The Chronicle: Issue 2013-13, April 2, 2013

What's Going Through The Intersection of Insurance and Technology?

Broker Connectivity Getting Active: Will Results Follow This Time?
There's an old insurance sales motivator axiom that says, “You can't control results, but you can control activity, and activity produces results.” There has been some real activity in Broker Connectivity of late – including a continuing industry effort and a large acquisition by a major player. Our question to you: Will this increase in activity produce real results in the Broker Connectivity space at long last?

Data Analytics and Understanding: Strategies for Balanced Growth
There's an old story that goes something like this: The CEO has commanded that all decisions have to be backed by solid market information. This causes a parade of people to form outside the IT VP's door looking for data and information. After getting tired of providing the same answer, the overworked exec puts up a sign which reads, “If it's data you want, come on in; if it's information you're looking for, you'll have to find it elsewhere.”

The Intersection: Insurance-Canada.ca Blog
The Intersection
an Insurance-Canada.ca Blog

Consumer Information

IBAO: protect yourself from identity theft in 8 steps
Every year, thousands of people become victims of identity theft. Your personal information can be used to open credit cards and bank accounts, obtain mortgages, rent vehicles, hotel accommodations and even secure employment. Today, the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) is reminding Ontario citizens on the dangers of identity theft and the steps they can take to prevent it from happening to them.

IBC endorses Ontario Government move to link auto insurance reforms to cost reductions
MPPs at Queen's Park are debating a motion that calls for a 15% gradual reduction in auto insurance rates. The Government has indicated it plans to support the motion, and has also said it recognizes that reducing costs is the key to reducing premiums.

Great-West Life clients offered two new health support programs in agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart
With the prevalence of chronic disease conditions on the rise, participating Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists will offer a diabetes support program for eligible Great-West Life plan members who are living with diabetes, as well as a comprehensive medication counselling program for eligible Great-West Life plan members who are taking one of the specific maintenance medications.

Kanetix.ca named group insurance provider for ASCII Canada
KTX Insurance Brokers announced today that the company will be the group insurance provider for ASCII Canada, Canada's largest independent information technology association with more than 300 members.

Marketing

Smartphones take the lead in Canadian consumer market as mid-range ‘feature phones’ lag
Smartphones became the mobile device of choice in Canada in 2012. According to comScore, feature phones accounted for over half of the mobile phones in the hands of users in December 2011. By December 2012, smartphones had moved out front by a wide margin, with 62% of mobile phone users on the devices, compared with 38% on feature phones.

Social Business

Information Builders links social media to business impact with new analytics tool WebFOCUS
Today at the Gartner Business Intelligence and Analytics Summit, Information Builders, a leader in business intelligence and analytics, information integrity, and integration solutions, announced the launch of WebFOCUS Social Media Analytics. The solution uses data from social media interactions to provide insight into sales and marketing, product quality, and other customer-centric issues, leading to better corporate strategy and new revenue opportunities.



ICTC2013 Photos Online

Photos from the 2013 Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference have been posted. Click here or on a thumbnail below.

     



In The Community

Foresters passes milestone in fund-raising for children's hospitals
Life insurance provider Foresters has helped raise more than half a billion dollars for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a charity that raises funds and awareness for 170 children's hospitals across the United States and Canada. In 1990 Foresters became the founding sponsor and international underwriter of CMN Hospitals' Radiothon program and through the volunteer efforts of its members and sales partners, has been raising funds for more than two decades.

Business of Insurance

HUNTERS International Insurance joins UNiBA Partners Global Network
HUNTERS International Insurance is pleased to announce that it has accepted the invitation to join UNiBA Partners, one of the world's largest independent providers of risk management, insurance broking and employee benefits services.

Policy Management

MagMutual upgrades with OneShield Dragon policy management suite
OneShield, Inc., a global provider of flexible, enterprise-class and content-rich policy and billing core systems for property/casualty insurers, is pleased to announce that MagMutual, one of the nation's leading medical professional liability insurers, has chosen the full suite of OneShield Dragon, including policy, rating, billing and business intelligence, to support the company's future growth strategy.

Claims

Symbility Solutions wins Outstanding Exhibitor Award at insurance conference
Symbility Solutions Inc., provider of cloud-based claims technology using the most comprehensive data for the property and casualty insurance industry, is proud to announce that it won the inaugural Outstanding Exhibitor Award at the 2013 PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference.

Distribution

Foresters enjoys success with illustrate inc's OPUS Mobile Solution
illustrate inc, a leading provider of illustration and point-of-sale technology solutions for the North American financial services industry is pleased to announce that Foresters U.S. distribution surpassed 430,000 quotes in 2012 using illustrate's OPUS Mobile Solution. The initial launch of the mobile quotes in 2011 coincided with a surge in Foresters sales growth and Foresters believes it was a significant contributor to this increase.

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