Issue 2010-50 -- December 14, 2010
This newsletter is for members of the Canadian Insurance Industry and those who serve it. The newsletter is published weekly, and notes information about the use of the Internet and related technologies in the industry, insurance products and the marketplace. Some is international, where we feel it is relevant to Canada.
eBusiness and Technology
Celent Report: E-Business Strategies for a New Mobile World: Considerations for Insurance.
London, United Kingdon; November 26, 2010 - Mobility is more than smartphones. The emergence of new connected devices, such as tablet computers like Apple's iPad or Samsung Galaxy tablet, will create additional options for media consumption any time and anywhere.
Gartner Reveals Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users for 2011 and Beyond.
STAMFORD, Conn., November 30, 2010 - Gartner, Inc. has revealed its top predictions for IT organizations and users for 2011 and beyond. Analysts said that the predictions highlight the significant changes in the roles played by technology and IT organizations in business, the global economy and the lives of individual users.
IDC Predicts Cloud Services, Mobile Computing, and Social Networking to Mature and Coalesce in 2011, Creating a New Mainstream for the IT Industry.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., December 2, 2010 - Transformation has been a recurring theme in the annual International Data Corporation IDC) Predictions over the past several years. During this time, a wave of disruptive technologies has emerged and evolved, forged by the pressures of a global economic recession.
Ernst & Young: Canadian companies unprepared to address new technology risks.
(Toronto - 23 November 2010) Less than a third of global businesses, including Canada?s, have an IT risk management program in place capable of addressing the risks related to the use of new technologies, says Ernst & Young.
Our People
IBM: Hiring Trends for IT Professionals Expected to Grow in 2011.
TORONTO, ON, November 23, 2010 - Information Technology (IT) projects related to collaboration, security and cloud computing are driving job prospects for Canadian technology professionals, according to a recent survey of Canadian business decision-makers commissioned by Sapphire and IBM.
Policy and Product Management
IBAO: Ontarians Support Banning Credit Scoring from Home Insurance.
(Toronto, Ontario) December 7, 2010 - A survey commissioned by The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) shows that 3 out of 4 Ontario consumers are not aware that their credit scores were being used to determine how much they pay for their home insurance. In 2005, the Ontario government banned the practice of using credit scoring in auto insurance policies.
Claims
Swiss Re sigma preliminary estimates for 2010 show that natural catastrophes and man-made disasters caused economic losses.
Zurich, 30 November 2010 - According to initial estimates from
Swiss Re's sigma team, worldwide economic losses from natural
catastrophes and man-made disasters were USD 222 billion in
2010, more than triple the 2009 figure of USD 63 billion.
IIHS: Huge cost of mismatched bumpers: When bumpers on cars and SUVs don't line up (and many of them don't), low-speed collisions produce more damage and higher repair costs.
December 2, 2010 - ARLINGTON, VA - Bumpers are the first line of defense against costly damage in everyday low-speed crashes. Bumpers on cars are designed to match up with each other in collisions, but a long-standing gap in federal regulations exempts SUVs from the same rules.
Marketing and the Market Place
Manulife Bank survey finds Importance of 'Debt-freedom' grows as more Canadians plan to control holiday spending.
WATERLOO, ON, Dec. 7 2010 - Debt freedom is increasingly a top priority for many Canadian homeowners and more plan to set a budget for this coming holiday season to try to keep their debts under control, according to an online poll of more than 1,000 Canadians.
eMarketer: Display Spending Begins to Catch Up with Search.
DECEMBER 8, 2010 - Growth in spending on online display ads will outstrip that for paid search through 2014, eMarketer forecasts, though search will continue to take the greater share of dollars. In 2010, both search and display will see increases greater than the rise in total US online ad spending, estimated by eMarketer at 13.9%.
Consumer Information
Snowbirds should make sure all their ducks are in a row when it comes to travel insurance.
December 8 2010 - Canadian Snowbirds continue to head to hot spots like Florida, Arizona and the Caribbean during the frigid winter months in order to swing a golf club rather than push a snow shovel.
The Dominion: The 12 Tips of Seasonal Safety.
TORONTO, Dec. 10 2010 - With the holidays around the corner it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but safety is still important. Here are some trusted tips about holiday safety from The Dominion - Canada's Trusted Insurance Company.
CAA survey takes a sober look at drinking and driving.
THORNHILL, ON, Dec. 8, 2010 - Ontarians don't always make the right decision when it comes to drinking and driving, according to a new CAA study. CAA's Traffic Safety Culture survey has found 27 per cent of those questioned admitted to driving while under the influence "at least once" in the past year.
Allstate: Young and Newly Licensed Drivers Especially Vulnerable to "Drugging and Driving" During Holidays.
TORONTO, Dec. 6 2010 - At a time when the incidence of impaired driving due to prescription and illegal drug use is on the rise, many young and newly licensed drivers will be spending their first holiday season on the road, vulnerable to the temptations of over-indulgence.
Co-operators: Tips for Ontario drivers to avoid insurance fraud.
GUELPH, ON, Dec. 9 2010 - As organized fraud related to Ontario auto insurance claims evolves it is not only driving up costs, but also creating new risks for drivers. The Co-operators is reminding Ontario drivers to use caution to avoid being unwitting participants or victims of fraudulent activity.
from Doug:
I was raised in one of the Ontario snow belts and Dad and I get great enjoyment talking about the big snowbanks and the road being closed for six weeks the winter before I was born. Since then I moved 150 km east to Toronto, but my brother moved the other way, to London, Ontario. There they have experienced quite a snowfall – even for them – in the last eight days. I am sure the measuring-tape tales will be part of the Christmas dinner discussion this year. The memories are great, but I am glad I am not shovelling it.