Issue 2002-05:   February 5, 2002

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.



Relationships

Market researcher Jupiter Media Metrix warns that these e-tailers could lose customers if they don't beef up their customer-service response times and work harder at fielding e-mail requests. More at www.insurance-canada.ca/ebusiness/other/Jupiter200201.php

Distribution

Progressive Launches Internet Referrals Pilot For Independent Agents. Progressive Insurance is piloting a new system developed to help independent insurance agents write more business with some of the millions of consumers who go online to shop for auto insurance. More at www.insurance-canada.ca/distribution/other/Progressive200202.php

CLIEDIS will host their seminar "Convergence, The New Reality" and AGM on May 9, 2002 at the Novotel Hotel North York in Toronto. Details will be posted soon on their Web site www.cliedis.ca Also they are looking for more people to become involved in the Standards Review Committee to review the ACORD XMLife standards to ensure they meet Canadian member requirements - first meeting to be in late March - contact Julie Parrott at jparrott@cliedis.ca

CSIO Insurance Portal

There is little new to report this week with none of the "function bundles" changing status, although work continues with each. Facility Association is negotiating with CSIO for testing dates so that their rates will be available through the portal.

CIM-Data has successfully bid on, and won, the contract for doing CSIO Insurance Portal Rating for the Facility Association across Canada. The basis of CIM-Data's offer was to provide a high-performance rating server capable of handling the daily Facility Rating Requirements for General Insurance Brokers in Canada. More details at www.insurance-canada.ca/distribution/canada/CIM-Data200201.php

Statistics and Reference

Zymurgy: By Ross A. Morton - a commentary on industry consolidation, industry drivers and leadership. We are part of the great cauldron of fermenting financial services. We in Canada are not alone. We are mere followers of a global trend. We may even at times, heaven forbid said the American, be leaders. In an industry shrinking in terms of participants and at the same time short of leaders emerging in sufficient numbers, we are fermenting into unknown ale unless the ingredients are modified to meet the needs of future stake-holders. Article at www.insurance-canada.ca/refstat/canada/RAMorton200202.php

Marketing

The Art of E-Commerce Web Design: from Virtual Insurance, Jan. 31 issue. Before you can design a winning Web site you need a comprehensive blueprint, and that begins with defining the purpose -- as well as prioritizing the various objectives -- of your Web site. Over the last few years, too many e-businesses have launched with unfocused goals and, as a consequence, awkwardly designed Web sites that quickly falter. More details at www.insurance-canada.ca/market/other/VIArtofWeb200201.php

e-Business & Technology

IBM and DWL will offer a solution that combines IBM's service capabilities, hardware and middleware with DWL's industry-leading applications to deliver the most competitive, flexible and cost-effective enterprise financial services solutions on the market. This alliance will provide solutions that elevate and unify customer, account and product information across multiple business lines. This gives financial services companies' key audiences a single view of the enterprise. More at www.insurance-canada.ca/ebusiness/announce/DWLIBM200202.php

Skills and Careers

The Chartered Insurance Professionals' (CIP) Society is pleased to announce that it has surpassed the 10,000 member milestone with an official total of 10,212 members. Celebration remarks at www.insurance-canada.ca/humanres/announce/CIP200201.php

from Doug: