.

Oracle is throwing some cold water on the NFC hype; says tech’s performance too slow to be workable as an instant enabler of contact-less payments.

Too many agents are self-oriented, focusing on products instead of on client needs, expert says.

Life insurers may benefit from this trend if they provide products that meet consumers' demands, according to a Northwestern Mutual Life study.

Despite the highly publicized breach, Alliance Data's Q1 net income surged 85% to $86.4 million, from a year earlier.

Markel Direct to offer clients new product innovation, increase share of the business insurance market.

Columbian Financial Group (CFG) has expanded on its deployment of the ALIS Policy Administration System, created by FIS Software Inc., a provider of enterprise-level, end-to-end policy administration systems for life, annuity, pension and health products.

Insurance Technologies LLC, a provider of sales automation solutions for the financial services industry, has released Version 2.0 of VisibleChoice, its multi-carrier annuity sales and research solution with a new look, enhanced features and added capabilities.

Insurance enterprise solution includes software, services, hosting and maintenance.

New website designed to speed enrollment of medical and behavioral health physicians, as well as small practices of five or fewer physicians.

The technologically-conservative North American life insurance industry is finally recognizing the value of automated underwriting platforms.

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) elected Christopher Taft, president and CEO of Preferred Mutual Ins. Co., New Berlin, N.Y., as its chairman.

People think seniors' online habits revolve entirely around looking at their grandkids' pics on Facebook, but they're surprisingly active when it comes to advocacy.

The app is intended to make Allstate's group benefits available to more than 300,000 employers and 12 million consumers.

Against a backdrop of global catastrophes and political distress, CEOs rank fueling business growth as No. 1 priority; talent management and innovation emerged as the most critical vehicles for implementing strategies.

LIMRA CEO recently issued a plea to insurance professionals to get with the times when trying to teach the younger generations about retirement.

John Nelson will take over for Lord Levene of Portsoken in October; believes insurers need to address high catastrophe claims and low investment returns

North America should account for more than half of the 300 million NFC-enabled phones, research says.

The association also recognized two others at its award ceremony.