The Chronicle: Issue 2012-02, January 10, 2012


The Intersection: Insurance-Canada.ca BlogWhat's Going Through The Intersection of Insurance and Technology, an Insurance-Canada.ca Blog.


Policy and Product Management

Risk Control Technologies Selected by Frank Cowan Company for RC Inspection.
(January 3, 2012 - Toronto) Risk Control Technologies Inc., the industry-leading provider of loss control software solutions for insurers, today announced that Frank Cowan Company has selected the RC Inspection software solution to streamline its loss control operations. This puts Frank Cowan Company on the list of leading insurance organizations equipping its team of risk management inspectors with tablets installed with the RC Inspection application for loss control management.

Technology

IBAC moves to Phase III of Data Exchange Project.
TORONTO - January 3, 2012 The Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC) is pleased to announce the successful completion of Phase II of its Data Exchange Project.< The Centre for Study of Insurance Operations (CSIO) has reviewed and approved electronic messages submitted by two Insurers, Aviva Canada and Intact Insurance, as sample automated responses to policy change requests from Broker Management Systems.

Accenture Research Finds Rising Use of Consumer Technology in the Workplace Forcing IT Departments to Respond.
NEW YORK; Dec. 12, 2011 - The consumerization of corporate IT - as employees bring their own devices and applications into the workplace - is one of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing organizations worldwide in the next five years, according to new survey research published today by Accenture. With almost half (45 percent) of the employees surveyed noting that personal consumer devices and software applications are more useful than the tools and applications provided by their IT department, this research highlights that organizations can no longer ignore or resist the phenomenon.

Celent: Big Insurance Data: Drawing Lessons from Amazon, Google, and Facebook.
December 19, 2011 - In a new report, Big Insurance Data: Drawing Lessons from Amazon, Google, and Facebook, Celent reviews how Big Data is now relevant and accessible to the insurance industry. Celent uses the open source Hadoop solution to provide insight into what Big Data is, what it means to the insurance industry, and the kinds of solutions it provides to new and old insurance problems.

IBM Reveals Five Innovations That Will Change Our Lives within Five Years.
ARMONK, NEW YORK, December 19, 2011 -- Today IBM formally unveiled the sixth annual "IBM Five in Five" - a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years. The next Five in Five is based on market and societal trends as well as emerging technologies from IBM's labs around the world that can make these transformations possible.



10th Annual Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference"The New Landscape"
Social Business, Mobile, Analytics, Modern Technology

10th Annual Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference
Sheraton Centre Hotel (Toronto) - Monday, March 5th, 2012

Survey: How does your business stack up?

Over the next week you will be receiving an email asking you to participate in Gartner's 2012 Canadian Insurance Industry survey. The goal of this survey is to better understand the issues surrounding and technologies used for insurance core processes, including policy administration, claims, outsourcing and data management surrounding the property and casualty business.

As an insurer or broker, we encourage your participation. The results of the survey will be presented at the conference by featured Gartner analyst Kimberly Harris-Ferrante, Vice President & Distinguished Analyst, Financial Services - Insurance Industry Advisory Service at a session entitled "2012: The Age of Digitalization for Insurance."

Not attending? A brief summary of the results will be made available to those who complete the survey.



Social Business

eMarketer: Customer Service Tops Social Discussions Across Industries.
JANUARY 4, 2012 - Marketers in various industries have different goals for their social media efforts, from direct response to branding to everything in between. And a vertical's regulatory environment can lead to vastly different approaches and levels of engagement. But on the consumer side, one concern remains paramount: customer service.

Aite Group Report - Financial Advisors' Use of Social Media 2011: The Bloom Is Off the Rose.
Boston, December 20, 2011 - A new report from Aite Group analyzes financial advisors' use of and attitudes toward social media. The fourth in a series of reports based on a Q1 2011 Aite Group survey of 437 U.S. financial advisors, this report compares current advisor views of social media with advisor views from Aite Group's December 2010 report on financial advisors' use of social media.

eMarketer: US Companies Face Big Hurdles in 'Big Data' Use.
JANUARY 3, 2012 - Today's uncertain economy has companies looking to data to influence decisions, inform strategy and anticipate outcomes. Marketers too are using such data to gain insight into consumer interests and preferences to better their customer retention and acquisition programs.

Business of Insurance

Intact Financial Corporation Completes the Sale of AXA Life Insurance.
TORONTO, Jan. 4, 2012 - Intact Financial Corporation today announced that it has completed the $300 million sale of AXA Life Insurance Inc. to SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc.

Frank Cowan Company opens Specialty Lines branch office in Cambridge, Ontario.
Larry Ryan, President of Frank Cowan Company of Princeton, Ontario, is pleased to announce the opening of the company's new Cambridge, Ontario branch office. The creation of this branch responds to a strategic decision to intensify Frank Cowan Company's focus on Specialty Lines and Program business through a dedicated and specialized team.



Canadian Insurance Top BrokerReach your clients and prospects within the Annual Technology Issue of Canadian Insurance Top Broker Magazine.

This important issue will feature a Special Technology Provider Roundtable, as well as a Technology Directory and Marketplace.

All sponsors of the Insurance Canada Technology Conference will be provided special discounted advertising rates.

For more information contact publisher Mia Williamson at [email protected].


Distribution

Western Financial Group announces acquisition of leading insurance brokerage in Roblin, Manitoba.
HIGH RIVER, AB, Jan. 3, 2012 - As part of its ongoing commitment to become the strongest financial services company in western Canada, Western Financial Group ("Western") announced today that it has acquired Roblin Insurance Travel and Realty Agencies Ltd. in Roblin, Manitoba.

Claims

Guy Carpenter: Insurance/Reinsurance Industry Wraps Up Second Most Costly Year on Record.
New York, December 29, 2011 - Total insured losses more than doubled in 2011 from the previous year and were second only to those recorded in 2005, according to a new series released today by Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist and a member of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC). The re/insurance industry paid out more than USD100 billion to cover insured losses around the world in 2011.

I.I.I. : USA Private-Sector Insurers To Pay More Than $32 Billion In Claims From Natural Disasters In 2011.
NEW YORK, December 30, 2011 - Insurance companies will pay more than $32 billion in claims to help people rebuild homes and businesses damaged or destroyed by natural disasters in 2011, a record year for federal disaster declarations, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Consumer Information

CIHI - The baby boom effect: caring for Canada's aging population.
December 1, 2011 - As the baby boom generation begins to turn 65 this year, the aging of Canada's population will accelerate. As a result, the health care system will need to adapt to meet the future needs of a growing senior population, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Health Care in Canada, 2011: A Focus on Seniors and Aging.

ICBC: Top excuses given by impaired drivers this holiday season.
December 22, 2011 - ICBC and police are reminding drivers that as Christmas quickly approaches and you begin confirming your New Year's plans, it's also time to start planning a safe ride home for you and your loved ones. CounterAttack roadchecks remain in full effect across the province and excuses won't hold up if you're caught driving impaired this holiday season.

from Doug:

In years past we have been lax about packing away our Christmas decorations, few they may be. Many years ago when the kids were small, a couple of times when my mother-in-law would be pressed into baby-sitting services she did the packing, late in January or dare I admit even early February. This year, a new leaf. Condo rules say Christmas decorations have to be down by Jan 15 and although we had only one item on the exterior, this past weekend all the decorations were packed away - and even better, into our locker (some had been in off-site storage). Feels good to accomplish one New Year's resolution, even if I did make it up after the fact.



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