"Global Insurance Industry Outlook 2007 - Issues on the horizon" is one of a set of annual publications that discuss the top issues within each sector.

The past year has been a particularly challenging one for the Insurance sector. While the race continues to develop new products and services to meet customers' evolving needs, there has also been pressure to keep up with increasing regulatory scrutiny as well. Insurers have also faced increasing competition from inside and outside their traditional sector, resulting in a renewed focus on distribution strategies.

The study identifies three key issues for insurance companies to focus on:

• The growth imperative
• Leveraging analytical tools to attain insights and improved operations
• Managing the complexities of compliance