The past year has been good for insurance carriers, but one lesson seasoned insurance IT leaders have learned is not to expect the good times to keep rolling without hitting some hurdles along the way. For many insurers, those challenges include fulfilling regulatory requirements, finding ways to keep aging systems online, and making sure the projects they embrace offer true business value. Wise IT leaders are looking beyond the next six months, though, and find the future holds many uncertainties.

Nearing the end of 2006, Tech Decisions contacted IT leaders from six major insurance carriers–Nationwide, The Hartford, CNA, Chubb, St. Paul Travelers, and Principal–asking them to offer their assessment of the insurance IT environment and for their views on a dozen issues facing the industry now and in years to come.

This prestigious group includes John Golden, CIO at CNA, who in addition to overseeing the IT department, is responsible for the insurer's worldwide operations organizations, leading the effort to integrate technology and business processing. Srinivas Koushik, senior vice president of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, is accountable for enterprise IT infrastructure. As CIO of the Nationwide Services Company, his responsibilities encompass data centers, network, help desk, and desktop services. Charles Brooks is senior vice president, operations, and CIO for personal insurance at Travelers. He is in charge of operations and systems for the portion of the company that markets auto, home, watercraft, and other insurance to individuals. Louise Billmeyer is vice president and CIO for The Principal Financial Group Health Division. June Drewry is the CIO for the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. John Chu is senior vice president, e-business and technology, for The Hartford's property/casualty operations.