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.




Claims

Groupement des assureurs automobiles and CGI Sign Five-Year Contract Renewal Agreement.
Montreal, Quebec, August 22, 2007 - The Groupement des assureurs automobiles and CGI Group Inc. have signed a five-year contract renewal agreement covering the operational aspects of the Fichier central des sinistres automobiles in Quebec. Under the terms of the partnership, the GAA has entrusted CGI with the processing and distribution of motor vehicle claims records in Quebec.

Crawford Named Best Third-Party Claims Administrator by Business Insurance Readers.
August 20, 2007 - ATLANTA - Crawford & Company has been chosen as the Best Third-Party Claims Administrator in Business Insurance's 2007 Readers' Choice Awards.

Marketing and the Market Place

Half of US Insurance Customers Feel That Insurance Policies Are Not Tailored to Meet Their Needs: IBM Study.
ARMONK, NY - 27 Aug 2007: US consumers want insurance companies to more effectively communicate new products and services available to them, provide tailored policies and services to better meet their needs, and bring their customer experience up to par with other industries. Yet, despite boasting one of the largest groups of loyal and satisfied customers of any industry, few insurance companies are delivering in new and innovative ways to connect with their customers to enhance their experience and drive organic growth.

Commercial P/C Premiums Continue Free-Fall In 2nd Quarter Reports CIAB.
Monday, July 23, 2007 - WASHINGTON - Commercial property-casualty insurance rates continued their free-fall during the 2nd quarter of 2007 in a marketplace environment described as "totally unpredictable" in terms of pricing and underwriting, according to the latest commercial market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.

Distribution

Saying Goodbye – Grief and Loss and the Aging Journey, by Rhonda Latreille, MBA, CSA.
Professionals in the Financial Planning Industry have an important role to play in helping their clients deal with grief, loss and the challenges of aging. As most advisors know, it extends well beyond the traditional role of providing advice on financial and estate planning matters

HUB Financial Sets New Standard in Data Exchange With IDEX from EDS SOLCORP.
TORONTO, Ontario - EDS today announced that Hub Financial, a division of HUB International, has gone live with EDS SOLCORP's IDEX on the WealthServ platform. HUB is the first MGA in Canada to complete the integration of IDEX data messaging and transformation services directly into the WealthServ solution, positioning the company at the forefront of the industry for data exchange.

Pembridge Insurance Company remains a Full Partner of the Broker Identity Program: IBAC.
August 13, 2007, Toronto – The Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC) is pleased to announce that Pembridge Insurance Company is maintaining its investment as a Full Partner of the Broker Identity Program for 2007.

Managing Relationships and Customer Service

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: AIG Direct Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Customer Service Experience for a Second Consecutive Year.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 21 August 2007 - For a second consecutive year, AIG Direct has been recognized for call center operation customer satisfaction excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program.SM This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment from AIG Direct's call center operations to provide "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience."

eBusiness and Technology

Gartner warns Web 2.0 will force business to re-examine approach to IT security.
SYDNEY, Australia, August 14, 2007 - The adoption of Web 2.0[i]technologies in the enterprise is driving unprecedented collaboration throughout business, but brings with it significant security risks, according to Gartner. These risks are manageable, but only if enterprises engage security early in the process and build a solid foundation to support Web 2.0, whilst limiting the risks.

Business of Insurance

Manulife Financial closes agreement to acquire Berkshire-TWC Financial Group Inc.
TORONTO, Aug. 31, 2007 - Manulife Financial Corporation announced today that it has received required regulatory approvals and has closed its purchase of Berkshire-TWC Financial Group Inc. The transaction has added more than 700 Advisors and 237 branches from Berkshire's mutual fund and securities business to Manulife's existing operations across the country.

Consumer Information

Five top tips to help kids deal with back to school stress from The Psychology Foundation and Desjardins.
Toronto, August 22, 2007 - What better time of year than 'back to school', to address the importance of teaching children to manage stress effectively? Despite what a surprising number of parents may think, the fact is that too many environmental stresses early in a child's life can have some negative physiological effects on his/her overall long-term development.

Will Personal Savings Cover Individual Long-Term Health Care Expenses, asks Ipsos Reid Poll for CMA.
August 20, 2007, Ottawa, ON - As the Canadian population continues to age, more and more Canadians will be approaching the age where they, and their families, will need to make decisions about how best to care for themselves in the latter years of their lives. However, a new Ipsos Reid poll finds that only 55% of Canadians are 'confident' that they will have enough savings when they are older to cover the expenses of long-term care, such as a nursing home, should they require these services.

SaskTel and SGI promote safe cell phone habits to new drivers.
Starting Sept. 1, SaskTel and SGI are partnering to help new drivers develop safe cell phone habits by offering six months of free SaskTel Mini Mail voice messaging service to new drivers who are also SaskTel cellular customers.

New side tests of large luxury cars: luxury doesn't always buy safety, reports IIHS.
ARLINGTON, VA - Three of six large car models earn the top rating of good, but one is marginal in side impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Results show a range of performance in how well large cars are designed to protect people in serious side crashes.

Heading Off to College? I.I.I. Offers Tips for Insuring College Students' Possessions
NEW YORK, August 22, 2007 - With computers, TV's, printers, PDAs and MP3 players being shipped off to school, the average dorm room is looking more an more like an electronics store than a college residence. More than ever, it is crucial that students and their parents make sure that they purchase the appropriate insurance protection, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

If a Tree Falls on Your House, Will Your Insurer Hear It? I.I.I. Advice to Americans
NEW YORK, August 15, 2007 - With homeowners spending billions of dollars a year on landscaping, it is important to have a firm understanding of the insurance implications of owning trees and shrubs, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

from Doug:

As Labour Day weekend draws to a close, and with it the summer vacation months, too many of those things I planned to do in the summer have yet to be completed. Visited with family last evening for dinner, and it has been a beautiful weekend. I hope you enjoyed whatever break you had. We wish you the best as school and work get back to full swing, through the fall stretch to Thanksgiving and year's end Christmas celebrations.


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