Issue 2005-13: March 29, 2005
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.
Consumer Information
Immobilizers won't stop car theft or aid vehicle recovery : Boomerang Tracking Inc.
A federal government decision to require immobilizers to be standard equipment in all new vehicles by 2007 is a good step, but it won't stop vehicle theft and it won't help recover vehicles for their owners, says Boomerang Tracking.
Are you @Risk? Part III: Managing Technology Risks: Insurers Financial Group.
A full appreciation of what IT risks are and how they can affect your organization will enable you to make informed business decisions.
WSIB: Rob Ellis Brings Workplace Safety Message To Kingston On March 22.
March 21, 2005, Toronto ON -- Rob Ellis, an outspoken advocate for workplace safety, is bringing his message to Kingston on Tuesday, March 22. In February 1999, Mr. Ellis, a small business owner and father of four, lost his 18-year-old son David in a workplace accident.
From Canadian Insurance ENEWS: APA Releases Results of Undercover Investigation of User Car Dealers.
The Automobile Protection Association released the results of its latest undercover investigation today. For this year's investigation, the APA paid special attention to the new breed of used car superstores.
eBusiness and Technology
Microsoft® .NET Framework and Visual Studio® .NET Help CGI Increase Functionality, Expand Future Capabilities and Increased Overall Operational Efficiency.
CGI wanted to improve the AutoPlus service while eliminating any potential impact on the customer, so the company decided to revamp the service to increase functionality and expand delivery options. CGI chose to redesign AutoPlus using Microsoft .NET Connection Software and Visual Studio .NET development system which provided the company with a lower total cost of ownership, increased functionality and operational cost savings.
E-Mail Marketing Trends Revealed: eMarketer.
March 18, 2005 NY - A new report by DoubleClick finds that some e-mail marketing metrics, like delivery rate, hit all time highs in the fourth quarter of 2004, while others declined. Delivery rates have gradually increased since 2002, while open rates have declined and click-through rates have wavered but generally held steady.
What's Wrong with Insurance IT Sales Practice, and How to Fix it: Celent.
Not getting the information you need from IT vendors during the sales process? You are not alone. Celent's latest report, What's Wrong with Insurance IT Sales Practice, and How to Fix It, examines the disconnect between what buyers want from the sales process and what they are getting. It discusses the results of a survey of insurer business and IT executives.
Reference and Statistics
February's North American Life Insurance Activity Declines 5.5%: MIB.
(Westwood, Mass. – March 21, 2005) North American life insurance application activity declined -5.5% in February year-over-year, but jumped 12.6% on a monthly basis compared to this past January, extending a longstanding seasonal trend. The February rebound has been observed for five consecutive years at an average annual increase of +15.2%.
Claims
Guy Carpenter Publishes Report on Indian Ocean Tsunami Event.
New York/London, March 14, 2005 -- Guy Carpenter & Company, Inc., the world's leading risk and reinsurance specialist, announced the publication of Tsunami: Indian Ocean Event and Investigation into Potential Global Risks, which details the damage caused by the Sumatra earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Asia and explores the global danger that the tsunami hazard poses.
From Canadian Insurance ENEWS: Lindsey Morden Sells European Automotive Surveying Business.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, March 24, 2005 - Lindsey Morden Group Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Cunningham Lindsey Europe b.v., has agreed to sell its Dutch subsidiary Cunningham Lindsey TES b.v. a company providing surveying and claims management services for the automotive sector primarily in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. The sale represents an exit for Lindsey Morden from these activities in these territories.
Distribution
Comparisons Drive Auto Insurance Quotes at Insurance.com.
CLEVELAND, OH – March 2, 2005 – Insurance.com, the nation's largest online auto insurance agency, announced today that consumer car insurance quote requests increased over 40% in 2004. This marks the fourth straight year that the company's Internet-originated car insurance quote requests grew by 40% or more.
Marketing and the Market Place
Profession Barometer: Comparing the Public Perception of Trustworthiness by Profession: Leger Marketing.
The five professions that inspire the most confidence among Canadians remain the same as in 2004, not only are they in the same order, but they also all obtain the same rating. Fire fighters (97%), nurses (94%), farmers (91%), doctors (89%) and teachers (88%) continue to head the list.
Our People: Education and Human Resources
2005 Retirement Conference Series Addresses the Future of Social Security: LOMA.
ATLANTA, March 3, 2005 Michael Tanner, Director of Health and Welfare Studies for the Cato Institute and Kenneth S. Apfel, Sid Richardson Chair in Public Affairs of the University of Texas at Austin will kick-off the 2005 Retirement Conference Series addressing a topic at the front of everyone's mindsthe viability of the U.S. Social Security system.
15th World Conference on Disaster Management: "Defining the New Normal" in Toronto: WCDM.
Where can you turn to learn how to think through the unthinkable? In an increasingly complex world, how can you keep up to date with the new threats facing our communities and organizations? More importantly, how do we mitigate those threats? Get a full, international perspective at the 15th World Conference on Disaster Management ( www.wcdm.org) in Toronto, Canada from July 10 to 13, 2005 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building.
Policy and Product Management
SOLCORP releases SOLCORP / INGENIUM® on the Microsoft .NET framework.
March 17, 2005 – TORONTO, ON – SOLCORP, a leading provider of software solutions to the financial industries, and a subsidiary of EDS, today announced the availability of its INGENIUM policy administration system built on the Microsoft .NET framework.
Managing Relationships and Customer Service
Prudential Retirement Wins DALBAR Seal of Excellence for its Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit and Total Retirement Statements.
Boston, MA (March 14, 2005) – DALBAR, Inc. announced today that Prudential Retirement has been awarded the DALBAR Seal of Excellence for its Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit and Total Retirement Plan participant statements. The seals are awarded to outstanding statements that effectively and efficiently meet the needs of participants in employer-sponsored retirement programs.
Business of Insurance
Conning Research: Small USA Health Insurers Continue to Fade from the Market.
(Hartford, CT) March 14, 2005 - The number of small managed care organizations will likely diminish slowly over the next several years as consolidation continues, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting, Inc. "The small insurer segment currently controls less than 10% of health insurance premiums in the U.S.," said James Smith, analyst .
from Doug:
Spring has arrived, gently enough to enjoy the snowdrops which emerged last week. Up to 15 degress C here in Toronto today.
Enjoyed one son home on the weekend and a visit with Grandparents and our other University son on Saturday. Spouse left on Monday for a week's genealogical research in Boston as part of a group of eight. The New England Genealogical Society has such a wealth of information even on the Internet; the library must be something else again.