Chief information officers, take note. Your adjusters should not have to suffer any longer with antique DOS programs and their dreaded green screens; it is time to update your technology. A comprehensive study by Celent, a financial services information technology research and consulting firm, does the homework for you by analyzing the major claim system ven-dors and solutions that currently are available in the U.S. market. Consider the legwork done.

Included in the 67-page study are full profiles for nine core property/casualty claim solutions, including systems from Accenture, CGI, CSC, Fiserv, Guidewire, Innovation Group, Insurity, and SAP. Shorter profiles also are available for seven other emerging systems. As a group, Celent said, the products all provide a broad range of features, functions, connectivity, integration, and modern technology for adjusters and claim managers, but the study provides helpful charts and graphs to help each company determine which system meets its needs the best.

Perhaps most beneficial to potential buyers is the fact that the study gives price ranges and breaks down first-year expenses into two broad categories: license costs and other costs, including insurer staff, external contractors, and hardware.