Asia insurers’ top three drivers for IT investment in 2012 are increasing operational efficiency, growing market share, and complying with regulation.

In a new report, 2012 Asia-Pacific Insurance CIO Survey: The Year Ahead, Celent reviews in detail the business trends facing the market for 2012, and how they are impacting IT investment. The report identifies key business themes and discusses broad IT investment plans and priorities for Asian insurers. Details of budgets and IT spending, use of outsourcing, and interest in new and emerging technologies, such as mobility solutions, are also addressed.

“Currently over 60% of insurers provide mobility solutions for field-based / mobile staff, and over 50% of insurers provide mobility solutions for prospects and staff, ” says Wenli Yuan, Senior Analyst with Celent's Asian Financial Services Group and author of the report. “In 2015 over 60% of insurers will provide mobility solutions in a broad range for prospects, for individual policyholders, and for field-based / mobile staff.”

Trends and data discussed in this report reflect Celent’s experience of the market based on ongoing discussions with the industry and specifically, interviews with selected Asia insurance CIOs from mainland China, Hong Kong, Australia, India, and Japan in April to June 2012.