SAS Helps Insurers Tackle Enterprise Risk, Costs

SAS To Help Insurers Tackle Enterprise Risk, Reduce Costs

Under increased reporting pressure requirements from key stakeholders including legislators, shareholders and policyholders, insurers can look to SAS. The leader in business intelligence has announced plans for SAS Enterprise Risk Management for Insurance to help insurers comply with legislation and embrace better risk management processes.

"This initiative will be roundly welcomed by all sectors of the insurance industry," said Simon Baldock, Practice Manager Risk Intelligence for SAS Australia and New Zealand, adding, "The new sweeping and global statutory compliance regime which began with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and was followed by initiatives such as Basel ll, and now Solvency ll, calls for superior risk management capabilities across the enterprise.. With these newly announced plans, SAS is meeting that need."

Featuring specific portfolios for both general (property & casualty) and life insurance, the planned applications suite will cover measurement and management for both regulatory and economic capital as well as risk monitoring and risk-adjusted performance management. Driven by SAS' extensive Enterprise Risk Data Architecture, applications are customised for the insurance industry's specific needs.

SAS Enterprise Risk Management for Insurance will provide a more consistent and open regulatory framework to ease selling across different markets. The more sophisticated and accurate assessment of insurers' capital requirements reduces costs by eliminating the need for excess capital.

A comprehensive data architecture specific to the insurance industry ensures a consistent approach to enterprise wide risk management. Insurers will increase transparency by translating risk strategy into tactical plans for all levels within the company. Insurers will be able to enhance business performance through improved product management support. Ultimately, performance volatility will diminish through strategic, financial and operational plans that are consistent with a company's risk demands.

Solvency II is the forthcoming European Directive for insurance companies regarding capital requirements and related supervision. The purpose is to ensure financial stability of insurers and hence reduce the risk of failure by taking assets and liabilities into consideration.

The expansion of SAS' risk offerings is a testament to its commitment to leading the risk market. Chartis Research recently positioned SAS as an established leader for credit risk in "Credit Risk Management Systems 2007" and as the leader for the third consecutive year in its "Operational Risk Management Systems 2007" report.

SAS has a worldwide presence in the insurance industry, with more than 1,100 companies using SAS(r) for customer intelligence, performance management and risk management. SAS' industry expertise is evidenced by long-term relationships with top insurers including Allianz, AXA PPP, AXA Seguros e Inversiones, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Codan Group, Groupama France, The Hartford Life, Liberty Seguros, Norwich Union, Standard Life, Suncorp-Metway, Tapiola Group, TD Meloche Monnex and Topdanmark. The insurance industry contributed more than 11 per cent of SAS' total revenue in 2006.

ENDS

ABOUT SAS

SAS is the leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at 43,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. Only SAS offers leading data integration, storage, analytics and business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW(r). www.sas.com

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