The Chronicle: Issue 2011-05, February 1, 2011
Distribution
Brovada's NexCenter Automates York's New Business Upload, Endorsements and Inquiry.
Mississauga, ON, (January 24, 2011) - York Fire & Casualty Insurance Company ("York") announces the launch of their most recent Broker connectivity solution for New Business Upload, Endorsements and Policy Inquiry. York has been working closely with Brovada Technologies Incorporated ("Brovada") to bring this functionality to market and participating brokers are excited about what they are seeing.
Hub's Totten Insurance Group Acquires Cule Insurance.
Chicago January 25, 2011 - Hub International Limited (Hub) announced today that Totten Insurance Group Inc. (Totten), one of Hub's wholesale insurance brokerage operations with offices across Canada, has acquired the assets of Cule Insurance (Cule), effective January 31, 2011. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The Cule operations will become part of Totten's Toronto office.
eBusiness and Technology
Dalbar launches 360 degree instant reporting.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011 - DALBAR realizes how important it is to stay on top of the voice of your customer and now that your strategy is in place, and you are ready to understand what your customers are saying, DALBAR's new On Demand Evaluation Software automates the process for you. DALBAR provides a cost-effective, practical, and scalable way to measure and continually improve the service experiences you deliver.
Gartner Executive Programs Worldwide Survey of More Than 2,000 CIOs Identifies Cloud Computing as Top Technology Priority for CIOs in 2011.
STAMFORD, Conn., January 21, 2011? CIOs must re-imagine IT to support growth and competitive advantage, based on results from the 2011 CIO Agenda survey by Gartner Executive Programs (EXP). CIOs report that their organizations are emphasizing growth, in addition to continued vigilance on cost and operational efficiencies.
Managing Relationships and Customer Service
Great-West Life helps increase group retirement plan members' financial literacy with enhanced financial education services.
LONDON, ON, Jan. 25, 2011 - The Great-West Life Assurance Company today announced enhancements to its financial education services offered exclusively in the group retirement market to Great-West Life's group retirement plan sponsors and their plan members through Acquaint Financial Inc.
Marketing and the Market Place
eMarketer: Website and Email Critical B2B Investments.
JANUARY 25, 2011 - According to a survey of business-to-business (B2B) marketers, traditional online tactics remain key to marketing success. Just over half of B2B marketers surveyed told BtoB Magazine their budgets would go up this year, mostly by less than 15%. With a primary marketing goal of customer acquisition (69%), the greatest number of respondents expected spending increases to come from online (78%).
Product Announcement
Ontario Insurance Brokers Association Announces Launch of New Affinity Program through First Health Care.
January 27th, 2011 (Toronto, Ontario) Today, Independent Broker Resources Inc., (IBRI) announced the launch of a new affinity program with First Health Care that will be made available to all IBAO Members. First Health Care is a leading provider of private home health care services across Canada. IBRI is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO).
Business of Insurance
Capgemini 2011 World Insurance Report: Reducing Operational Costs and Improving Agility.
The financial crisis provided insurers with a stark reminder that they cannot rely on investment income to deliver results. It has forced insurers to refocus on the core drivers of operational excellence, especially the factors that drive underwriting ratios, to achieve sustained growth.
Conning Research: Property-Casualty Insurers Dealing with Severe Contraction in Small Business Sector.
(Hartford, CT) January 10, 2011-The property-casualty small business sector-those accounts with less than 50 employees-has shrunk substantially since 2007, and there was a dramatic shift in market share among small, mid-sized, and large insurers, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting.
Insurance in the Community
Aviva Canada Announces the Recipients of the 2010 Aviva Community Fund: A Million Reasons to Celebrate.
January 25, 2011 - (Toronto, ON) - Aviva Canada Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of the second Aviva Community Fund competition, and this year ten worthy ideas representing communities nationwide have been chosen. A total of $1,000,000 will be awarded to these diverse local projects, including a special hockey team in Ontario, an animal shelter in the Northwest Territories, a therapeutic garden in Quebec, and much-needed community playgrounds across three provinces. This unique competition created by property and casualty insurer Aviva Canada aims to lead, empower and support community initiatives across the country.
Consumer Information
Insurance Bureau of Canada promotes earthquake safety.
VANCOUVER, Jan. 26 2011 - Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is proud to be the gold sponsor of The Great British Columbia ShakeOut to be held across British Columbia today. It's the largest earthquake drill ever to take place in Canada. Over 400,000 people will participate in this drill in their homes, schools, businesses and government offices. The drill is designed to educate people about how to be prepared and how to protect themselves during an earthquake.
BCAA survey suggests drivers are more alert and roads are safer because of distracted driving law.
BURNABY, BC, Jan. 26 2011 - After a year of not being able to talk on a hand-held phone or text while driving, many B.C. drivers say they're more attentive behind the wheel and that our roads seem safer. In a BCAA online survey of 2,139 drivers, 57 per cent said they think our roads are safer as a result of the law restricting the use of mobile electronics while driving. In addition, 34 per cent said they are paying more attention to the way they drive because of the law.
CAA: Decline in Road Fatalities Good News, but Areas of Concern Emerge.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Jan. 26, 2011) - The Canadian Automobile Association applauds the decline in national road fatalities reported today by the federal government, but warns there are danger signs ahead. Government figures released today show national road fatalities declined to their lowest level in almost six decades in the most recent year reported, 2008. That was a 12 per cent decline, to 2,419, from the previous year.
Transport Canada : Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics.
January 2011, Ottawa - Transport Canada recently published a report which summarizes traffic collision statistics over the twenty year period from 1989 until 2008. The stats indicate significant progress in many areas.
CAMH study shows workers most invested in their jobs have highest stress levels.
January 25, 2011 (Toronto) - A workplace's key employees may be at the greatest risk of experiencing high levels of work stress, according to a new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). In a survey of 2,737 workers, 18 per cent reported that their job was "highly stressful."
from Doug:
Many friends and family members made the trip to the funeral home last Wednesday and many more to the memorial service for Mom on Thursday. It was a service which captured the essence of who Mom was, and brought many memories for most of us. In a sense, it was a large extended-family gathering with too little time to visit as much as one would like. The first time I had seen two cousins in over thirty years. Mom loved gatherings – I am sure she enjoyed her celebration. Too bad we can't have more such reunions at times other than funerals.