Issue 2006-35: August 29, 2006

Distribution

CompuOffice Adds Multilingual Capabilities to QuotesOnTap.
CompuOffice Software Inc.is pleased to introduce further enhancements to the innovative QuotesOnTap software for quotation and comparison of life insurance products on PDA devices. Introducing another first for such software, QuotesOnTap is now multilingual, with provisions for use of the software in English and other languages, as well as for instant user selection and change of language. The first additional language that is included and implemented is French. Italian, Spanish and other languages are in the process of being added, and will also be included with upcoming updates.

New Eastbridge Frontline Report Investigates Increased Takeover Cases in the Voluntary Market.
AVON, CONNECTICUT, USA (August 15, 2006)-Carriers agree that takeover business is on the rise in the voluntary market, especially with the influx of group products and group brokers. And as more employers look for the "best" benefits at the "best" price, brokers will need to shop around for benefits-or be replaced by someone who will.

Aon and Xchanging Announce Partnership with Initial 10-Year Service Contract Worth �230 Million.
LONDON, 10 August 2006 - Aon Limited, a leading insurance broking and risk management specialist, and Xchanging, the business processing services company, have announced a partnership with an initial 10-year service contract, effective from 1 September 2006. The ground-breaking deal, involving the outsourcing of Aon's Client Operations division (which handles current and legacy insurance claims administration and processing, as well as accounting and settlement for clients within Aon's reinsurance division and its specialist and wholesale units), will transform and evolve the way Aon conducts its business in the London insurance market, allowing it to focus on its core areas of expertise and deliver differentiated levels of service to its clients.

Claims

Crawford & Company to Acquire Broadspire Services from Platinum Equity.
ATLANTA and BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 21, 2006 -- Crawford & Company and Platinum Equity announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Crawford will acquire Platinum's portfolio company Broadspire Services, a leading third- party administrator offering a comprehensive integrated platform of casualty claim and medical management services.

Nearly 95 Percent of Homeowners Claims from Hurricane Katrina Settled and Tens of Billions of Dollars Paid to Affected Communities in Louisiana and Mississippi, Insurance Information Institute Reports.
NEW YORK, August 22, 2006 - One year after Hurricane Katrina, nearly 95 percent of homeowners insurance claims have been settled in Louisiana and Mississippi, insurance companies have paid billions in storm damage claims and the vast majority of homeowners in both states say they are satisfied with their insurance company.

Business of Insurance

BB&T to acquire insurance premium finance companies AFCO and CAFO from Mellon Financial.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Aug. 24, 2006 - BB&T Corporation principal subsidiary Branch Banking and Trust Company today said it has entered into a purchase agreement to buy insurance premium finance company AFCO Credit Corporation and its Canadian affiliate, CAFO Inc., from Mellon Financial Corporation.

TowerGroup: Four Key Trends Poised to Reshape Insurance Industry's Approach to Sales and Services.
Needham, MA, July 12, 2006 - Recent trends and statistics on how we live, communicate, and work today point to significant changes poised to reshape how U.S. insurance carriers respond in areas such as products, services, and the use of technology. TowerGroup believes that over the next few years, the leading insurance companies will embrace these changes and use their scale, financial strength, and flexibility to maintain a sustainable advantage.

Conning Research Projects Property-Casualty Industry Underwriting Profit in 2006, but Performance Will Decline Slowly through 2008.
(Hartford, CT) August 15, 2006 - Property casualty insurers can expect another year of overall industry underwriting profit in 2006, matching the results of 2004, according to the latest Conning Research and Consulting, Inc. forecast report for the property-casualty industry, which provides a first look at results through 2008.

Consumer Information

A 'Flare' For Rescue: Canadian Safe Boating Council.
At 12:45 AM, April 15, 1912, the first of eight rockets shot into the sky over the Atlantic Ocean. These distress flares were from the HMS Titanic and were her last attempt to summon help for the stricken ship. Aboard the Leyland Liner, the Californian, lying not too far from the stricken Titanic, crew members witnessed the flares and stars but failed to recognize them for what they were. The use of flares was fairly new in 1912 and that is the primary reason for the lack of immediate response. Thankfully, times have changed and emergency signaling devices are commonplace aboard commercial and recreational vessels.

Report Card Shows Canadians Are Slightly More Positive About The Health Care System: Ipsos-Reid Survey for CMA.
August 21, 2006 Toronto, ON - The sixth annual Report Card on the Health Care System in Canada, an Ipsos-Reid study conducted on behalf of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), finds that Canadians today feel slightly more positive about the health care system in a number of areas than they have in the past, specifically: the overall quality of health care, the performance of the federal and provincial governments and expectations for improvement.

Women account for increasing proportion of HIV/AIDS-related hospitalizations: CIHI.
August 14, 2006 - In the last decade, across Canada there have been just over 21,800 HIV/AIDS-related hospitalizations. Annually, most hospitalized HIV/AIDS patients are male, but the proportion of females accounting for HIV/AIDS-related hospitalizations nearly doubled from 11.9% in 1994-1995 to 22.9% in 2003-2004, according to new data released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

Policy and Product Management

Guy Carpenter Publishes Comprehensive Study on Nanotechnology.
New York, August 15, 2006 - Guy Carpenter & Company, Inc., the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist and part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC), today announced the publication of Nanotechnology: The Plastics of the 21st Century?, a comprehensive overview of the emerging science of nanotechnology, its potential benefits for the global economy, associated risks and implications for the insurance industry. A team of technology, environmental and casualty specialty professionals from Guy Carpenter and Dr. Robert Blaunstein, National Director of Loss Control and Underwriting Manager for American Safety Insurance Company, prepared the report.

eBusiness and Technology

Accenture to Acquire NaviSys, a Leading North American Life Insurance Software and Services Provider.
NEW YORK; August 17, 2006 - Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has agreed to acquire NaviSys, a privately held company that specializes in software solutions for the North American life insurance industry. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close within the next 60 days, were not disclosed.

Gartner's 2006 Emerging Technologies Hype Cycle Highlights Key Technology Themes.
Egham, UK, August 9, 2006 - Gartner, Inc., today announced its 2006 Emerging Technologies Hype Cycle which assesses the maturity, impact and adoption speed of 36 key technologies and trends during the next ten years. This year's hype cycle highlights three major themes that are experiencing significant activity and which include new or heavily hyped technologies, where organisations may be uncertain as to which will have most impact on their business.

IDC Reveals the Real Impact of Open Source: Sustaining Innovations and Extending the Useful Life of Software Assets.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., August 14, 2006 - According to a newly released IDC study, the open source software phenomenon has spread far beyond Linux and is gaining enormous momentum. The study, which analyzed IDC surveys from over 5,000 developers in 116 countries, finds that developers worldwide are increasing their use of open source. The study declares that open source software represents the most significant all-encompassing and long-term trend that the software industry has seen since the early 1980s.

from Doug:

Sunday we took my parents to the Stratford - St Marys area and where we visited relatives over lunch. In the afternoon we attended the Avonbank Community Cemetery Decoration Services at the Church where I was baptized and attended until we left the farm - 44 years ago. The Church closed in 1968 but the community uses it for special functions like this, and the cemetery, which is still open, is beautifully maintained. In that cemetery are 3 Gr. Grandparents Taylor and representatives from all generations since and one following. Even better than those reflections were the myriad of people I met again, several for the first time since we move away. It was a long, but good, day.....doug


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