Have Technology, Ensure Reliability.(Brief Article)

NEW ORLEANS As use of the Internet becomes increasingly an integral part of the annuity business, maintenance of reliable systems is becoming ever more critical, according to speakers at an annuities conference sponsored by LIMRA International of Windsor, Conn. and LOMA of Atlanta, in New Orleans last month.

Whether or not to invest in technology is no longer a choice for annuities manufacturers, speakers said.

"Internet capabilities are now table stakes," said R. Dennis Noice, vice president and chief information officer for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company of Columbus, Ohio.

And, reliable systems are now indispensable when offering customers …