This newsletter is for members of the Canadian Insurance Industry, and those who serve it. The newsletter is published weekly, and notes information mostly about the use of the Internet and related technologies in the industry. Some is international, where we feel it is relevant to Canada.




Policy and Product Management

CGI And Sherlock Antitheft Partnership Adds Valuable Vehicle Identification Information to AutoPlus Database.
Toronto, Ontario, July 5, 2007 - CGI Group Inc. and Sherlock Antitheft Marking inc. today announce a partnership that will add Sherlock's vehicle identification data to CGI's AutoPlus suite of products and services.

SunGard Launches iWORKS Prophet Enterprise New Generation Actuarial Modelling.
London, July 12, 2007 - SunGard today announced the launch of iWORKS Prophet Enterprise, the new edition of SunGard's actuarial modelling system, iWORKS Prophet, which helps insurance and other financial services companies meet their reporting responsibilities and improve risk management. Prophet Enterprise adds a separate, flexible, robust and fully auditable production control framework, to help customers improve the performance, scaleability, control and auditability of their actuarial modelling.

Managing Relationships and Customer Service

Salentica Systems Announces Hosted, On-Demand Service "Salentica FASTRAK" CRM.
Toronto, ON - July 11, 2007 -- Salentica Systems Inc., a leading provider of Client Management Solutions based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0, announced today the launch of a hosted version of its suite of CRM products for financial services. Building on the success of Salentica's powerful on-premise solutions, Salentica FASTRAK delivers a low-risk, hosted client relationship management, with little or no up-front investment.

Finding Good People

InsuranceWorks.ca Offers Video Promotion for Company Clients.
InsuranceWorks.com Inc. is poised to provide employers with even more branding power. Clients of InsuranceWorks.ca are broadcasting their company profiles to potential jobseekers starting with an elite group of pioneers. InsuranceWorks.ca is the first and only niche jobsite in Canada to offer this kind of service to its clients.

eBusiness and Technology

Gartner Says Companies Must Embrace Consumer Technologies as Additional Opportunities to Innovate.
STAMFORD, Conn., June 27, 2007 - Corporate attitudes toward consumer-led technology extending into the enterprise must shift from "unavoidable nuisance" to "opportunity for additional innovation," according to Gartner, Inc. Gartner analysts said employees will continue to push consumer technologies into the enterprise, particularly in areas such as personal productivity tools and communications.

Leading Global Organizations Embrace Business Intelligence Innovations Showcased at Information Builders Annual User Conference.
New York, NY - June 25, 2007 - Information Builders, the leader in production business intelligence (BI) solutions, today announced that the WebFOCUS Advisory Council gathered at Summit, its 26th annual user conference, in Las Vegas. The council saw new mobile report functionality first-hand, shared best practices with an elite group of peers, and provided input to shape future releases of the leading business intelligence solution. The meeting resulted in a wealth of new ideas and innovations for the next version of WebFOCUS products.

No Business Intelligence? No Business, Says IDC.
LONDON, June 20, 2007 � As a major force driving innovation in the organization, business intelligence (BI) is proving a crucial tool in gaining competitive advantage over the opposition, according to Alys Woodward, program manager, European BI and Analytic Applications, IDC. Pervasive BI strategies need the support of first-rate business analytics and a keen focus on maximizing business performance potential. Effective use of BI will provide tangible benefits to departmental processes, operational efficiencies, and the bottom line.

Distribution

Manulife Financial pilots technology edge for its distribution partners in Canada.
WATERLOO, ON, July 12, 2007 - Manulife Financial is launching the Canadian insurance industry's first New Business Notification feed that meets new national standards for delivery of information to agencies and their advisors dealing with the company.

Desjardins Financial Security Launches Retirement Zone Payout Concept.
TORONTO, June 21, 2007 - Desjardins Financial Security has developed a crystal ball to help Canadians forecast the potential outlook of their retirement incomes with the assistance of their financial advisor. With the launch of the Retirement Zone Payout concept - the first of its kind financial simulator - advisors and their clients can take the necessary steps to ensure that they can enjoy the secure retirement they've been working hard toward achieving.

Predictions by Eastbridge Consulting Group Echoed in Recent ERISA Industry Committee Proposal.
AVON, CONNECTICUT, USA (July 3, 2007)-On June 9, 2007, ERIC (The ERISA Industry Committee) unveiled a proposal that included the establishment of a new form of intermediary in the benefits industry. The proposal calls these new institutions "Benefit Administrators".

Claims

Conning Research: Substantial Improvement in U.S. Property-Casualty Industry's Reserve Position in 2006.
Hartford, CT, June 19, 2007 - The U.S. property-casualty industry improved its reserve position substantially in 2006, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting, Inc.

Guy Carpenter to Mandate Electronic Claims Filing For In-Scope Lloyd's Market Claims from January 1, 2008.
London, June 20, 2007 -- Guy Carpenter & Company, the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist and part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC), today announced its intention to mandate the use of Electronic Claims File (ECF) for in-scope claims for all Lloyd's markets from January 1, 2008. This decision follows the successful implementation of Guy Carpenter's ECF initiatives and underscores the firm's commitment to further market reform.

Marketing and the Market Place

Manulife Investments announces brand strategy for its lineup of mutual funds.
TORONTO, July 11, 2007 - Manulife Investments announced today that it is integrating its brand strategy to more effectively leverage the Manulife name for its mutual fund product lineup. As part of this brand integration strategy, the names of the Elliott & Page and MIX families of mutual funds will be retired.

Consumer Information

ICBC provides insurance tips for renting a vehicle.
When renting a vehicle, it is important to do a little research before hitting the road. Things to consider include your current insurance coverage, additional coverage, where you will be travelling, and for how long.

IIHS: Rear crash protection in SUVs, pickup trucks, & minivans: most of their seat/head restraints are marginal or poor.
ARLINGTON, VA - The designs of seats and head restraints in 21 current SUV, pickup, and minivan models are rated good for protecting people in rear impacts, but those in 54 other models are rated marginal or poor. Another 12 are rated acceptable. The latest evaluations of occupant protection in rear-end collisions by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the seat/head restraints in more than half of light truck and minivan models fall short of state-of-the-art protection from neck injury or whiplash.

Swimming Pools Are a Great Way to Beat the Heat, but Be Sure to Consider the Insurance and Safety Implications, Says the I.I.I.
NEW YORK, July 11, 2007 - With temperatures soaring throughout the country, many people will be taking advantage of the heat-beating delights of a swimming pool. Whether you have a luxury in-ground pool, or plan to blow up the simplest of inflatable above-ground pools, it is important to consider the insurance and safety implications, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

from Doug:

This past weeekend turned out to be a "family" weekend. Both the boys were home, a brother was in town for a concert, and we celebrated my youngest brother's fiftieth birthday. Mum and Dad organized it in the common room at their apartment building in Guelph. Friends and relatives enjoyed the gathering and sharing of memories and what's new. It was a good time; never realized Bro had squeezed so much into fifty years. To top off a good weekend, we had a good visit with my parents-in-law who also live in Guelph, before heading homeward.


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