Tech Decisions November 2007
Cover Story
Make Your Mark
In refining their brand image, insurers often undergo a debate between the virtues of being "high touch" vs. "high tech." The truth is an effective brand needs to encompass both characteristics. "That
Features
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Handle With Care
To prevent cracks in the communication infrastructure, a company needs to put all its eggs in one basket with a content management system that improves processes, workflow, and information access for
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Reviving the Classics
In the film The Godfather Part III, the character of Michael Corleone laments, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." Some CIOs might be saying the same thing about their legacy system
Columns Inside Track
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Staying Competitive
Business is changing and insurers must respond. Industry changes--such as new regulations targeted at risk management, commissions, and reporting; the demand for process transparency among regulators a
Columns Trends & Tech
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No Man Is an Island
I love it when things just happen, especially when they fly in the face of the predictions of pundits and experts. The real power of network computing, we were told, was going to be the ability to har
Columns Groundbreakers
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The Lowdown on Downloads
Over the past five years, Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company steadily has increased the online claim services it provides to agents, including enabling inquiry and upload between its claims administ
Columns Stats Watch
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Quality Control
Based on Ernst & Young's experience in dealing with actuarial departments for major life insurance companies, it was not a huge surprise the professional services organization found significant data q
Departments Industry Intelligence
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Prudential Improves Benefits Web Technology
Prudential Financial's group insurance business has implemented a series of technology improvements the company describes as "user friendly." Life and disability insurance claims applications now have
Departments Business Solutions
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Efficiency Experts
When Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance determined there had to be a more efficient way of doing business, Art Meadows felt that could be accomplished only by turning the carrier into a paperless ente
Departments Top Tech
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Embracing Challenges
Rory Read knew he was in for a challenge when he joined Columbia Insurance Group five years ago. Top executives acknowledged the midsize regional carrier was in "extreme catch-up mode" and needed to m
