The traditional challenge for virtually all new products is speed to market, and that means using new processes to handle those products efficiently. Sometimes a modern platform can be used to process new business lines rather than trying to incorporate them onto a legacy system, but several questions first need to be answered to determine what's best for your business.

2. Self-Service Web Portals for Clients Give Indie Agents an Edge

By Richard Roy

Providing clients with on-demand policy and account access is key to giving customers the kind of 24/7 service they have come to expect in this age of electronic connectivity. Here's how to do it – and achieve cost efficiencies in the process.

3. Nearshore Outsourcing Options Available for Insurers

By Bill Garvey

It's tough to ignore offshore rates for outsourcing, but going offshore can also mean communication and cultural barriers as well as dramatic time-zone differences. But a study published by Global Services ranks Halifax, Nova Scotia, second among emerging information-technology destinations in North America, delivering highly competitive rates for senior programmers, technical architects and other lead resources. 

4. Paying the Bills

By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.

These days, customers have expectations of going online to conduct transactions. Here's how one company established a strategy to offer such service as a way to retain customers and offer a better level of service than the competition. 

5. Keep it Clean: Protecting Your Brand From Porn Purveyors

By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com

Protecting your brand is always key, and now comes yet another challenge for insurers and businesses of all types: the .xxx domain. While we don't encourage anyone to visit triple-X websites, it might be worth a company's small investment to lock up their company's name with .xxx before the new domain goes on the open market – and anyone can get their hands on it.