Issue 2009-47 -- November 24, 2009
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.
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Participants and Sponsors:
Thanks to Accord Appraisal Group for renewing their annual Professional Section advertising program of a Logo Ad and Listing in:
Thanks to Insurance Career Network for renewing their annual Consumer and Professional Section advertising program of Logo Ads and Listings in:
Claims
Minimizing the Impact of Medical Equipment Losses: LWG Consulting.
Doctors and nurses need to make quick, educated decisions to minimize the impact of difficult situations. These decisions are based on the practitioner's years of experience, their education, the science and technology available, and with the assistance of critical analytical and diagnostic equipment.
Marshall & Swift / Boeckh Signs Residential Component Technology™ License Agreement with State Automobile.
NEW BERLIN, WI November 16, 2009 Marshall & Swift / Boeckh (MSB), the leading worldwide provider of building cost data and estimating technology to the property insurance industry, and a MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) company, announced today the signing of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company to a new multi-year contract agreement to implement various MSB Insurance To Value (ITV) and Business Management Services through its SightLine™ Services along with its Residential Component Technology™ (RCT) Express Integrated Platform Services.
SPECS Limited Ottawa Branch Relocates to New Office Location.
Edmonton, AB - October 29, 2009 - SPECS Limited, the country's leading provider of independent property damage valuations and cost control services has relocated it's Ottawa branch office. The move is in response to the strong client demand, an increasing project list, increasing staff members, and the desire to provide a better means of support to our insurance clients in the Ottawa and surrounding area.
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Satisfaction Increases Considerably among Auto Insurance Claimants, Due to Dramatic Improvements in Settlement Timing and Perceptions of Fairness.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 5 November 2009 - Auto insurance customers are significantly more satisfied with the claims process in 2009, compared with 2008, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction StudySM released today.
HCAI Voluntary Pilot Launched Successfully.
On September 28, 2009, HCAI pilot was successfully re-launched. Two insurers, Gore Mutual and State Farm Mutual Auto, and nine health care facilities (hereafter referred to as facilities) began their participation in this voluntary pilot phase. We are pleased to report that no processing issues have arisen after five weeks of active participation by the pilot group.
Distribution
Pembridge Insurance Company provides broker connectivity with Brovada Nexisys.
MARKHAM, ON, Nov. 16 2009 - Pembridge Insurance Company announced today that broker connectivity will be enhanced through a joint venture with Brovada Technologies that will offer real-time transactions aimed at improved broker workflows.
LIMRA and Hoopis Partner in Field Development Initiatives.
WINDSOR, Conn., Oct. 27, 2009 LIMRA and the Hoopis Performance Network have formed a strategic partnership to bring their talent development and performance tools and services to a broader spectrum of insurance organizations and producers.
Advocis symposium : The impact of regulation on the future of the financial services industry.
Toronto - On November 26, Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada will host a symposium that will bring together financial services practitioners and industry thought-leaders to discuss the impact of regulation on the future of the financial services industry in Canada.
Policy and Product Management
Guidewire Software Announces Guidewire PolicyCenter 4.0.
ORLANDO, Florida - November 16, 2009 - At the ISOTech 2009 conference, Guidewire Software®, Inc., a leading provider of flexible core systems for property/casualty insurers, today announced Guidewire PolicyCenter® 4.0, a comprehensive all lines underwriting and policy administration system.
Holistic and Office Growth for LOGiQ3.
9th November 2009: Following a year of rapid expansion of operations and growth in business, Life Reinsurance services company LOGiQ3 Inc has moved to new offices in Toronto to allow for further development of their offerings of administration, claims and underwriting auditing, consulting and complete outsourcing.
ISO Offers ProMetrix Suite of Services to Help USA Insurers Assess, Measure, and Manage Risk.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., November 16, 2009 - ISO is now offering ProMetrix™. This suite of services centers around ISO's property information database - a site-verified source of underwriting and rating data on more than 3 million U.S.-based commercial buildings and their business occupants.
Business of Insurance
Industrial Alliance Signs an Agreement to Acquire MD Life's Life Insurance Portfolio.
QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 13 2009 - Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. ("Industrial Alliance") is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with MD Physician Services Inc. ("MDPSI") to acquire the individual life insurance portfolio of MD Life Insurance Company ("MD Life").
WWF and RSA join forces to combat insurance risks of climate change.
TORONTO, Nov. 16 2009 - WWF, the global conservation organization, and RSA, a leading international insurance group, have today announced an international partnership. The three-year agreement will focus on researching insurance risks of environmental change. As part of the global partnership, RSA is supporting major conservation projects around the world. In Canada, this includes supporting WWF-Canada's national marine conservation program.
Consumer Information
Wildlife a hazard to motorists: Manitoba Public Insurance.
October 26, 2009 - On average 1,600 collisions with wildlife are reported to Manitoba Public Insurance each November - making it the worst month for wildlife related collisions. "More than 10,000 wildlife claims are reported yearly," said Clif Eden, Manager of Road Safety, Manitoba Public Insurance.
Aviva Data Shows that Auto Insurance Claims Spike After First Snow Fall.
TORONTO, Nov. 17 2009 - Driving in poor weather conditions poses a number of challenges for vehicle owners in Canada and as the country prepares for another blast of winter, Aviva Canada Inc., one of the country's leading insurance providers, is reminding drivers to exercise caution on the roadways.
Marketing and the Market Place
Media Mix Changing For Canadian Marketers: Ipsos-Reid.
November 11, 2009 - Toronto, ON - The change in media spending patterns among Canada's marketing and advertising industries continues according to a new Ipsos Reid poll released today. In fact, when asked to assess the pace of change in the media mix over the past two years, 92% of respondent Marketers (36% a lot/56% a little) and 88% of respondent Agency leaders (36% a lot/52% a little) indicate that virtually nothing has gone untouched.
from Doug:
I took my cousin along to visit my parents on the weekend as she had not seen them for a while. We caught up on a lot of things during the trip. She and her husband, early in their careers, taught for two years in the Canadian Arctic. Without today's communications, they were fairly cut off. The radio telegraph only worked sporadically - a radio telephone was installed towards the end of their first year. Planes - pontoons in summer and skis in winter - with mail could not land for months during Fall freeze-up and Spring thaw. Alcohol was already a problem - the community had banned it, with fair success. But they had the time of their lives. Forty some years later, her son and wife are teaching in South America - but communications are much better. She plans a visit in the Spring,
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