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.
Update on "Business Intelligence" Conference on March 5.
Don't miss the presentation by Craig Bedell, MapInfo,when he describes how Location Intelligence enables you to answer a fundamental, yet complex question faced by nearly all organizations: Where? Associating your organizational data with location is the foundation for making critical decisions that can improve performance.
DMTI Spatial Inc. and Avanade have joined as new supporters for the Conference.
For registration and more information on the Business Intelligence conference.
eBusiness and Technology
NewLink partners with BusinessGenetics to offer the Vista™ insurance and wealth management models using their business modeling approach.
NewLink Group Inc., a management consulting firm servicing the financial services industry, has partnered with BusinessGenetics to incorporate the Vista™ Insurance and Wealth Management best practice models in their revolutionary xBML business modeling approach.
Information Builders Releases WebFOCUS Magnify, a Service-Oriented Approach to Search Technology.
New York, NY - January 30, 2007 - Information Builders, the enterprise business intelligence (BI) standard of choice for organizations around the world, today announced the release of WebFOCUS Magnify , the industry's first search navigation tool that dynamically categorizes search results and supplements them with analysis and reporting capabilities. Magnify uses the metadata from Google or other search engines to index structured data records and provide access to all WebFOCUS capabilities through the search interface.
IDC's Global Services Team Presents Top 10 Predictions for 2007: Services Leveraging New Delivery Models Are Key Growth Area.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., January 30, 2007 - As the model for services delivery continues to rapidly evolve, the market for IT and business services - whether labor-based, delivered through "software" or by online, hosted models - will clearly expand, presenting key opportunities, a recent IDC study reveals. These new models are dynamic, on-demand, scalable, and accessible. In 2007, those companies wishing to succeed must work harder than ever to maintain customer and employee loyalty, innovate continuously, and leverage technology and hosted models.
Distribution
Success in Auto EDI upload and download turns iter8 Inc. focus on new Property Sales and Service Portal offering.
Toronto, February 2007. York Fire and Casualty Insurance Company (York Fire) has completed the successful implementation of iter8 Incorporated's EDI upload solution which allows independent brokers using The Agency Manager (TAM) and Compu-Quote software to conduct business electronically with York Fire. This represents another successful project for iter8 and York Fire and paves the way for the next major initiative, the implementation of Exception-Based Underwriting for York Fire's Property line of business.
NAL PATH opens new driver's lounge at TA Truck Stop.
WOODSTOCK, Ont. -- NAL PATH Insurance Brokers are opening a driver's lounge at the TA Truck Stop (Exit 230, Hwy. 401), so drivers can take a load off during downtime. Drivers will be able to kick up their feet, watch a hockey game on TV, listen to music, chat with other drivers or get some exercise at the new lounge.
Western Financial Group Announces Completion of Acquisitions, Reaches 400,000 + Customers.
HIGH RIVER, AB, Feb. 2, 2007 - (TSX - WES) - Western Financial Group (the "Company") announced today that it has completed the acquisition of 15 locations in Northern British Columbia previously announced in its December 1, 2006 press release, as well as an additional location in Southern B.C.
Bank Life Insurance Sales Continue Steady Growth: Kehrer-LIMRA.
Windsor, CT, January 16, 2007 - The typical bank in the latest Kehrer-LIMRA Bank Life Insurance Sales Study increased its new life sales revenue by an estimated 15 percent last year, on the heels of a similar increase the previous year. "Banks are making steady progress in tapping their customer base for life sales, even though customer penetration remains low," said Kenneth Kehrer, Ph.D., codirector of the study.
Consumer Information
Retiring "Rich" Is More Than A Matter Of Money For Many Canadians: Ipsos-Reid poll for RBC Financial.
February 5, 2007 TORONTO, ON-While 61 per-cent of Canadians rate the amount of savings necessary for a comfortable retirement as an extremely important consideration in deciding when to retire, lifestyle issues are now highlighted as significant factors by a growing number of Canadians, according to RBC Financial Group's latest RRSP poll.
Changes in Your Life Can Mean Changes in Your Insurance, Says the USA Insurance Information Institute.
NEW YORK, January 22, 2007 - Major purchases and lifestyle changes such as marriage, divorce or retirement can have a profound effect on your insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)
2005 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics: Transport Canada
February 1, 2007, OTTAWA - Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics: 2005 is now available. The publication, released annually by Transport Canada, provides statistics on motor vehicle collisions and casualties for 2005, as well as historical information dating back to 1986. The figures reveal that the number of drivers in Canada continues to increase yearly.
The Co-operators gets behind sustainable energy.
Committed to the fight against climate change, The Co-operators recently announced grants totalling $50,000 to three Ontario-based wind energy organizations, co-operatives all.
Product Announcements
Pethealth Announces the Launch of the Advanced 24PetWatch Lost and Found Recovery Service.
Oakville , ON – February 2, 2007 . Pethealth Inc., is pleased to announce that it has completed the development and testing of the Lost and Found Module for its PetPoint animal management system. This new module, now in use, integrates the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week, 24PetWatch lost pet recovery call centre directly with the organizations running PetPoint.
Business of Insurance
Sun Life Financial sponsors 2007 International Congress on Ethics.
TORONTO, Feb. 2 2007 - Sun Life Financial Inc. today announced that it is the Official Sponsor of the 2007 International Congress on Ethics. The congress is an important global ethics event that reflects Sun Life's values and commitment to ethical business behaviour. The Congress will be held in Gatineau, Québec from February 5 to 7, 2007, and organizers expect attendance by more than 300 top business, government and academic representatives from around the world.
Global CEOs' Business Confidence Reaches Record Levels: PWC Survey.
NEW YORK and DAVOS, 24 Jan 2007 - CEOs' confidence about prospects for revenue growth has reached a record level: Nearly twice as many CEOs now feel very confident about revenue growth over the next 12 months compared to five years ago, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' 10th annual Global CEO Survey released today at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Managing Relationships and Customer Service
DALBAR Announces Its 2006 Customer Service Award Winners in Financial Services.
(Boston, MA. January 17, 2007) DALBAR today released the 2006 winners of its annual Customer Service Awards. For more than a decade, DALBAR has conducted rigorous testing of service delivery and, each year, identifies those mutual fund, broker/dealer, annuity, life insurance and retirement plan providers that are able to deliver industry-leading service to its customers.
TD Waterhouse UK Honored with KMWorld Magazine's KM Reality Award for Successful KANA IQ Implementation.
MENLO PARK, Calif. - January 29, 2007 - KANA Software Inc., a world leader in multi-channel customer service, today announced that TD Waterhouse UK, one of the UK's largest brokers and part of the Toronto Dominion Bank Financial Group, received KMWorld magazine's 2006 KM Realty Award for making knowledge management a positive reality. The recognition was based on TD Waterhouse's "Project Resolve", a knowledge-driven customer service initiative that leveraged KANA IQ in conjunction with IBM Global Business Services to transform the agent and customer experience
from Doug:
Sunday we enjoyed the Accession Day celebrations of HM Queen Elizabeth II's 55th accession to the throne. The Dean of St. James gave a powerful homily, in which he posited that the longevity and strength of the British throne was a contributing factor to the successful evolution of the British Empire of two centuries ago to many independent countries which today are world leaders in many respects - compared to several other empires which have not so successfully unfolded. Think about the Queen's commitment to the Commonwealth as an example.