Tech Decisions January 2007
Cover Story
More, Please
The spending outlook for 2007 is for more of the same as '06, but those famous words cautious optimism still are in play as carriers worry about the softening market and how they can keep a close eye
Features
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The Cost of Transparency
Regulation comes in many forms for insurers, which can raise the price tag of compliance. However, technology eliminates redundancies and reduces the expense brought on when the business side must ans
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Look Before You Leap
Taking care of business. For insurance companies, taking care of business means acquiring, servicing, and keeping policyholders. It means making it as easy as possible for policyholders and intermedia
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Out of the Box
For years, we've been beating the drums for policy administration replacement, almost talking ad nauseam--but the message finally is coming through," says Stephen Forte, senior research analyst in the
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Perfect Fit?
Insurance carriers continue to be in an acquiring state of mind, and that can mean both challenge and opportunity for a carrier's IT department. While business analysts might look at how much a book o
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Ripe For The Picking?
With the drive among carriers to increase productivity and reduce costs, policy administration systems vendors are scrambling to offer products that deliver better return on investment, but insurance
Columns Editor's Note
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What's New?
The new year brings an exciting new design to Tech Decisions along with new, timely columns and departments and other enhancements we're phasing in here and in upcoming issues. We also begin 2007 unde
Columns Trends & Tech
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Accept the Inevitable
NEW YORK -- Nov. 30, 2006 -- At a press conference at NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, Microsoft Corp. chief executive officer Steve Ballmer announced the business availability of the Windows Vista op
Columns CIO Chronicles
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Paramnesia or D?j? vu?
It sounds ominous doesn't it? But year after year, conference after conference, we end up talking about the same thing. Everybody nods, claps, and agrees. And everyone goes home happy. After several s
Columns Automated Exec
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Mixing the Past and the Present
By day, Meg McCarthy is surrounded by state-of-the-art technology in her role as senior vice president and CIO at one of the country's largest health insurance providers. At night and on weekends, she
Columns Stats Watch
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Unmet Expectations
In a survey of IASA members conducted by the industry organization and Robert E. Nolan Co., nearly nine out of 10 respondents vouch for the value of IT, but almost 40 percent find the performance of t
Departments Industry Intelligence
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AIG Introduces Service for Processing Financial Lines
c-CLAIM will offer a single point of entry for all financial lines claims, including directors and officers, errors and omissions, financial institutions, and fidelity. The workflow will direct each n
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Nationwide Allows Customers to Track Vehicle Repairs Online
New technology from Nationwide has allowed car owners to track their auto claims while the vehicle is being repaired, and the company believes the service may lessen the number of times the customer n
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John Hancock Offers New Features, Tools for Annuities
John Hancock Annuities has launched its new Web site, http://www.jhannuities.com, which offers content-rich features and retirement and investment education, along with interactive tools and expanded
Departments Business Solutions
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Be Consistent
Web services has been described as a lifesaver for businesses looking to integrate disparate systems, and Kansas City Life Insurance Co. felt adopting a Web services product would fulfill the carrier'
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Specialty Lines = Special Needs
One advantage of being a startup is the leadership group has the opportunity to participate in high-level meetings to determine what the company hopes to accomplish in the long run, rather than figuri
News
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Ed Note
The new year brings an exciting new design to Tech Decisions along with new, timely columns and departments and other enhancements we're phasing in here and in upcoming issues. We also begin 2007
