The Chronicle: Issue 2011-40, October 4, 2011
Distribution
The Dominion and Custom Software Solutions Announce New Business Upload Agreement.
September 27, 2011, Toronto, ON and Virden, MB - Custom Software Solutions Inc. (CSSI) and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (The Dominion) are pleased to announce they have entered into an connectivity agreement for New Business Upload from CSSI's The Broker's Workstation (TBW) and also its standalone rating and underwriting tool, Intelliquote (IQ).
Policy and Product Management
Guidewire Software Announces InsuranceSuite 7.
CONNECTIONS 2011, SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., September 26, 2011: Guidewire Software, a provider of core system software to Property/Casualty (P/C) insurers, today announced the availability of Guidewire InsuranceSuite™ 7, the latest release of Guidewire's core system suite for P/C insurers. In addition to enhanced versions of ClaimCenter, BillingCenter and PolicyCenter, InsuranceSuite 7 includes three new modules that increase its breadth of core process support: Client Data Management, Rating Management, and Reinsurance Management.
Guidewire Software Celebrates Signing Citizens as their 100th Customer.
SAN MATEO, Calif., September 22, 2011: Guidewire Software®, a provider of core system software to Property/Casualty (P/C) insurers, today announced the signing of its 100th customer, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens). Citizens has selected, through a competitive solicitation, Guidewire InsuranceSuite™ as its platform for underwriting and policy administration, claims management, and billing for all lines of business.
What's Going Through The Intersection of Insurance and Technology, an Insurance-Canada.ca Blog.
- Bring Your Own Technology: Trending Up; Employees Willing to Share Costs
We have commented in the past about 'Consumerizaton' of technology and the trend for employees to bring their own technology to work. A recent report suggests that a growing number of employers are encouraging Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) schemes, and employees are willing to pay for the privileged. - Pay-As-You-Drive: Interest, Support, Collateral Grow
If attendance at conferences and expansion of collateral and support material are any guide, movement toward Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD), also known as Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) is gaining momentum.
Business of Insurance
Intact Financial Corporation Completes AXA Canada Acquisition And Announces Executive Appointments.
TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2011 - Intact Financial Corporation today announced that it has completed its acquisition of AXA Canada, the 6th largest provider of home, auto and business insurance in the country. The acquisition will accelerate Intact's effort towards building a world-class P&C insurer.
Intact Financial Corporation to sell AXA Canada's Life Insurance Business to SSQ Financial Group.
TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2011 - Intact Financial Corporation today announced that it has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to sell AXA Canada's life insurance business ("AXA Life Insurance") to SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc. with the financial support of its majority shareholder, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ. The transaction is conditional on the receipt of regulatory approvals and is expected to close in early 2012.
Social Business
Compliance and Being Social.
Being in a regulated profession like insurance distribution - brokers and agents - means, by definition, that there are things one is obliged to do to comply with those rules. The environment, of course, keeps evolving and the social business aspect of social media is just one instance of the changing landscape.
eMarkter: How Facebook Brand Fans Interact Post 'Like'.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 - Hoping to build engagement with their fans on Facebook, brands and companies chase after "likes." But engagement means different things to different people, and consumers are open to several different ways to interact on the social site. A January 2011 survey from Chadwick Martin Bailey and Constant Contact asked Facebook users who were fans of companies how they interact with brands on the site. Most (77%) read the content posted by a brand, but only 17% said they share information about the brand with others.
eBusiness and Technology
LawPRO: Revamped TitlePLUS® website designed to be a resource for lawyers.
Toronto, ON September 19, 2011: Lawyers looking for information to help them explain title insurance to clients or needing resources to help them streamline their practice need look no further than the new-look TitlePLUS website launched last week. The website overhaul had, as its guiding principle, a goal of helping lawyers in all aspects of practice.
Kerby-Reid Launches Insurance Pro-Rata App.
September 20, 2011 - Toronto - Kerby-Reid has announced the launch of a mobile app to help insurance professionals calculate pro-rata and short-rate premiums. The app, available for Blackberry and iPhone/iPad platforms, is the only mobile application of its kind, helping underwriters, agents and brokers calculate earned and unearned premiums using the standard pro-rata, "old" short-rate or short-rate 90 formulas.
Marketing and the Market Place
Sun Life: Canadians preparing for retirement say they want Money for Life™.
TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2011 - Sun Life Financial launches its fall ad campaign today with a national TV commercial highlighting how Money for Life™ retirement solutions can bring financial security to Canadians. Results from Sun Life's 2011 Canadian Unretirement Index™ show that more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of Canadians want some retirement income guaranteed.
SGI CANADA's "It's a good life" photo contest winners.
Sept. 21, 2011 - Taking a winning photo was a snap for the 13 contest winners of SGI CANADA's 2012 "It's a good life" brokers' calendar. The cross-Canada amateur photography contest ran in June and July and asked for entries capturing how wonderful life is. There were 421 photos submitted by 237 people.
Consumer Information
RSA reminds snowbirds not to forget insurance when packing for their trip.
Toronto, ON, September 22, 2011 - Health-related issues are the most common insurance claims for snowbirds while travelling which is why it's so important that they have proper coverage before they leave, says leading Canadian travel insurer RSA.
ICBC: Distracted driving poses a significant risk for workers.
September 22, 2011 - The province, police, ICBC and WorkSafeBC are reminding drivers of the dangers of distracted driving, focusing on raising awareness among employers and their staff, as part of September's distracted driving campaign. In B.C., crashes are the number one cause of work-related deaths, according to WorkSafeBC statistics. On average, approximately 30 workers in B.C. are killed each year while driving, and distracted driving, such as cellphone use, is a key factor in these crashes.
Insurance in the Community
Aviva Community Fund Returns to "Insure" Positive Change Across Canada.
September 26, 2011 - Aviva Canada Inc., one of the country's leading providers of home, auto, leisure and business insurance, is pleased to announce the return of the Aviva Community Fund competition. The third year of the competition opens today, offering Canadians funding to lead, empower and support community initiatives across the country.
Manulife Financial launches first-ever comprehensive online conversation about Volunteerism in Canada.
WATERLOO, ON, Sept. 28, 2011 - Manulife Financial has launched a 12-week series of online conversations designed to engage Canadians on the challenges, issues and rewards associated with volunteerism. These online conversations, which are being hosted in partnership with Volunteer Canada and are powered by The Mark News, will provide a forum for volunteers, community members, not-for-profit organizations and notable Canadians to gather, debate and exchange experiences on a series of topics relevant to the Canadian volunteer sector.
from Doug:
The cold and wet spell on the weekend really did emphasize the point that summer is done and gone. My wife took the challenge and spent a couple of hours doing her annual wardrobe change - summer away, fall and winter out. I beat her to the punch though and saved time to boot - I never did put away my fall and winter things last spring. On the other hand I didn't get the opportunity to divest myself of a bunch of unused items. Maybe before Christmas - but don't bet on it.
We also got one of the those condo letters - "there are inappropriate things on your balcony". Removing junk from there has been on my to-do list for about four months or so - now I suppose I have to do it. Procrastination eventually bites.