MIB Life Index shows 4.2 percent increase in American life insurance activity this year

Life insurance market seeing a growth spurt. According to the data from the MIB Life Index, the American application activity, all ages combined, for the first quarter of 2012 in individually underwritten life insurance saw a 0.3 percent year-over-year increase. Though April has been seeing a slow decrease in this activity, the first quarter as a whole saw a year-over-year rise by 4.2 percent. This is the best improvement that the industry has seen since 2007. In February, the application activity was 4.5 percent higher than it was in March.…

Read More

United Nations report stresses the need for action on climate change

Climate change may be a controversial issue in the world of politics, but the insurance industry is betting on dramatic weather becoming a reality in the near future. The belief of the global insurance industry is shared by the United Nations. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a report concerning climate-related disasters, indicating that all nations will be susceptible to extreme weather. The report is aimed at politicians around the world, stressing the necessity of preparing for future disasters wrought by climate change. The United Nations claims…

Read More

Vienna Insurance Group sees European insurance markets stagnating amidst financial crisis

Vienna Insurance Group, one of the largest insurers in Europe, is showing concern over the regions international insurance markets. According to the company’s forecasts, the markets are becoming stagnant and, in the best case scenario, would remain as such for the remainder of this year. This stagnation is likely a product of how consumers are responding to the ongoing economic crisis that is spreading throughout Europe. Because of this growing trend, the insurer has announced steps that it will be taking to ensure its place as one of Europe’s most influential companies.…

Read More

Report shows that more insurers are looking to automate their underwriting process

Strategy Meets Action (SMA), a research and consultancy firm serving the insurance industry, has released a new report concerning underwriting practices in the industry. The report, “Underwriting Automation: Insurer Plans and Trends,” notes that insurance companies are making a move to completely automate their underwriting process. The report draws upon data collected by SMA from 144 insurance professionals throughout the industry. This trend may be a result of insurers being unable to meet underwriting goals due to flaws in their systems. Of those participating in the survey, 21% claimed that…

Read More

Paradiso Insurance launches social media campaign to raise funds for tornado relief

In an effort to take advantage of the rampant popularity of social media, Paradiso Insurance, an insurance group based in Connecticut, has launched a new campaign aimed at helping the American Red Cross. Using social media has become a popular tool for the insurance industry recently. The industry often uses social media as a way to investigate claims as well as connect with customers. Paradiso believes that social media is a good platform to attract new consumers and is attempting to bolster its presence online. As such, the company is…

Read More