Wireless Technology for L/H Carriers: Slow, Steady Growth Ahead

While wireless technology use is not widespread among L/H carriers today, we will see changes in the near future as applications mature. Celent predicts that the adoption rate for wireless projects by L/H carriers will reach 30 percent by 2007.

In a new report, " ," Celent examines the current and potential uses and impact of wireless technologies on life/health carriers bottom lines.

The report provides a summary of the wireless protocols and devices that are available now, as well as those that are looming on the horizon. The focus of the report, however, is on the practical use of wireless technologies in improving a carriers bottom line.

"Only a handful of carriers have wireless deployments in production," said Chad Hersh, a senior analyst in Celents insurance practice and author of the report. "With the applications being developed both by vendors and by carriers, though, the number will grow substantially," Hersh adds.

The focus of the report is on practical projects, rather than the latest "cool" technology. A brief case study outlines one carriers implementation of a sales force automation (SFA) tool. Celent predicts that SFA, along with real-time electronic application submission and real-time communications, likely will drive adoption rates upward over the next few years.

"The potential reduction in abandoned policies, along with capturing more accurate applications in the field, will be key drivers," said Hersh. "This will be especially true as the cost of wireless technologies continues to decrease, while agents adopt those technologies into their everyday personal lives, reducing the barriers to adoption for carriers."

The 19-page report contains one figure and one table. A table of contents is available online.

of Celent Communications' Life/Health Insurance research service can download the report electronically by clicking on the icon to the left. Non-members should contact info@celent.com for more information.