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In such an eventful year, with dozens of compelling stories as strong contenders, determining the Top 10 of 2011 was no easy task. But, after a lot of laborand internal debatewe feel the final list weve put together successfully captures the essential news of the past 12 months.

Mobile apps from indie agents. Real-time processingnot only of personal-lines business, but also of midsize commercial accounts. Social media as a marketing essential. Cloud computing. The past 12 months saw a number of game-changing tech trends that are rapidly altering how agents and brokers do business.

Cloud computing is growing in popularity among insurers and producersand as usage evolves, so too is a thorough understanding of the risks involved, says Tim Francis, second vice president/enterprise cyber lead for insurer Travelers.

As insurance companies and agencies search for solutions to address their business problems, looking to the cloud may be among the answers, according to such industry consultants as Bob Hirsch, a director at Deloitte Consulting.

Client information is the most valuable commodity the insurance industry has in its possessionand protection of that precious resource in the age of electronic transactions is imperative to the industrys growth and survival.

The on-demand capabilities of cloud computing make it a compelling alternative for insurers looking to reduce costs around both applications and infrastructure. Yet concerns about security, stability, control, and other risks have caused the insurance industry to be relatively slow adopters of cloud technologies.

Having invested many tens of millions of dollars into technology over the past few years, large underwriters have developed tremendous competitive advantages, perhaps foremost among them the ability to write personal-lines business in real time. This real-time functionality—the ability to research, quote and deliver the policy to a customer...

Information is spilling out of mobile solutions today. Risk managers are being challenged by the desire of business users to access data wherever and whenever they wish.