The two major industry tech shows were held in May and June. I was unable to attend ACORD LOMA but was in attendance and actively involved with IASA. These shows are an interesting barometer of many facets of the insurance industry technology marketplace and provide insight into current and emerging trends. Here are some personal observations based on my participation at IASA.

My overwhelming impression of the show was the energy, focus, and general hubbub that attended the event. Attendance was up from last year, more vendors populated the exhibition hall, and the education sessions were numerous, diverse, and well attended. Many of the carrier representatives I spoke with were there not only for ongoing education credits but also with serious technology shopping lists and in many instances short lists of specific vendors to talk with. From the vendors' side, the report was the same: carriers focused in search of information and solutions. Business transformation and growth seemed to be the dominant drivers for those in search of technology, and those drivers translated into interest in policy administration systems, portal and distribution solutions, and business intelligence products, in particular.

They Live!