How smart speakers could ruin your reputation
May 2, 2019 by Jason ContantConnecting consumers with brokers and insurers through voice technology has already begun, but a new blog from Harvard Business Review is warning companies that their reputation could be at risk. The blog was written for general business audiences, but included…
How Canada’s banks are tackling identity theft risk
May 1, 2019 By David Paddon - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – Canada’s biggest banks marked the official launch of the Verified.Me digital identity network on Wednesday, following years of development and testing with their partner SecureKey Technologies Inc. The banks see Verified.Me as the beginning of a more secure…
Should your clients have a chief security officer on the board?
April 17, 2019 by Greg MeckbachYour client may or may not not need a chief security officer [CSO] on its board of directors, but cyber risk should nevertheless be high on its radar screen, speakers told insurance professionals Tuesday. “If the board doesn’t say, ‘Cyber…
Cyber pricing: Have carriers got it right?
April 17, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCyber insurance is a good tool to help clients understand their vulnerabilities, but carriers need to do a better job of pricing according to risk, speakers suggested at a recent conference. “There seems to be a lot of spit-balling on…
Applied Systems acquires TechCanary
April 10, 2019 by Jason ContantBroker management system provider Applied Systems announced Wednesday it has acquired TechCanary. TechCanary is a cloud-based insurance customer relationship management (CRM) system built natively on the Salesforce.com platform for brokerages, managing general agencies (MGA), wholesalers and insurers. Details of the…
What 5G technology means for the insurance and collision repair industries
March 18, 2019 by Jason ContantThe promise of 5G technology was one of the top stories coming out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. But what does that mean for the insurance and collision repair industries? A massive increase in connected devices that respond seemingly…
Steps to scale innovation at your company
March 8, 2019 by Jason ContantScaling innovation across a business can be a challenge, as most organizations start innovation in a “pocket, team or lab,” a speaker said late last month at the Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference. Simon Chan, head of corporate innovation thought leadership at…
Wawanesa’s plan to innovate at scale
March 7, 2019 by Jason ContantHaving a flexible and accommodating schedule is key to incorporating innovation into an organization, the director of Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company’s Innovation Outpost said recently. Last June, Wawanesa opened its Innovation Outpost lab in Kitchener, Ont. One of the first…
How this city is mitigating autonomous vehicle risk
March 5, 2019 Ramesh Santanam - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPITTSBURGH – Companies testing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh will have to immediately report crashes resulting in any injuries as part of new guidelines announced Monday intended to boost public confidence in the testing after a deadly accident in Arizona last…
This global carrier could re-enter the Canadian retail insurance market
February 27, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSeventeen years after selling its personal lines business to the insurer now known as Intact, Zurich Canada has ambitions to re-enter the “retail” space, but it remains to be seen how it would do that or what form it would…
How Zurich can use AI to reduce a broker’s E&O exposure
February 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA Toronto-based artificial intelligence (AI) vendor is working with Zurich Canada to reduce errors and omissions risk in commercial insurance policies. Often commercial policies have dozens of pages with several endorsements, which someone needs to read for accuracy before the…
What the commercial underwriter of the future might look like
February 22, 2019 by Jason ContantCommercial underwriting in the future may expand to encourage more cross-functional and hybrid responsibilities, potentially with engineering, claims, finance or operations, according to a new report from McKinsey & Company’s insurance practice. “To attract younger talent, companies need to recognize…