Geographic Information Systems Seminar Report

As insurers increasingly pursue an agenda of operational efficiency, the use of Geographic information systems (GIS) is increasingly becoming prominent.

Prudent insurers are using GIS not only for risk management and underwriting insight, but also for supplier capacity modelling, inspector / adjuster and repairer deployment. Recently a GIS insurance forum has been set up to better understand the impact of GIS in the claims environment, and as a forum for debate and knowledge transfer.

At an event held for members of the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters on June 30th 2009, attendees learned more about the business imperatives of UK P and C insurers and how geography has become an increasingly important tool.

They saw working examples of how geographic intelligence can add value and support the work done by loss adjusting and claims professionals by:

• Ordnance Survey (Great Britain's national mapping agency, providing the most accurate and up-to-date geographic data, relied on by government, business and individuals)

• TopCon (one of three top manufacturers of surveying instruments in the world. Recently, TOPCON is expanding its business domain using technologies integrating its backbone technologies with machine control, image analysis and GPS technologies for high-accuracy 3D position information.)

• Infoterra (leading provider of geo-information products and services for managing the development, environment and security of our changing world).

• Blom Aerofilms (Blom Group is one of Europe’s largest providers of geospatial products, applications and services to government and commercial organisations)

• IBM Cognos (Business Intelligence and Financial Performance Management)

• British Geological Survey (the world's oldest national geological survey and the United Kingdom's premier centre for earth science information and expertise.)

If you were not able to attend but would like more information about this the use of geographic intelligence in insurance, please contact Graham Cave, graham.cave@cila.co.uk