Issue 2008-11 -- March 18, 2008

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.




Marketing and the Market Place

CIGNA International Introduces New Expatriate Benefits Information Web Site.
CLAYMONT, Del. - December 2007 - CIGNA International today introduced a new information Web site dedicated exclusively to the benefits needs of international employers and their consultants and brokers. The site provides visitors with a wealth of information on benefits topics such as retirees living overseas, U.S.-bound expatriates, and how companies can protect the return on their investment in expatriate employees.

eBusiness and Technology

IBM Invests in Future Web 2.0 Developers on Campus.
ARMONK, NY - 10 Mar 2008: IBM today announced the launch of the first software Innovation and Collaboration Lab on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campus in Rochester, N.Y., where future software developers will work on 21st century enterprise technologies -- including open collaboration products -- that harness Web 2.0 and social networking features.

Companies Collaborate to Deliver Pre-Built Connectors within SOA: Information Builders.
New York, NY - February 14, 2008 - JBoss, a division of Red Hat, Inc. the world's leading provider of open source solutions, and iWay Software, an Information Builders company and an innovator of enterprise integration solutions, today announced an agreement designed to bring a full range of information management capabilities to global organizations. The combined power of iWay Software's pre-built data and application connectors and JBoss' enterprise application platform delivers a complete SOA solution to provide extensive cost and performance advantages. As part of the agreement, iWay Software also joins JBoss' partner program.

Celent Model Carrier 2008: Case Studies of Effective Technology Usage in Insurance Report Published by Celent.
Boston, MA, USA - March 7, 2008 - Celent's Model Carrier 2008 report recognizes 38 insurer technology initiatives as "Model Carrier Components." These best practices in the use of technology span key areas of the product and policyholder life cycle, including product definition, distribution, underwriting, policy administration, service, billing, claims, and reinsurance.

Gartner Says More Organizations Are Using IT Outsourcing to Enhance Business Performance Rather Than to Just Cut Costs.
STAMFORD, Conn., February 28, 2008 - More organizations are now turning to IT outsourcing (ITO) to enhance business outcomes instead of just to control or reduce costs, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

Active Archiving to Become More Integral to Information Management Initiatives, According to IDC.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., March 11, 2008 - Active archiving approaches, long directed at email, are becoming more comprehensive and including additional content, starting first with other unstructured information. Archiving will become more integral to information management initiatives, particularly for larger organizations, and non-technology stakeholders will continue to play a large role in purchasing decisions, a new IDC multiclient study reveals.

ISO Insurance Technology Solutions Awarded U.S. Patent for Its Method for Software Product Generation and Maintenance.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 11, 2008 - ISO Insurance Technology Solutions (ISO-ITS), a business unit of Insurance Services Office, Inc., (ISO) today announced it has been granted a patent for its innovative approach to implementing and maintaining rating and policy processing product definitions.

Claims

MSB Taps CGI's Training Expertise.
TORONTO MARCH 13, 2008 - MSB, the leading worldwide provider of building cost data and estimating technology to the property insurance industry, and a MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) company, today announces a strategic relationship with CGI Risk Management Services (CGI RMS), Canada's leading commercial and residential inspection company and a division of CGI Group Inc. (TSX: GIB.A; NYSE: GIB). The relationship authorizes CGI RMS to provide comprehensive training classes on MSB's industry-leading residential and commercial property valuation tools.

Impact of Colorado No-Fault Insurance Repeal Documented in New IRC Report.
March 7, 2008 - MALVERN, Pa.- In 2004, the first year after Colorado repealed its no-fault insurance law, auto injury claim costs returned to levels occurring prior to the rapid cost increases that culminated in repeal of the no-fault law in 2003. According to a new study from the Insurance Research Council (IRC), between 1996 and 1999, auto insurers in Colorado paid between $209 and $226 in auto injury claims for every vehicle insured in the state.

Consumer Information

kanetix announces new motorcycle insurance quote comparison service for Alberta riders.
Through kanetix.ca, Alberta residents can now compare instant online quotes from competing insurers with kanetix's new Alberta motorcycle insurance quote shopping service.

IBC: Highway Safety Roundtable releases report on driver fatigue impairment.
The Highway Safety Roundtable recently released important information on the dangerous effects of driver fatigue in a report titled, "Working Together to Understand Driver Fatigue."

IIHS News Release: New crash tests of SUVs: Nissan Murano is Top Safety Pick; 3 SUVs are marginal or poor for protection in side crashes.
ARLINGTON, VA - The best overall performer in front, side, and rear tests of nine 4-door midsize SUV models is the redesigned 2009 Nissan Murano, which earns the Top Safety Pick award. The tests were recently conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Global Positioning Systems: I.I.I. Offers Tips to Navigate Your System Away From Being Pilfered.
NEW YORK, February 28, 2008 - Global Positioning Systems (GPS) may take you wherever you want to go, but all too often they are taken-right into the hands of thieves. While the number of thefts has not been quantified, some insurance companies are seeing an increase in claims for these units, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Playing With Fire: Majority (55%) Of Canadians Have Removed Batteries Or Tampered With Smoke Alarms Due To False Alarm: Ipsos Reid Poll.
March 4, 2008 Toronto, ON - It appears that many Canadian homeowners could be playing with fire, with a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and Kidde Canada, revealing that a majority of Canadians (55%) who currently own and live in a house that is at least ten years old indicate that they have 'temporarily removed the batteries from a smoke alarm or taken it off the ceiling to silence a false alarm caused by cooking or steam'.

New Housing Price Index January 2008: StatsCan.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - The cost of new housing accelerated for the second month in a row in January, the result of a strengthening housing market in the Atlantic and Prairie provinces.

Business of Insurance

New Swiss Re sigma study: Catastrophe losses in 2007 were highest in Europe.
11 Mar 2008 - Catastrophe-related economic losses from natural and man-made catastrophes around the world exceeded USD 70bn in 2007. More than 20 000 people lost their lives. In the aftermath, property insurers were hit by claims totalling USD 28bn.

Reference and Statistics

MIB Life Index Reports North American Life Insurance Activity Level in January.
Braintree, MA. - (March 7, 2008) North American application activity for individually underwritten life insurance remained flat (+0.4%) in January year-over-year, according to the MIB Life Index?. Applications were off -4.2% when compared against December 2007 activity.

from Doug:

Beautiful sunshine the last few days, although not overly warm. Took the opportunity to visit several family members, deliver some books (another in my wife's series of family histories) and catch up on news. A brief but needed R&R break.


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