Tech Decisions July 2007
Cover Story
Invisible Assets
Advances in connectivity and workflow technologies and a maturation of capabilities in the provider market have made the virtual insurer model possible. But while handing off specific functions using
Features
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Beating the Odds
With millions of dollars on the line, it seems hard to believe insurance carriers could be gambling with their project initiatives. But without a clear strategy for how to implement projects--and the r
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Call It
If insurance carriers accurately identify their core competencies, it's likely they'll win business; if not, they'll end up on the losing end. But that's just round one. Finding the source of their su
Columns Editor's Note
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Innovation Insourcing
On the technology front, while the outsourcing process probably hasn't hit full-fledged maturity, it has made headway (for more, see "Invisible Assets" and "Inside Track: Still Simmering"). Initially,
Columns Inside Track
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Still Simmering
Outsourcing is one of the insurance industry's thorniest issues. Insurance carrier executives and front-line staff both are keenly interested in how the use of outsourcing develops for decidedly diffe
Columns Trends & Tech
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Fear and Loathing
Certain things in life are fraught with pitfalls. Have you ever spoken with someone who just moved into a new custom-built home? You often hear things such as: "Don't ever build a house," "You will en
Columns Groundbreakers
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Winds of Change
Wind tunnels have been invaluable tools for assessing the susceptibility of building materials to wind damage and providing insurers with data to better predict losses and promulgate property rates. B
Columns Stats Watch
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Laundry Duty
A little more than a year ago, the American life insurance industry became subject to the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which placed the Internal Revenue Service in
Departments Industry Intelligence
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John Hancock Removes Handwriting From Process
John Hancock has enhanced its JH Illustrator software system, making it possible for producers to complete life insurance applications electronically. Building on an application wizard added to the so
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More Than Just Disaster Risks Revealed
As reinsurance brokers roll out computerized catastrophe management tools to their insurer clients, unexpected side benefits are emerging, allowing carriers to dream up applications that extend well b
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State Auto Rolls Out Rating for Business Coverage
Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Insurance has eased the quoting process for business policies with its new Web-based system, bizXpress. The rating and new-business-processing application now is availa
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Who's Using What
Ark Syndicate Management, a Lloyd's-based underwriting agency, has entered into an agreement with Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a provider of products and services for catastrophe risk management.
Departments Business Solutions
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Blueprint for Success
As manager of group budgeting and forecasting for Suncorp, John Herrmann had a goal for the Australian financial services company to get its multiple planning systems on a single platform. "That was m
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New TRIA Bill Includes Group Life; Supreme Court Backs Insurers In Credit-Scoring Case; Marra Rises
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., have introduced the bill, H.R. 2761, which would create the Terrorism Risk Insurance
Departments Top Tech
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Simply the Best
A leading provider of employee benefits, including disability insurance, long-term care, and life and voluntary benefits, the company is in the midst of a multiyear business initiative to integrate pr
News
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editorial
On the technology front, while the outsourcing process probably hasn't hit full-fledged maturity, it has made headway (for more, see "Invisible Assets" and "Inside Track: Still Simmering").
