Another keynote speaker was John Chu, senior vice president e-business and technology, with The Hartford Financial Services. Chu told the audience technology is more than just an enabler for The Hartfords business units. IT plays a bigger role in the delivery of value proposition on a day-to-day basis, he said. The Hartford recently unveiled Claim Expediter, an electronic claims processing system for physical damage automobile claims. Chu reported under the old system, it normally took a full seven days to settle such claims, but with Claim Expediter, the process can, under the right conditions, be reduced to a few hours.

Among the predictions offered by Chu on future technology breakthroughs were electronic solutions similar to Claim Expediter that will be applied to other lines of business; an increased use of wireless, telematics, and global positioning technology; and a change in business models due to new technologies and business-based architectures. At The Hartford, business-based architectures and new technology dramatically are changing our claims operating model and our customers experience, said Chu.

He also expressed his excitement with the advances being made in the new technology. Claims adjusters working the Florida hurricanes have found GPS invaluable in locating insured property, he said, since many street signs were knocked down by the wind. He worries about where this country is going with wireless technology, though. America is going to be behind in the wireless arena over the next 10 years, he asserted.

In one of TechDECs break-out sessions, systems engineer Brandt Barlow and director-life actuary Ron Santacroce, both of Nationwide, directly addressed the issue of new technology with a discussion on grid computing at their financial services company. Nationwide currently is using grid computing for its actuarial staff, and Barlow suggested for this solution to be effective, there must be a strong connection between IT and the business side. He believes grid computing likely will be initiated by a carriers IT department. Grid computing is an opportunity to acquire a high-performance computer platform without the high cost, he pointed out.

Nationwides actuarial staff is able to perform complex problems in much shorter time frames by utilizing the untapped resources of servers and PCs. You can leverage the resources you already have, said Barlow. Nationwides corporate development department is next to tap into the grid to manage its investment portfolio.

In addition to the conference speakers, attendees were able to visit with more than 100 vendors offering various claims and technology solutions in the exhibit hall. TechDEC 2005 has been scheduled for Oct. 6 to 8 in Orlando, Fla. ROBERT REGIS HYLE

CUSTOMER SERVICE
Wausau Offering Policyholders Automatic Claims Alerts

Wausau Insurance policyholders can re-ceive automatic claims alerts via e-mail and utilize other new electronic enhancements recently added to myServices, Wausaus secure Internet site. Wausau customers will have access to more risk-management tools and information through the sites new feature, called ClaimAlerts. Registered Wausau customers are notified through an e-mail when certain triggering claim events occur. Such events include Claim Open/Closed/ Reopened and Change in Incurred and/or Paid Amounts above a certain user-defined threshold. There also are three different Lag Time Alerts.

Our enhanced myServices site was designed with our customers in mind, says Joe Gilles, Wausau president and COO. We know better and timelier access to insurance information will help our customers control and lower their total cost of risk, which ultimately can help their bottom line.

Wausau customers rely on myServices to help meet their risk-management needs. For example, myServices registered in July 2004 more than 8,500 customer hits, and since Jan. 1, the site has registered nearly 70,000 hits. During the past 12 months, upward of 30,000 claims have been reported via Internet ExPRS, Wausaus Internet claims-reporting application on myServices.

Some of the basic features of my-Services consist of ClaimStatus, a user-friendly claim-inquiry tool; electronic delivery of loss runs; Internet claims reporting for commercial auto, general liability, property, and workers compensation; location schedule inquiry; loss-prevention resource library and confirmation reports; provider referral services; and RISKTRAC, Wausaus risk-management information system.

In addition to the ClaimAlert feature, another enhancement myServices now makes available is a customized bulletin board to post ClaimAlerts, announcements, new-service notices, scheduled maintenance times, or various SIC or Franchise Code-specific messages.

A Wausau Contacts button with access to key, customer-specific Wausau service personnel still is to come. It will contain the employees name, title, direct phone number, and e-mail address, making it easier for customers to get answers to their service-related questions.

Also on tap soon are Claim Summary reports to provide customer-specific claim data in frequently used report formats. Reports will be offered for workers compensation, general liability, and automobile lines of business via special myServices registration.

Wausau Insurance is a national property/casualty company dealing in commercial auto, general liability, property, package, umbrella, workers compensation, and other coverages. Wausau is a member of the Liberty Mutual Group, which ranks 116th on the Fortune 500 list.

WHOS USING WHAT

Global reinsurance company Swiss Re has chosen AppDetective from Application Security Inc., a provider of database security solutions, to protect the carriers global database applications.

Delta Dental of California, New York, and Pennsylvania, together with affiliates in 13 other states, plans to reduce financial administrative costs and improve cash management for customers by implementing BizCast, an online invoicing solution from Avolent Inc., a financial relationship management software company.

CIGNA HealthCare has teamed with Post-N-Track Corporation to deliver faster claims submission and tracking for healthcare providers, billing entities, and transaction aggregators. The new service is available through a direct, universal, secure Web-based transaction solution that administers, monitors, and controls these transactions.

Property/casualty insurer CNA has selected the Adobe Intelligent Document Platform from Adobe Systems, Inc., to generate and distribute automatically all business forms and letters required for initiating and processing claims.

Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company has implemented in its claims operations the AcroSoft Insurance Content Management solution from AcroSoft Corporation to achieve the benefits of paper reduction.

Armed Forces Insurance has opted for IDPs Acies/ one P&C integrated insurance system to replace legacy systems that have been in operation for more than 20 years.

BMO Life Insurance Company has chosen business-process outsourcing specialist GeniSys to provide administrative services, including the underwriting and issuance of new policies, billing, claims, and ongoing policy service for both new and existing BMO Life direct term policies.

The Combined Group has tapped InsBridge Inc., developers of a browser-based, multiplatform insurance rating and underwriting technology solution. The Combined Group will use the product to support rating needs for its QuoteExpress multicarrier quick-quoting platform, with a primary focus on excess and surplus carriers.

Partners HealthCare has selected Westbridge Technology to deliver XML security for communication with its B2B partners. Westbridge secures sensitive information and offers the auditing and tracking capabilities required for compliance.

Universal Insurance Group, a property/casualty insurance group based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has begun full business operations utilizing Cover-All Technologies solution suite, My Insurance Center.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is using Identity Management Suite from Courion Corporation to automate its processes for user provisioning and password management. Through its implementation of Courions Account Courier, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama will automate its current process of user provisioning for its 4,000 employees by enabling authorized individuals to grant, revoke, or modify instantly access to IT assets without manual intervention.