DELIVERY STRATEGIES BRIEFS

Unitrin Direct, the Vista, CA-based direct marketing business segment of Unitrin, Inc. (Chicago) is now offering auto insurance in New York state through its call center, and offers quotes through the Unitrin Direct Web site, www.unitrindirect.com. Unitrin Direct auto insurance also is offered in California, Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Korealife Insurance has selected Sybase (Dublin, CA) technology to power a mobile sales force automation solution for its 20,000-strong financial planner force. The solution will include SQL Anywhere Studio as the mobile database and enterprise synchronization technology, Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise as the source database, Sybase Adaptive Server IQ for campaign management and PowerBuilder for application development.

Licensed agents from Financial Keyosk (Carpentersville, IL) have begun selling insurance products at branches of $33 billion-asset Union Planters Bank (Memphis), which operates in 12 states. Sales will be supported via an alliance among Financial Keyosk, Union Planters, and the bank's insurance unit Union Planters Insurance Agency. Union Planters will use Financial Keyosk's virtual agency platform (Virtual FK) for prospecting, selling, completing applications, receiving quotes and managing agency administration. Financial Keyosk also has a Customer Care Center staffed with licensed professionals who will provide information and assistance to service personnel and advisors at Union Planters locations.

McKesson Health Solutions, LLC (San Francisco) released CareEnhance 360, a service that positions care center nurses as the communications hub for delivery of care management services. By better understanding the health status of callers, high-risk and chronically ill patients can be more quickly and cost-effectively be referred for treatment and health management program or healthcare enrollment.

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio