EIN Presswire: Insurance Press Releases

Farmers Insurance and the University of Farmers Receive Two Awards From Corporate University Xchange

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:45:44 +0000

Farmers Insurance and the University of Farmers Receive Two Awards From Corporate University Xchange

Farmers Receives Awards for Measurement (Excellence Award) and Branding (Best Practice Award)

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance and the University of Farmers received the awards at the 13th Annual gala CUX Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Corporate Learning. The event was held as part of the three-day Global Leadership Congress at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from May 15-17, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080605/LATH062)

The Corp U Awards for Excellence and Innovation are the longest running independent evaluation of corporate learning and talent programs in the United States. The awards honor corporate, non-profit and government learning organizations that improve both business and employee performance through Alignment, Alliances, Branding, Launching, Leadership Development, Learning Technology, and Measurement.

A panel of independent, expert judges from companies including Ernst and Young, Westinghouse, GE Energy, and Aon Hewitt scored the award applicants based on various criteria specific to each category.

Farmers competed with organizations such as Microsoft, NASA, Raytheon and Westinghouse in winning the two awards.

Annette Thompson, Chief Learning Officer of Farmers said, "To be honored by CUX this year is a true testament to the quality of education and curriculum offered by the instructors at the University of Farmers. We are very proud of our work and how it benefits all Farmers' agents, district managers, and employees through innovative learning and development programs that receive accolades year after year."

"With so many organizations that have raised the bar for leadership and innovation participating in this year's Congress, selecting those who were truly the best of the best was a daunting challenge for the judging panel," said Alan Todd, Chief Executive Officer of CorpU. "We at CorpU congratulate the winners, and extend our gratitude to each organization that shares our commitment to empowering their employees through talent development by implementing innovation across their enterprises."

Corporate University Xchange (CorpU) is transforming the way companies solve problems, generate ideas and improve business performance through social learning and talent development. A partner to the world's leading organizations through collaborative thinking and learning communities, Corporate University Xchange is at the forefront of the projected $150 billion market for corporate learning in the 21st century.

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is a leading U.S. insurer of automobiles, homes and small businesses and also provides a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with more than 20 million individual policies across all 50 states through the efforts of over 50,000 exclusive and independent agents and nearly 24,000 employees.

Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Insurance Group. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit its Web site at www.farmers.com or at www.Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

Contact:	Jerry Davies
	213-400-4459
	Jerry.davies@farmersinsurance.com

SOURCE Farmers Insurance

Rockland Insurance Agency opens new location in The Woodlands, Texas

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:58:28 +0000

Rockland Insurance Agency Inc opens a new location in The Woodlands, Texas

/EINPresswire.com/ Richmond, Tx May 24, 2012 -- Rockland Insurance, a Texas Insurance Agency, will be opening a second location in The Woodlands, Texas. Sarah Pitre, a native of Montgomery County, will be the Associate Agent managing this location. Pitre comes to Rockland with over 4 years of experience as an Independent Agent.

"Having a location in The Woodlands was necessary to meet the demands of our Insurance customers," said Joel Pond, President of Rockland Insurance. "We currently service thousands of customers in the Greater Houston area. Having multiple locations will help diversify our Insurance products as well as improve upon our customer service. We are very excited to Sarah as part of the team."

Rockland Insurance will be offering Home, Auto, Business, and Flood Insurance from The Woodlands location. To obtain a quote, contact Sarah at (281) 242-0020 or go to www.rockbottomquotes.com.

About Rockland Insurance Agency Inc:

Rockland Insurance Agency Inc of Texas is Headquartered in Richmond, Texas. Rockland is an Independent Agency with over 100 different companies allowing consumers to shop for the best coverage for the best rate. Rockland has been featured in Texas Monthly magazine as well as many other publications. Joel Pond and Josh Howell(VP) were recently nominated for the top 40 entrepreneurs under 40 in Fort Bend county. For more info go to www.rockbottomquotes.com or call (281) 242-0020.

Contact:
Joel Pond, President
Rockland Insurance
610 S 11th St
Richmond, Tx 77469
800-842-6466

###

Military Association urges Americans to remember the fallen hero this Memorial Day

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:12:24 +0000

Military Association urges Americans to remember the fallen hero this Memorial Day

PR Newswire

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Asking Americans to remember the meaning of Memorial Day, USBA (Uniformed Services Benefit Association) is sending out a special video message this year and will make a charitable donation for each viewing of usba.com/HonoringMemorialDay.

The nonprofit association, currently insuring nearly 200,000 lives, is considered to be one of the largest military groups offering life insurance to active duty, as well as retired and former military families. "Honoring the fallen soldier, sailor, airman or marine is something my staff and I feel privileged to do every day," explains USBA's President/CEO, Colonel Robin A. Snyder, USAF (Ret.). "

"We hope Americans who are enjoying this holiday weekend will also take a moment to pause and reflect on those who gave their lives to protect the very freedoms we enjoy today," he adds. "We should also remember behind every fallen hero, there is a family that has also made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us."

To that end, Snyder says USBA plans to make a donation to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) for each viewing of their message. "TAPS is a national organization that provides support to the families and loved ones grieving the deaths of America's fallen military," he says. "We think it is especially important to recognize and support their efforts this Memorial Day."

Founded out of tragedy in 1994, TAPS has established itself as the front line resource to the families and loved ones of our military men and women. TAPS provides comfort and care through comprehensive services and programs including peer-based emotional support, case work assistance, connections to community-based care, and grief and trauma resources.

USBA is a nonprofit organization providing a variety of low-cost group life insurance plans and other financial services to the Active Duty and Retired Military market as well as Honorably Discharged Veterans, National Guard, Reserves and Federal civilian employees.

SOURCE USBA

Life Insurance Selling Announces Aviva as Top Performing Advertisement in March 2012 Issue

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:23:49 +0000

Life Insurance Selling Announces Aviva as Top Performing Advertisement in March 2012 Issue

PR Newswire

DENVER, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Insurance Selling magazine, a Summit Business Media publication, announced Aviva and the other top performing print advertisements highlighted in a Baxter Research Center Inc. advertising effectiveness survey of the March 2012 issue of Life Insurance Selling.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100316/SUMMITLOGO )

The Baxter Research ad study measures the overall effectiveness of advertisements as it relates to a reader and then reports on the ad performance in the context of the three steps recognized as essential to the brand building experience: exposure, engagement, and involvement. An advertisements "recall seeing" score shows the ability of an ad to attract the reader's attention and indicates that the reader had been exposed to an item by either seeing it or reading it. The "read some" score indicates the percentage of "recall seeing" readers, who after seeing the item, were engaged enough to be led into the copy by the headline, layout or subject material. These ads effectively engaged Life Insurance Selling readers after capturing their initial attention.

The following companies received the highest "recall seeing" scores:

The following companies received the highest "read some" scores:

"As a Value Added Service to our customers Life Insurance Selling provides direct market feedback on the effectiveness of our advertiser's campaigns using the Baxter Research Ad Effectiveness Study." said John K. Moore, publisher of Life Insurance Selling. "These ad study results are so popular with our advertisers that we are adding a second Ad Effectives Study in conjunction with our November 2012 issue."

Baxter Research Center Inc. is a global marketing information firm supporting the world's most successful business-to-business media brands.

About Life Insurance Selling
Life Insurance Selling is written for the comprehensive producer who offers multiple product lines to clients while focusing on the life insurance product market. Life Insurance Selling offers in-depth, field-tested sales strategies directly from industry producers who provide selling insight and best practices to readers. Life Insurance Selling focuses on innovative and practical sales tools and product information designed to help the producer educate their clients and build their book of business, across a multi-generational client base.

About Summit Business Media
Summit Business Media is the leading B2B media and information company serving the insurance, financial, legal and investment advisory markets. Summit strives to be "The Next Generation of Business Information" for executives and practitioners by providing breaking news and analysis, in-depth practice management strategies, business-building techniques and actionable data. Summit services the information needs of its customers through numerous channels, including digital, print, and live events. Summit publishes 16 magazines and 150 reference titles, operates 20 websites and hosts a dozen conferences, including the world's largest mining investment conference held each year in South Africa. Summit's Marketing Data division provides detailed information on millions of benefits plans, agents and advisors in the U.S.

Summit employs 350 employees in ten offices across the United States. For more information, please visit summitbusinessmedia.com.

Available Topic Expert: For information on the listed expert, click appropriate link.
John Moore
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=94296

SOURCE Summit Business Media

BMO Bank of Montreal Decreases Mortgage Rates

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:21:09 +0000

BMO Bank of Montreal announced today it is changing its residential mortgage rates, effective May 25, 2012.

"BMO continues to encourage Canadian homeowners to take on a mortgage amortization of 25 years or less. Shortening the amount of time you carry mortgage debt should be a priority for any homeowner, as it saves thousands of dollars in interest rates over the life of the mortgage and ensures Canadians can begin building equity in their home sooner," said Martin Nel, Vice President, Lending and Investment Products, BMO Bank of Montreal.

The new rates are:

Fixed Rates:	To:		Change:
5 year fixed closed	5.34	%	-0.10	%
5 year low rate fixed closed	3.39	%	-0.10	%

The interest rate for a fixed rate mortgage is calculated half-yearly not in advance.

Rates are subject to change without notice. Offers may be withdrawn or extended without notice. Mortgage funds must be advanced within 90 days of the application.

For news media enquiries, please contact:
Matthew Duffin, Toronto
416-867-3996
matthew.duffin@bmo.com
Ronald Monet, Montreal
514-877-1873
ronald.monet@bmo.com
Laurie Grant, Vancouver
604-665-7596
laurie.grant@bmo.com
Internet: www.bmo.com

NFP Announces Marshall A. Heinberg Joins Board of Directors

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:15:00 +0000

NFP Announces Marshall A. Heinberg Joins Board of Directors

Reelection by Stockholders of Other Board Members

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- National Financial Partners Corp. (NYSE: NFP), a leading provider of benefits, insurance and wealth management services, today announced that at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders, held yesterday, Marshall A. Heinberg, Head of the Investment Banking Department of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. ("Oppenheimer"), was elected to NFP's Board of Directors. In addition, all existing members of NFP's Board that were standing for reelection were reelected. NFP's Board of Directors consists of eight directors, including six independent directors.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100920/NY67494LOGO )

Commenting on today's announcement, Jessica M. Bibliowicz, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We are pleased to welcome Marshall Heinberg to NFP. Marshall brings unique expertise regarding financial matters which will make him a valuable addition to our Board."

Commenting on his election to NFP's Board of Directors, Mr. Heinberg said, "I am honored to join NFP's Board, and I look forward to working with the management team and other Board members to continue to build on NFP's success."

Mr. Heinberg has served as the Head of the Investment Banking Department of Oppenheimer since January 2008. Mr. Heinberg began his investment banking career in 1987 in the Corporate Finance Division of Oppenheimer & Company, which was acquired by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC") in 1997. In 2001, Mr. Heinberg was named Head of CIBC's US Investment Banking Department and in 2008, CIBC's US capital markets business was acquired by Oppenheimer. Prior to joining Oppenheimer, Mr. Heinberg practiced corporate law. Since 2010, he has also served as a director of Image Entertainment, Inc. and Universal Biosensors Inc.

Members elected to NFP's Board of Directors are:
Jessica M. Bibliowicz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NFP
Stephanie W. Abramson, Dean, Executive Education and Graduate Professional Studies New York University - Shanghai
Patrick S. Baird, Retired Chief Executive Officer, AEGON USA, LLC
R. Bruce Callahan, Chairman Emeritus, NFP Insurance Services, Inc.
John A. Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, The City University of New York
J. Barry Griswell, Chief Executive Officer Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Principal Financial Group, Inc.
Marshall A. Heinberg, Head of the Investment Banking Department of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
Kenneth C. Mlekush, Retired Vice Chairman of Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Company

Additionally, the Company's stockholders voted in favor of all other items of business on the Annual Meeting agenda, including the advisory vote on executive compensation.

About NFP

National Financial Partners Corp. (NYSE: NFP), and its benefits, insurance and wealth management businesses provide diversified advisory and brokerage services to companies and high net worth individuals, partnering with them to preserve their assets and prosper over the long term. NFP advisors provide innovative and comprehensive solutions, backed by NFP's national scale and resources. NFP operates in three business segments. The Corporate Client Group provides corporate and executive benefits, retirement plans and property and casualty insurance. The Individual Client Group includes retail and wholesale life insurance brokerage and wealth management advisory services. The Advisor Services Group serves independent financial advisors by offering broker-dealer and asset management products and services. Most recently, NFP was ranked as the eighth Top Global Insurance Broker by Best's Review; operated the fourth largest Executive Benefits Provider of nonqualified deferred compensation plans administered for recordkeeping clients as ranked by PlanSponsor; operated a top ten Independent Broker Dealer as ranked by Financial Planning and Financial Advisor; had three advisors ranked in Barron's Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors and is a leading independent life insurance distributor according to many top-tier carriers. For more information, visit www.nfp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may project, indicate or imply future results, events, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "may," "project," "will," "continue" and similar expressions of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements may include discussions concerning revenue, expenses, earnings, cash flow, impairments, losses, dividends, capital structure, market and industry conditions, premium and commission rates, interest rates, contingencies, the direction or outcome of regulatory investigations and litigation, income taxes and the Company's operations or strategy. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current views with respect to future results. Forward-looking statements are based on beliefs and assumptions made by management using currently-available information, such as market and industry materials, experts' reports and opinions, and current financial trends. These statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: (1) the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy of increasing recurring revenue and other business initiatives; (2) NFP's ability, through its operating structure, to respond quickly to operational, financial or regulatory situations impacting its businesses; (3) the ability of the Company's businesses to perform successfully following acquisition, including through the diversification of product and service offerings, and NFP's ability to manage its business effectively and profitably through its principals and employees and through the Company's reportable segments; (4) any losses that NFP may take with respect to dispositions, restructures or otherwise; (5) seasonality or an economic environment that results in fewer sales of financial products or services; (6) NFP's success in acquiring and retaining high-quality independent financial services businesses and their managers and key producers; (7) changes in premiums and commission rates or the rates of other fees paid to the Company's businesses, due to requirements related to medical loss ratios stemming from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or otherwise; (8) NFP's ability to operate effectively within the restrictive covenants of its credit facility; (9) changes that adversely affect NFP's ability to manage its indebtedness or capital structure, including changes in interest rates or credit market conditions; (10) the impact of capital markets behavior, such as fluctuations in the price of NFP's common stock, or the dilutive impact of capital raising efforts; (11) adverse results or other consequences from matters including litigation, arbitration, settlements, regulatory investigations or compliance initiatives, such as those related to business practices, compensation agreements with insurance companies, policy rescissions or chargebacks, or activities within the life settlements industry; (12) the impact of legislation or regulations on NFP's businesses, such as the possible adoption of exclusive federal regulation over interstate insurers, the uncertain impact of legislation regulating the financial services industry, such as the recent Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the impact of the adoption of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and resulting changes in business practices, potential changes in estate tax laws, or changes in regulations affecting the value or use of benefits programs, any of which may adversely affect the demand for or profitability of the Company's services; (13) adverse developments in the Company's markets, such as those related to compensation agreements with insurance companies or activities within the life settlements industry, which could result in decreased sales of financial products or services; (14) the effectiveness or financial impact of NFP's incentive plans; (15) the impact of the adoption or change in interpretation of certain accounting treatments or policies and changes in underlying assumptions relating to such treatments or policies, which may lead to adverse financial statement results; (16) the loss of services of key members of senior management; (17) failure by the Company's broker-dealers to comply with net capital requirements; (18) the Company's ability to compete against competitors with greater resources, such as those with greater name recognition; (19) developments in the availability, pricing, design, tax treatment or underwriting of insurance products, including insurance carriers' potential change in accounting for deferred acquisition costs, revisions in mortality tables by life expectancy underwriters or changes in the Company's relationships with insurance companies; (20) the reduction of the Company's revenue and earnings due to the elimination or modification of compensation arrangements, including contingent compensation arrangements and the adoption of internal initiatives to enhance compensation transparency, including the transparency of fees paid for life settlements transactions; (21) the occurrence of adverse economic conditions or an adverse legal or regulatory climate in New York, Florida or California; and (22) the Company's ability to effect smooth succession planning.

Additional factors are set forth in NFP's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on February 13, 2012.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. NFP expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE NFP

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. to Present at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2012 Mortgage Finance Conference

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:06:00 +0000

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. to Present at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2012 Mortgage Finance Conference

PR Newswire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF), a leading provider of title insurance, mortgage services and diversified services, today announced that it will be presenting at the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2012 Mortgage Finance Conference at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the FNF Investor Relations website at www.fnf.com.

About FNF
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF), is a leading provider of title insurance, mortgage services and diversified services. FNF is the nation's largest title insurance company through its title insurance underwriters - Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title and Alamo Title - that collectively issue more title insurance policies than any other title company in the United States. FNF also owns a 55% stake in American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC, an owner and operator of the Village Inn, Bakers Square, Max & Erma's, O'Charley's, Ninety Nine Restaurant and Stoney River Legendary Steaks concepts. In addition, among other operations, FNF owns minority interests in Ceridian Corporation, a leading provider of global human capital management and payment solutions and Remy International, Inc., a leading designer, manufacturer, remanufacturer, marketer and distributor of aftermarket and original equipment electrical components for automobiles, light trucks, heavy-duty trucks and other vehicles. More information about FNF can be found at www.fnf.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our expectations, hopes, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The risks and uncertainties which forward-looking statements are subject to include, but are not limited to: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; weakness or adverse changes in the level of real estate activity, which may be caused by, among other things, high or increasing interest rates, a limited supply of mortgage funding or a weak U. S. economy; our potential inability to find suitable acquisition candidates, acquisitions in lines of business that will not necessarily be limited to our traditional areas of focus, or difficulties in integrating acquisitions; our dependence on distributions from our title insurance underwriters as a main source of cash flow; significant competition that our operating subsidiaries face; compliance with extensive government regulation of our operating subsidiaries; and other risks detailed in the "Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information," "Risk Factors" and other sections of the Company's Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

OneBeacon Government Risks' Molenaar and Stinson to Speak at National PRIMA Conference

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

OneBeacon Government Risks' Molenaar and Stinson to Speak at National PRIMA Conference

PR Newswire

MINNETONKA, Minn., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OneBeacon Government Risks (OBGR), a member of OneBeacon Insurance Group (NYSE: OB), today announced that Dennis Molenaar, Vice President of Risk Control, and William Stinson, Business Development Manager, will present at the 2012 National Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) Annual Conference, June 3-6 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Molenaar will present two sessions titled, "Employment Issues in a Tight Economy" and "Concerts, Demolition Derbies and Fairs-Oh My! Contract and Special Event Liability," being held on Monday, June 4, at 2 – 3:15 p.m. CDT and Tuesday, June 5, at 9:45 – 11 a.m. CDT, respectively. Stinson's session titled, "Playground Safety: More Than Skinned Knees," will take place on Monday, June 4, from 10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. CDT. Each discussion will present various risk management techniques to help public entity risk managers reduce liability in specific areas.

About OneBeacon Government Risk: OneBeacon Government Risks provides solutions for midsized municipalities and counties, special districts including water and sanitation, non-rail transit authorities and other publicly funded agencies. Products include property, casualty and professional liability comprised of law enforcement, public officials and employment practices liability offered on a fully insured, deductible, self-insured retention or assumed reinsurance basis.

About OneBeacon: OneBeacon Insurance Group, Ltd. is a Bermuda-domiciled holding company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "OB." OneBeacon's underwriting companies offer a range of specialty insurance products sold through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies. Each business is managed by an experienced team of specialty insurance professionals focused on a specific customer group or industry segment. OneBeacon's solutions target professional liability; ocean and inland marine; collector cars and boats; energy; entertainment, sports and leisure; excess property; environmental; group accident; programs; public entities; technology; and tuition refund. For further information about our products and services visit: www.onebeacon.com and to remain up to date on OneBeacon's news, follow us on Twitter @OneBeaconIns or visit our online newsroom: www.onebeacon.com/newsroom.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included or referenced in this release which address activities, events or developments which we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "believe," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict" and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to OneBeacon's:

change in book value per share or return on equity;
business strategy;
financial and operating targets or plans;
incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses and the adequacy of its loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and related reinsurance;
projections of revenues, income (or loss), earnings (or loss) per share, dividends, market share or other financial forecasts;
expansion and growth of our business and operations; and
future capital expenditures.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by OneBeacon in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including:

claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, earthquakes, floods, or terrorist attacks;
recorded loss and loss adjustment expense reserves subsequently proving to have been inadequate;
the continued availability and cost of reinsurance coverage;
the continued availability of capital and financing;
general economic, market or business conditions;
business opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to it and pursued;
competitive forces, including the conduct of other property and casualty insurers and agents;
changes in domestic or foreign laws or regulations, or their interpretation, applicable to OneBeacon, its competitors, its agents or its customers;
an economic downturn or other economic conditions adversely affecting its financial position including stock market volatility;
actions taken by ratings agencies from time to time, such as financial strength or credit ratings downgrades or placing ratings on negative watch;
the risks that are described from time to time in OneBeacon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to OneBeacon's Annual Report on the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 filed February 28, 2012.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by OneBeacon will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, OneBeacon or its business or operations. OneBeacon assumes no obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE OneBeacon Insurance Group

Wheeling Area Businesses Take Action, Call for the Repeal of the Health Insurance Tax

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Wheeling Area Businesses Take Action, Call for the Repeal of the Health Insurance Tax

PR Newswire

WHEELING, W.Va., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Small business owners and advocates gathered for a roundtable event on Thursday to discuss the threat and implications of the looming Health Insurance Tax (HIT). The HIT will take effect in 2014 and will directly impact many of West Virginia's small businesses, severely reducing their ability to expand, create new jobs, and contribute to the state's economy.

During the event, small business owners from Ohio County had the chance to meet with state representatives and business groups to examine the possible effects the HIT will have on the small business community as well as the significance of repealing the costly tax.

"Small businesses are crucial to the success of our economy," Gil White, executive director of the West Virginia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, said. "They are the nation's number one provider of private sector jobs and account for over 97 percent of West Virginia's employers. We cannot afford a tax that will discourage growth and job creation in a segment so critical to its success—the small business community."

The HIT, hidden within the many pages of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was originally intended to target large insurance companies. The reality, however, is that this tax will directly fall upon small business owners and their employees and the self-employed to the tune of $87 billion within the first ten years, and $208 billion in the second ten.

"In an effort to cover their massive spending, Washington has passed their burdens onto small businesses across the country, asking them to contribute their hard-earned money instead of using it to invest in their future or create job opportunities that our citizens so desperately need," White said.

Today's event was hosted by Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce and members of the Stop The HIT Coalition, which represents small business owners, their employees and the self-employed who support a repeal of the HIT and seek to educate policymakers about the impact of the pending tax.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, the HIT will have devastating effects in West Virginia. It will:

Result in at least $1 billion in lost West Virginia small business sales through 2021 and at least $2.3 billion in total sales
Nationally impact the bottom lines of 2 million small business, 12 million employees and self-employed individuals and 26 million employees who are covered by their employer
Reduce the take-home pay by $500 a year of $5,000 in just the first decade for an employee with a family plan

In May 2011, small business groups from across the country announced the formation of the "Stop The HIT" Coalition. Since then, legislation to repeal the HIT has been introduced in both the Senate and House. Senators John Barrasso, Orrin Hatch, Olympia Snowe, Lamar Alexander and Kelly Ayotte introduced S. 1880, "The Jobs and Premium Protection Act and companion legislation in the House, H.R. 1370 currently has over 100 cosponsors. The Coalition has grown to more than 35 national organizations, representing millions of employees from across the country. The Stop The HIT Coalition has aggressively generated grassroots support for repeal of the HIT by educating policymakers and activating its members who will be directly impacted by the pending tax.

More information about the Stop The HIT Coalition can be found at www.StopTheHIT.com

SOURCE Stop The HIT Coalition

Capital BlueCross selected as Preferred Provider by The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:37:35 +0000

Capital BlueCross selected as Preferred Provider by The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care

Health insurer replaces other market competitors from the region

PR Newswire

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital BlueCross recently learned that it has been selected as one of only two Preferred Providers by the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care (Coalition). According to the Coalition, plans selected for a Preferred Provider designation demonstrate better plan performance, pricing or enhanced service capabilities, giving employers more flexibility in selecting administrators who best meet their needs.

The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care is a multi-state, membership alliance of employers striving to provide the finest health care coverage possible for their employees, in the most economical, high quality fashion. Coalition members include medium and large employers, including large national employers, with generally 200 to several thousand employees who self-insure.

"We are excited to be partnering with Capital BlueCross," said Tom Croyle, Coalition President. "Throughout the process it was clear that Capital wanted to be our business partner. They were clearly aligned with the vision and goals of the Coalition and its employers. Capital BlueCross also was committed to and quickly engaged in the 'eValu8' process."

Croyle explained that plans endorsed by the Coalition Board typically scored better in the National Business Coalition on Health's "eValu8" measuring and evaluating health plan performance process, and are clearly aligned with the Coalition's goals for improving quality, patient safety, transparency and efficient care delivery. In addition, the endorsed plans offered the exclusive pricing and service options for Coalition members in a broad market area yielding significant savings for employers.

"Capital BlueCross differentiates itself from the competition because of our unique ability to align incentives, reduce costs and drive employee engagement through market-leading value based benefits, health and wellness programs, and clinical initiatives," said Gary D. St. Hilaire, Capital BlueCross President. "Our new partnership with the Coalition will allow business owners in the Lehigh Valley area to take advantage of these benefits and resources, while improving the overall health of their company. It also more broadly represents significant recognition by a cross-section of respected community leaders of our leading edge approach to the quality and cost of health care throughout our entire service area."

St. Hilaire cited Capital BlueCross' successful Accountable Care Arrangements, Medication Adherence Program and MyCare Advisor transparency tool as examples of initiatives that are proving to make a difference in the health of its members.

Capital BlueCross is the leading health insurer in its region, providing health insurance coverage to residents in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.

Capital BlueCross is committed to making health insurance simple for its customers and members through all the stages of life by offering nationally acclaimed customer service and a full range of innovative benefit programs for groups and individuals at competitive prices.

By establishing a culture of caring, Capital BlueCross constantly strives to do more in order to deliver more for the men, women and children who depend on the company for their health insurance needs. Capital BlueCross has been providing medical value to the people and communities of central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley for more than 70 years and employs over 1,800 people in the region.

Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

More information about Capital BlueCross and its subsidiaries can be found by going to www.capbluecross.com.

SOURCE Capital BlueCross

/C O R R E C T I O N -- Capital BlueCross/

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:37:35 +0000

/C O R R E C T I O N -- Capital BlueCross/

PR Newswire

In the news release, Capital BlueCross selected as Preferred Provider by The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care, issued 24-May-2012 by Capital BlueCross over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that a subheadline was included inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

Capital BlueCross selected as Preferred Provider by The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Health Care

Capital BlueCross is the leading health insurer in its region, providing health insurance coverage to residents in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.

Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

More information about Capital BlueCross and its subsidiaries can be found by going to www.capbluecross.com.

SOURCE Capital BlueCross

Community Bank of the Bay Names William S. Keller Chief Executive Officer and Announces 2012 First Quarter Earnings

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Community Bank of the Bay (OTCBB: CBYAA), a San Francisco Bay Area bank with locations in Oakland, Danville and San Jose, named banking veteran William Keller as its Chief Executive Officer and announced operating results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2012.

Mr. Keller has been serving as the Bank's President and Chief Operating Officer since early 2009 and brings over twenty years of banking experience to his position at Community Bank. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Keller was Chief Operating Officer at Diablo Valley Bank from its inception in 2003 to its successful sale. Preceding Diablo Valley Bank, he was Chief Executive Officer of Bay Bank of Commerce and Executive Vice President of Mid Peninsula Bank, both wholly owned subsidiaries of Greater Bay Bancorp, where he was a member of the Senior Management Committee and managed the Bank's initial expansion into the East Bay. Prior to joining Greater Bay Bancorp in 1999, Mr. Keller was with Oakland-based Civic Bank of Commerce for nine years, where he was a senior vice president and regional manager.

"Bill was instrumental in developing and executing the business and capital plan that allowed Community Bank to expand into two new markets and set the ground work for our goal of becoming the premier relationship bank in the Bay Area," said Frank Tsai, Chairman of Community Bank. "Bill's experience, market knowledge, client relationships and leadership capabilities make him uniquely qualified for this position and we are extremely pleased that he will be leading our team."

"In the last three years Community Bank has developed a presence in both the Diablo Valley and Silicon Valley regions to complement its traditionally strong Oakland market position," said Mr. Keller. "The fact that this was accomplished during an extremely difficult economic period is a testament to the deep relationships our bankers have within their communities. I am proud to be part of this team of dedicated and hard working professionals who truly believe in their clients and want to provide them with the best in personalized banking services."

2012 First Quarter Earnings

Net Income for the 2012 First Quarter totaled $256 thousand, or $0.06 diluted earnings per share, an increase of $150 thousand, or 141 percent, from $106 thousand, or $0.03 diluted earnings per share, reported in the 2011 First Quarter.
2012 First Quarter Net Income included $158 thousand of income from the sale of securities verse $373 thousand in the 2011 First Quarter.
Deposits grew $5.1 million to $110.4 million in the First Quarter 2012. Deposits have grown $13.0 million, or 13.4 percent, since the end of the 2011 First Quarter.
Loans declined $2.2 million to $95.7 million in the First Quarter 2012. Loans have grown $7.5 million, or 8.5 percent, since the end of the 2011 First Quarter.
Non-Accrual Loans increased to $4.9 million, or 5.11 percent of Total Loans, at March 31, 2012, versus $3.8 Million, or 3.84%, at the end of the 2011 Fourth Quarter and $4.0 million, or 4.53 percent, at the end of the 2011 First Quarter.
Net Interest Margin increased one basis point to 4.69 percent, compared with 4.68 percent for the 2011 Fourth Quarter and 4.46 percent for the 2011 First Quarter
Capital Levels remains well above FDIC "Well Capitalized" standards. First Quarter 2012 Equity of $15.5 million resulted in Tier 1 Leverage 11.71 percent and Tier 1 Risk-Based and Total Risk-Based Capital Ratios of 15.63 percent and 16.89 percent respectively.

Net income for the 2012 first quarter totaled $256 thousand, or $0.06 diluted earnings per share, versus $106 thousand, or $0.03 diluted earnings per share, for the 2011 first quarter. The increase in net income for the 2012 first quarter, versus the comparable quarter last year, is primarily due to a $154 thousand increase in net interest income after loan loss provision and $153 thousand decrease in non-interest expenses. These two positive factors were partially offset by a $215 thousand decrease in securities gains, primarily gains on sale of SBA loans.

The growth in net interest income for the 2012 first quarter increased primarily due to growth in average interest-earning assets. Total assets reached $135.0 million at March 31, 2012, an increase of $12.2 million, or 9.9 percent, from $122.9 million at March 31, 2011. Average earning assets for the 2012 first quarter reached $108.3 million, an increase of $8.0 million, or 7.2 percent, compared with the 2011 first quarter.

Deposits for the first quarter increased $5.1 million, or 4.9 percent, to $110.4 million at March 31, 2012. When compared with deposits at March 31, 2011, overall deposit growth for the last twelve months was $13.0 million, or 13.4 percent.

"We are extremely pleased with the way 2012 started. This is the first quarter since our mid-2010 capital raise and expansion effort that the Bank has reported a net profit after loan loss provision and before potentially one-time earnings such as gain on sale of securities and SBA loans and the Bank Enterprise Award. We look forward to building on these positive results; however, we recognize that we have considerable work ahead of us as we continue to expend effort and resources to improve our asset quality, while we continue to serve our clients and communities," stated William S. Keller, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Loans for the first quarter declined $2.2 million, or 2.2 percent, to $95.7 million at March 31, 2012. When compared with March 31, 2011, loan growth over the last twelve months was $7.5 million, or 8.5 percent. In addition the Bank sourced and sold for a premium $6.4 million of SBA guaranteed loans.

Non-Accrual Loans for the first quarter were $4.9 million, or 5.11 percent of Total Loans, at March 31, 2012, including $894 thousand of loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Frank Tsai, Chairman of the Board added, "This is an exciting time for our Bank. We have appointed a new CEO who has a demonstrated record of successfully growing financial institutions, and after three years which included a successful capital campaign and the addition of five new Directors, our Bank is beginning to see the results of its strategy. The attainment of 'core-profitability' in first quarter is an important milestone on our journey."

About Community Bank of the Bay

Community Bank of the Bay (OTCBB: CBYAA) serves the financial needs of closely held businesses and professional service firms, as well as their owner-operators and non-profit organizations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Community Bank of the Bay is a member of the FDIC, an SBA Preferred Lender, and a CDARS depository institution, headquartered in Oakland, with offices in San Jose, and Danville, CA. The bank is recognized for establishing the Bay Area Green Fund to provide financing to sustainable businesses and supports environmentally responsible values. Additional information on the bank is available online at www.communitybankbay.com.

Media Contact:
William S. Keller
President & CEO
510-433-5404
wkeller@communitybankbay.com

First Air and BMO Financial Group Help Bring Parliamentary Interns to Nunavut

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:33:20 +0000

Support six-day study tour of Iqaluit and the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut

First Air and BMO Financial Group have teamed up to give the 2011-12 Parliamentary Interns first hand knowledge of community and politics in Canada's North. Together, they are making it possible for the ten interns to undertake a six-day study tour of Iqaluit and the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut from May 27^th to June 1^st.

"It is an invaluable opportunity for the interns to compare the way the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut works with the way Parliament functions," said Garth Williams, Director of the Parliamentary Internship Programme. "They will come back with a much better understanding of the cultural differences shaping these institutions and a much greater appreciation for Canada's North."

Each year, ten Parliamentary Interns are chosen from among the country's best university graduates to participate in the ten-month Parliamentary Internship Programme. Interns work for Members of Parliament on both sides of the House of Commons, assisting them with committee and constituency work, while undertaking academic research, weekly seminars and comparative study tours to legislatures across Canada and abroad. Alumni have gone on to make significant contributions to Canadian public life as leaders in their communities, in academe, in journalism and in both the private and public sectors.

Highlights of the study tour include meetings with the Honourable Keith Peterson, Minister of Finance, Minister of Health and Social Services and Minister responsible for Public Agencies Council and the Honourable Susan Cooper, Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice. Interns will also attend the opening session of the Legislative Assembly on May 28^th and visit the community of Kimmirut, outside Iqaluit, on May 30^th.

The Parliamentary Internship Programme is an independent non-partisan program of the Canadian Political Science Association supported by public and private sector sponsors. It operates on Parliament Hill under the auspices of the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Parliamentary Internship Programme
Joanne Cartwright
Programme Administrator
613-995-0764
cartwj@parl.gc.ca
www.pip-psp.org

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: More Than 55 Percent of Auto Insurance Online Shoppers Are Less Likely to Shop an Insurer after a Disappointing Website Experience

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:26:29 +0000

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: More Than 55 Percent of Auto Insurance Online Shoppers Are Less Likely to Shop an Insurer after a Disappointing Website Experience

Allstate, Esurance, GEICO and Travelers Perform Particularly Well in Insurance Website Shopper Satisfaction

PR Newswire

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As more than one-third (34%)[1] of auto insurance shoppers prefer to buy their policy online, the experience shoppers have on an insurance company's website impacts their likelihood to shop and recommend the insurer, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Insurance Website Evaluation Study(SM) released today.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050527/LAF028LOGO-a)

The inaugural study measures online shoppers' experiences with insurer websites during the auto insurance shopping process. Five factors contribute to shoppers' overall satisfaction: ease of navigating the website; appearance of the website; clarity of information provided on the website; range of services that can be performed on the website; and speed of the website.

Among shoppers who indicate being delighted (satisfaction scores of 900 and above on a 1,000-point scale) with their website experience, 63 percent are more likely to shop the insurer after visiting their website, compared with 14 percent of shoppers who indicate being disappointed with the website (satisfaction scores of less than 550). Additionally, 50 percent of delighted shoppers say they "definitely will" recommend the insurer to others, while only two percent of disappointed shoppers say the same.

"The 2012 Insurance Shopping Study shows that nearly three-fourths of all shoppers visit at least one insurer's website, often as the first point of contact with the insurance company," said Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Insurers have a fantastic opportunity to gain shoppers, and their referrals, by providing a website that is easy to use, has a professional and engaging appearance, and is a great resource for the shopping process."

Make the Quote Process Fast and Simple

The process of requesting a quote is a key aspect of the online shopping experience. While many insurers streamline this process by minimizing the number of questions they ask a prospect and use of pre-filled information, not all insurers excel in providing a positive quote experience. The study finds that only 72 percent of shoppers who requested a quote online were able to receive one immediately, compared with 18 percent who were required to wait for a follow-up response and an additional 10 percent who were unable to obtain a quote at all.

"The insurance industry spent more than $5 billion[2] in 2011 on advertising to attract consumers to shop for insurance," said Bowler. "For certain carriers, increasing marketing spend becomes increasingly inefficient, as up to 30 percent of the prospects they attract abandon their site with no quote in-hand and 15 percent of online shoppers report leaving an insurer's website to verify or follow up on a web quote rather than bind online. An insurer that cannot provide a fast, simple quote via their website likely has a dramatically lower chance at winning that business."

Overall satisfaction among shoppers who say their quote experience was faster than expected is 857, which is 245 points higher than among shoppers who say it took longer than expected. Pre-filling vehicle and personal information is important in improving the speed of obtaining a quote. Satisfaction among the 65 percent of shoppers who experienced accurate pre-filled information in their quote application is 790. However, among the 8 percent of shoppers who say that some of the information provided was incorrect, satisfaction declines significantly to 706 index points.

Availability of Contact Information

Some of the more traditional shoppers use insurers' websites simply to finalize their consideration set and to find contact information for the company or a local agent. This makes the availability of contact information extremely important in overall satisfaction with the website. Satisfaction among shoppers who indicate that finding contact information was "very easy" is 810, compared with industry average (702).

About the 2012 Insurance Website Evaluation Study

Allstate, Esurance, GEICO and Travelers perform particularly well in shopper satisfaction with their websites. Other insurers profiled in the 2012 Insurance Website Evaluation Study are 21st Century, American Family, Amica Mutual, Farmers, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Progressive, State Farm and The Hartford.

This year's report management discussion is available for download, please click here.

The 2012 Insurance Website Evaluation Studyis based on evaluations provided by 1,650 auto insurance shoppers. The study was fielded in March 2012.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

[1] Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Insurance Shopping Study(SM)
[2] Dowling and Partners, LLC

Media Relations Contacts:
John Tews; J.D. Power and Associates; Troy, Mich.; (248) 680-6218; media.relations@jdpa.com
Syvetril Perryman; J.D. Power and Associates; Troy, Mich.; (805) 418-8103; media.relations@jdpa.com

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates

Innovation Group's New Version of Insurer Conversion Enhances Capability of Insurers to Handle Data Conversions Successfully

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Enhanced Toolkit and Methodology, Plus Incorporation of Microsoft Platform, Also Provides Enterprise Data Management Capabilities for Insurers

The Innovation Group plc (Innovation Group), a global provider of business process services and software solutions to the insurance, fleet, automotive and property industries, today released a new version of Insurer Conversion, the conversion component for the Innovation Insurer suite. Insurer Conversion was recently recognized with the Vanguards in Insurance Practice (VIP) award for Lloyds Banking Group's conversion of 2.3 million policies.

Based on industry trends, research and experience, insurers require data conversion capabilities beyond the implementation of a new policy management system including: business strategy change, merger and acquisition, divestment of a company or line of business, product consolidation, adding new data to improve customer experience, systems consolidation or BPO. Many insurers view policy conversions as a high-risk endeavor based on past experience. However, successful policy data conversions are critical to both renewal and growth for insurance companies.

"Insurers are under pressure to modernize and streamline insurance processing with new policy administration solutions, while establishing a platform for business agility and growth," said Andy Roberts, Group CEO for Innovation Group. "Insurer Conversion provides a robust, modern conversion tool to successfully and accurately convert policy data to Insurer Policy. Insurer Policy and Insurer Conversion provide a compelling integrated solution for insurers to meet today's immediate policy management needs and a platform that opens up business options for growth."

"The addition of data conversion functionality, building on Innovation Group's experience and expertise, is a strong addition to the Innovation insurer suite," said Craig Beattie, analyst in the insurance practice for Celent. "Data conversion tooling helps insurers improve speed, mitigate risk and realise the full value of new system implementations, policy migration projects as well as projects absorbing new data into the organisation."

Innovation Conversion leverages the Innovation Insurer enterprise data model as the central reference data model for standardized data definitions, data formats, and data relationships to ensure data consistency. The data model is easily extendable to accommodate any unique data elements used within an insurer's business.

Insurer Conversion includes a toolkit and methodology, EMILA, which leverages "best practice" processes and routines including:

Extract: Retrieval of data from legacy systems based on pre-agreed exclusion criteria with a fully reconcilable audit trail and set of reports.
Map: Apply target validation and data mapping rules. Restructure the data into interface files, representing the groupings needed for the integrity stage and report results for audit.
Integrity: Create tables being representations of target system. Enhance data passed into this stage to include all target information beyond the data provided at new business. Eliminate duplicate clients, addresses and phone numbers. Create a fully reconcilable audit trail and reports.
Load: Create load files in a format ready for load to target tables using the representation provided by the integrity stage. Report results to the audit manager and final reports confirming the success of the conversion.
Audit: Create all required counts, calculations and formulae required to confirm the success of the conversion whilst providing functionality to reconcile the figures and report both successes and failures at all stages of the process.

Innovation Group has deep experience with an array of strategies for policy data conversions including at renewal, multiple mini conversions and comprehensive, big bang conversions with 100 percent quality and accuracy. Examples include:

Conversion of three lines of business across 48 states;
Consolidation of 12 products into one product;
Conversion of over 2.3 million policies with all associated policy data (current and historical), and 3.2 million client records, resulting in a combined 4.8 million policies and 5 million customer records being processed on Insurer Policy; and
Conversion included all historical images and associated data including client, billing, claims and communications resulting in over three-quarters of a billion data rows.

Innovation Group's solutions have been recognized recently with Celent Model Insurer awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012; VIP awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012; RAVE awards in 2011 and 2012; XCelent Awards in 2012; outstanding Novarica ACE Rankings in 2010, 2011 and 2012; INNovators Award in 2009 and Outsourcing Excellence finalist in 2010 and 2011.

About The Innovation Group plc:
The Innovation Group plc (LSE: TIG.L) is a global provider of business process services and software solutions to the insurance, fleet, automotive and property industries. Innovation Group provides contact centers, repair networks, process management, supply chain and technology operations and decision support analytics to support accident management, repair and estimation and claims management services. Innovation Group has over 800 global clients including AXA Insurance, RSA, Encompass, Hertz, CNA, Main Street America Group, American Modern Insurance Group, LeasePlan, The Ford Motor Company, Aviva, Toyota and Zurich. The Group processes more than 4 million claims per year with 20 per cent direct claims cost saving achieved. Innovation Group's 2,300 people are located in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain and United States. www.innovation-group.com

Contact:
Innovation Group
Jennifer Overhulse-King
St. Nick Media Services
+1 859-803-6597
Email Contact