The Chronicle: Issue 2011-43, October 25, 2011




The Intersection: Insurance-Canada.ca BlogWhat's Going Through The Intersection of Insurance and Technology, an Insurance-Canada.ca Blog.




Policy and Product Management

ISI Executives Present Technology Platform at Europa Reinsurance Conference.
Toronto, Canada/Ohrid, FYR Macedonia - October 19, 2011 - On October 12 through 14, 2011, Europa Reinsurance Facility Ltd. (Europa Re) hosted, in conjunction with the World Bank and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) its first regional conference, themed "Developing Catastrophe and Weather Risk Markets in Southeast Europe: From Concept to Reality" in Ohrid, FYR Macedonia.

MajescoMastek Elixir North America Policy Administration System selected by Wawanesa Life.
NEW YORK -- October 20, 2011 -- MajescoMastek, the U.S. subsidiary of global technology solutions provider Mastek Limited , today announced that Winnipeg-based Wawanesa Life Insurance Company (Wawanesa Life) has selected MajescoMastek's Elixir North America as its new policy administration system for individual life and annuity products.

Social Business

Gartner Reveals the Next Chapter in Modern Business Management: The Social Organization.
Orlando, Fla., October 17, 2011 - Being a social organization goes far beyond experimenting with social media technology tools such as Facebook and Twitter, according to Gartner, Inc. A social organization addresses significant business challenges and opportunities using social media platforms to enable mass collaboration - what Gartner predicts will be the next evolutionary pillar defining how work gets done around the world.

eMarketer: Companies are hiring, increasing spending and planning improvements for social media efforts.
OCTOBER 18, 2011 - Companies are focusing a lot of effort on social media, and are investing resources and budgets in specific areas to improve this marketing tactic. Over the summer of 2011, Booz & Co. and Buddy Media surveyed managers from Fortune 100 companies for their "Campaigns to Capabilities: Social Media and Marketing" report.

ProspX Launches ProspX for Salesforce.com's AppExchange, the World's Most-Popular Marketplace for Business Apps.
AUSTIN, TX - October 20, 2011 - ProspX, Inc., developer of the first on-demand enterprise search and sales collaboration platform for the commercial insurance industry, today announced ProspX for Salesforce is now available on salesforce.com's AppExchange, the leading marketplace for business apps. Commercial insurance customers can now deploy ProspX InsiderConnect™ within their Salesforce implementations to automatically match critical information and intelligence with relevant new and renewal business opportunities in their pipeline.


Marketing and the Market Place

Manulife Financial: International events having a noticeable impact on Canadians' investment choices.
WATERLOO, ON, Oct. 20, 2011 - According to the most recent results of the Manulife Financial Investor Sentiment Index, a wide variety of international business, political and natural events have had a measurably negative impact on Canadians' confidence in their investment options during the third quarter of 2011. Results of a third quarter survey, which was conducted for Manulife Financial between September 6 and 11, clearly demonstrate the influence a number of global events have had on Canadians' investment decisions.

Claims

Towers Watson Survey: Workforce and Technology Issues Lead Claim Officers' Concerns.
NEW YORK, October 13, 2011 - A soft business environment, workforce issues and technology challenges - all exacerbated by an unstable economy - are among the major concerns for claim officers, according to a survey conducted by global professional services company Towers Watson. Findings from Towers Watson's sixth Property & Casualty Claim Officer Survey, Claim Implications, Challenges and Innovations, reveal that claim officers are finding planning more difficult and that they are expected to meet performance goals with fewer resources.

Accenture and Guidewire Software, Inc. Settle Patent Lawsuits.
NEW YORK and SAN MATEO, Calif.; Oct. 18, 2011 - Accenture and Guidewire Software, Inc. have agreed to resolve all outstanding patent litigation between the companies concerning their respective insurance claims management software. Guidewire has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to Accenture, with a portion based on the final outcome of Accenture?s pending appeal in the Federal Circuit. As part of the settlement, Accenture and Guidewire also have agreed to cross license patents.

Distribution

Compu-Quote to unveil Sales Focused Broker at IBAO.
October 11, 2011 - Windsor, Ont. - Compu-Quote's (CQ) Sales Focused Broker (SFB) is a powerful new product designed to help brokers make the most of online leads. Details of the product will be available at this week's the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) annual convention in Toronto.

Technology

IBM Unveils New Smart Cloud Services to Give Enterprises Control of the Cloud.
New York, NY, - 12 Oct 2011: IBM today unveiled the industry's most advanced cloud services and software designed from the ground up for enterprise clients. New IBM SmartCloud services and capabilities introduce unprecedented choice, security and portability as businesses shift critical activities to the cloud and use it as a platform for business.

Ipsos Reid: The Tablet Begins Take Off As Sales Double in Eight Months.
October 19, 2011 - Toronto, ON - The mobile world is here and more and more Canadians are latching on to Smartphone, Tablet and/or eReader devices. While some questioned the sales potential of Tablets when first introduced, they now appear to be set to make their mark on the Canadian mobile landscape. According to the most recent wave of Ipsos Reid's Mobil-ology Study of Smartphone, Tablet & eReader users in Canada, Tablet ownership doubled between January and August of 2011.


Reference and Statistics

FSCO: Auto Insurance Rates for the Third Quarter of 2011 [Bill 5] .
The Government passed regulations to enact auto insurance reforms effective September 1, 2010. These reforms are designed to reduce excess assessment costs in the auto insurance system and ensure more accident benefit dollars go to treating people injured in auto accidents.Ontario drivers now have more choice when it comes to their auto insurance coverage. Drivers can opt for a new standard level of auto insurance coverage, or they can choose to buy additional levels of coverage based on their own circumstances.

Consumer Information

IBC: Getting your home ready for winter.
MONTREAL, Oct. 17, 2011 - With winter just around the corner, it is important to winter proof your home and avoid any surprises. Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) offers you some simple and practical tips. Practical advice for consumers.

CAA Celebrates Bus Safety Week 2011.
October 17, 2011 - OTTAWA - The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), the country's largest sponsor of school safety programs, is pleased to join schools and other safety partners across Canada in celebrating bus safety week. Bus safety week is a great opportunity for parents, students, and motorists alike to refresh on bus safety practices.

CAMH study confirms genetic link to suicidal behaviour.
October 7, 2011 - (Toronto) - A new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behaviour, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts. In the past, studies have implicated the gene for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicidal behaviour. BDNF is involved in the development of the nervous system.

IBC promotes earthquake safety.
VANCOUVER, Oct. 20, 2011 - Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is proud to be the gold sponsor of The Great British Columbia ShakeOut to be held across the province today at 10.20 a.m. In the last drill, the event drew over 470,000 participants - the largest province-wide drill to take place in Canada. Over 500,000 people have signed up to participate in this drill in their homes, schools, businesses and government offices.

from Doug:

After fifteen months in our condo, we are still not that well organized. Too many things, but few of which are we willing to discard, although I suspect over time more will disappear. We re-organized the second bedroom on the weekend. Reshuffled many items here and there, and the end result is good - more room. And as happens on occasion, a couple of unexpected side effects which have been pleasant surprises - a bonus!


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