<PAGE>   1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 1998

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                     U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                ----------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                ----------------

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

            DELAWARE                                        33-0248788
 (State or Other Jurisdiction of                         (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)                          Identification No.)

                           5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                ----------------

                                RAYMOND V. THOMAS
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                           5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                                 (619) 546-8877
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                                ----------------

                                   Copies to:

                            KENNETH A. LINHARES, ESQ.
                               FENWICK & WEST LLP
                              TWO PALO ALTO SQUARE
                           PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94306

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===============================================================================================================================
          TITLE OF SECURITIES             AMOUNT TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED    OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE  AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE  REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>               <C>                       <C>                       <C>               
Common Stock, $0.001 par value            1,000,000(1)      $32.375(2)               $32,375,000(2)         $9,550.63(3)
                                                            ----------                -------------         -------------
===============================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  (1)  Shares available for grant under Registrant's 1998 Stock Option Plan and
       not yet subject to awarded outstanding stock options as of February 13,
       1998.

  (2)  Estimated as of February 23, 1998 pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)
       solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.

  (3)  Fee calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
       amended.



<PAGE>   2

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

           PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      The Registrant's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1997, filed on February 17, 1998
                  pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                  1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

         (b)      The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
                  the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with
                  the Commission under Section 12 of the Exchange Act on May 26,
                  1995, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose
                  of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         The validity of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock offered
hereby will be passed upon for the Registrant by Fenwick & West LLP, Palo Alto,
California. Members of the firm of Fenwick & West LLP own an aggregate of
approximately 3,314 shares of Common Stock of the Registrant.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that
eliminates the personal liability of its directors to the Registrant or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director,
except for liability: (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good
faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
(iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or (iv) for any
transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. In
addition, as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
the Bylaws of the Registrant provide that: (i) the Registrant is required to
indemnify its directors and officers, as well as directors and officers of any
other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation
Law; (ii) the Registrant may, in its discretion, indemnify other officers,
employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law; (iii)
upon receipt of an undertaking to repay such advances if indemnification is
determined to be unavailable, the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as
incurred, to its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the
Delaware General Corporation Law in connection with a proceeding (except that
the Registrant is not required to advance expenses to a person against whom it
brings a claim for breach of the duty of loyalty, failure to act in good faith,
intentional misconduct, knowing violation of law or deriving an improper
personal



                                       2
<PAGE>   3
benefit); (iv) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive and the
Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with its
directors, officers and employees and agents; (v) the Registrant may not
retroactively amend the Bylaw provisions in a way that adversely affects the
indemnification provided thereunder.

         The Registrant's policy is to enter into indemnity agreements with each
of its directors and officers. The indemnity agreements provide that directors
and officers will be indemnified and held harmless against all expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties
and settlement amounts paid or reasonably incurred by them in any action, suit
or proceeding, including any derivative action by or in the right of the
Registrant, on account of their services as a director or officer of the
Registrant or as directors or officers of any other corporation, partnership or
enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant; except that no indemnity is provided in a derivative action in which
such director or officer is finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the
Company due to willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the
Company, unless the court determines that such director or officer is entitled
to indemnification. The Registrant will not be obligated pursuant to the
agreements to indemnify or advance expenses to an indemnified party with respect
to proceedings or claims (i) initiated voluntarily by the indemnified party and
not by way of defense, except with respect to a proceeding authorized by the
Board of Directors and successful proceedings brought to enforce a right to
indemnification and/or advancement of expenses under the indemnity agreements;
(ii) for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding unless the Registrant
consents to such settlement; (iii) on account of any suit in which judgment is
rendered against the indemnified party for an accounting of profits made from
the purchase or sale by the indemnified party of securities of the Registrant
pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act and related laws
and regulations; (iv) on account of conduct by an indemnified party that is
finally adjudged to have been in bad faith or conduct that the indemnified party
did not reasonably believe to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of
the Registrant; (v) on account of any criminal action or proceeding arising out
of conduct that the indemnified party had reasonable cause to believe was
unlawful; or (vi) if a final decision by a court having jurisdiction in the
matter shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful.

         The indemnity agreement requires a director or officer to reimburse the
Registrant for expenses advanced only if and to the extent it is ultimately
determined that the director or executive officer is not entitled, under
Delaware law, the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, the Registrant's
Bylaws, his or her indemnity agreement or otherwise to be indemnified for such
expenses. The indemnity agreement provides that it is not exclusive of any
rights a director or executive officer may have under the Certificate of
Incorporation, the Bylaws, other agreements, any majority-in-interest vote of
the stockholders or vote of disinterested directors, Delaware law, or otherwise.

         The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity
agreements entered into between the Registrant and its directors and officers,
may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant's
directors and officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act").

         The indemnity agreements require the Registrant to maintain director
and officer liability insurance to the extent readily available. The Registrant
currently carries a director and officer insurance policy.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

            4.01         HNC Software Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan.



                                       3
<PAGE>   4
            4.02         Form of 1998 Stock Option Plan Stock Option Agreement
                         and Stock Option Exercise Agreement.

            4.03         Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
                         filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on June
                         13, 1996.(1)

            4.04         Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(1)

            4.05         Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common
                         Stock.(2)

            5.01         Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

           23.01         Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit
                         5.01).

           23.02         Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent
                         Accountants.

           24.01         Power of Attorney (see page 7 ).

----------

         (1)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 (Restated Certificate of
                  Incorporation) and Exhibit 3(ii).05 (Bylaws) with the
                  Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
                  1996, as originally filed on August 13, 1996.

         (2)      Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the Company's
                  Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-91932) filed
                  on May 5, 1995, and as subsequently amended.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume
of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than a twenty percent (20%) change
in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or



                                       4
<PAGE>   5
furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6 hereof, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered hereby, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                       5
<PAGE>   6
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Robert L. North and Raymond V. Thomas,
and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full
power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he or it might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on the 25th day
of February 1998.

                              HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                              By: /s/ Raymond V. Thomas
                                 ---------------------------------------------
                                 Raymond V. Thomas
                                 Vice President, Finance and Administration,
                                 Chief Financial Officer and Secretary


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
       SIGNATURE                                          TITLE                                 DATE
    ---------------                                    -----------                           ----------
<S>                                         <C>                                                <C>
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:

/s/ Robert L. North
---------------------------------           President, Chief Executive Officer                February 25, 1998
Robert L. North                             and a Director

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Raymond V. Thomas
---------------------------------           Vice President, Finance and Administration        February 25, 1998
Raymond V. Thomas                           Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ Edward K. Chandler
---------------------------------           Director                                          February 25, 1998
Edward K. Chandler


---------------------------------           Director                                           __________, 1998
Oliver D. Curme


---------------------------------           Director                                           __________, 1998
Thomas F. Farb

/s/ Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
---------------------------------           Director                                          February 25, 1998
Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
</TABLE>



                                       6
<PAGE>   7
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                        EXHIBIT TITLE
-------                                       -------------

4.01            HNC Software Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan.

4.02            Form of 1998 Stock Option Plan Stock Option Agreement and Stock
                Option Exercise Agreement.

4.03            Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with
                the Secretary of State of Delaware on June 13, 1996.(1)

4.04            Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(1)

4.05            Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock.(2)

5.01            Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

23.01           Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

23.02           Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent Accountants.

24.01           Power of Attorney (see page 7 ).

----------

(1)    Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 (Restated Certificate of Incorporation) and
       Exhibit 3(ii).05 (Bylaws) with the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
       quarter ended June 30, 1996, as originally filed on August 13, 1996.

(2)    Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the Company's Registration
       Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-91932) filed on May 5, 1995, and as
       subsequently amended.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 21993}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "HNC SOFTWARE INC/DE", "cik": "0000945093", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "330248788", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-46875", "film-number": "98549340"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5930 CORNERSTONE CT W", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92121-3728", "phone": "6195468877"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5930 CORNERSTONE CT WEST", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92121-3728"}}
1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 1998

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                ----------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                ----------------

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

            DELAWARE                                        33-0248788
 (State or Other Jurisdiction of                         (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)                          Identification No.)

                           5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                ----------------

                                RAYMOND V. THOMAS
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                           5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                                 (619) 546-8877
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                                ----------------

                                   Copies to:

                            KENNETH A. LINHARES, ESQ.
                               FENWICK & WEST LLP
                              TWO PALO ALTO SQUARE
                           PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94306

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================================================================
          TITLE OF SECURITIES             AMOUNT TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED    OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE  AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE  REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $0.001 par value            1,000,000(1)      $32.375(2)               $32,375,000(2)         $9,550.63(3)
                                                            ----------                -------------         -------------
===============================================================================================================================
(1)  Shares available for grant under Registrant's 1998 Stock Option Plan and
       not yet subject to awarded outstanding stock options as of February 13,
       1998.

  (2)  Estimated as of February 23, 1998 pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)
       solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.

  (3)  Fee calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
       amended.
2

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

           PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      The Registrant's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1997, filed on February 17, 1998
                  pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                  1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

         (b)      The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
                  the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with
                  the Commission under Section 12 of the Exchange Act on May 26,
                  1995, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose
                  of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         The validity of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock offered
hereby will be passed upon for the Registrant by Fenwick & West LLP, Palo Alto,
California. Members of the firm of Fenwick & West LLP own an aggregate of
approximately 3,314 shares of Common Stock of the Registrant.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that
eliminates the personal liability of its directors to the Registrant or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director,
except for liability: (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good
faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
(iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or (iv) for any
transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. In
addition, as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
the Bylaws of the Registrant provide that: (i) the Registrant is required to
indemnify its directors and officers, as well as directors and officers of any
other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation
Law; (ii) the Registrant may, in its discretion, indemnify other officers,
employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law; (iii)
upon receipt of an undertaking to repay such advances if indemnification is
determined to be unavailable, the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as
incurred, to its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the
Delaware General Corporation Law in connection with a proceeding (except that
the Registrant is not required to advance expenses to a person against whom it
brings a claim for breach of the duty of loyalty, failure to act in good faith,
intentional misconduct, knowing violation of law or deriving an improper
personal

                                       2
3
benefit); (iv) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive and the
Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with its
directors, officers and employees and agents; (v) the Registrant may not
retroactively amend the Bylaw provisions in a way that adversely affects the
indemnification provided thereunder.

         The Registrant's policy is to enter into indemnity agreements with each
of its directors and officers. The indemnity agreements provide that directors
and officers will be indemnified and held harmless against all expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties
and settlement amounts paid or reasonably incurred by them in any action, suit
or proceeding, including any derivative action by or in the right of the
Registrant, on account of their services as a director or officer of the
Registrant or as directors or officers of any other corporation, partnership or
enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant; except that no indemnity is provided in a derivative action in which
such director or officer is finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the
Company due to willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the
Company, unless the court determines that such director or officer is entitled
to indemnification. The Registrant will not be obligated pursuant to the
agreements to indemnify or advance expenses to an indemnified party with respect
to proceedings or claims (i) initiated voluntarily by the indemnified party and
not by way of defense, except with respect to a proceeding authorized by the
Board of Directors and successful proceedings brought to enforce a right to
indemnification and/or advancement of expenses under the indemnity agreements;
(ii) for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding unless the Registrant
consents to such settlement; (iii) on account of any suit in which judgment is
rendered against the indemnified party for an accounting of profits made from
the purchase or sale by the indemnified party of securities of the Registrant
pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act and related laws
and regulations; (iv) on account of conduct by an indemnified party that is
finally adjudged to have been in bad faith or conduct that the indemnified party
did not reasonably believe to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of
the Registrant; (v) on account of any criminal action or proceeding arising out
of conduct that the indemnified party had reasonable cause to believe was
unlawful; or (vi) if a final decision by a court having jurisdiction in the
matter shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful.

         The indemnity agreement requires a director or officer to reimburse the
Registrant for expenses advanced only if and to the extent it is ultimately
determined that the director or executive officer is not entitled, under
Delaware law, the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, the Registrant's
Bylaws, his or her indemnity agreement or otherwise to be indemnified for such
expenses. The indemnity agreement provides that it is not exclusive of any
rights a director or executive officer may have under the Certificate of
Incorporation, the Bylaws, other agreements, any majority-in-interest vote of
the stockholders or vote of disinterested directors, Delaware law, or otherwise.

         The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity
agreements entered into between the Registrant and its directors and officers,
may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant's
directors and officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act").

         The indemnity agreements require the Registrant to maintain director
and officer liability insurance to the extent readily available. The Registrant
currently carries a director and officer insurance policy.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

            4.01         HNC Software Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan.

                                       3
4
            4.02         Form of 1998 Stock Option Plan Stock Option Agreement
                         and Stock Option Exercise Agreement.

            4.03         Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
                         filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on June
                         13, 1996.(1)

            4.04         Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(1)

            4.05         Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common
                         Stock.(2)

            5.01         Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

           23.01         Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit
                         5.01).

           23.02         Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent
                         Accountants.

           24.01         Power of Attorney (see page 7 ).

----------

         (1)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 (Restated Certificate of
                  Incorporation) and Exhibit 3(ii).05 (Bylaws) with the
                  Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
                  1996, as originally filed on August 13, 1996.

         (2)      Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the Company's
                  Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-91932) filed
                  on May 5, 1995, and as subsequently amended.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume
of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than a twenty percent (20%) change
in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or

                                       4
5
furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6 hereof, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered hereby, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
6
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Robert L. North and Raymond V. Thomas,
and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full
power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he or it might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on the 25th day
of February 1998.

                              HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                              By: /s/ Raymond V. Thomas
                                 ---------------------------------------------
                                 Raymond V. Thomas
                                 Vice President, Finance and Administration,
                                 Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                                          TITLE                                 DATE
    ---------------                                    -----------                           ----------
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:

/s/ Robert L. North
---------------------------------           President, Chief Executive Officer                February 25, 1998
Robert L. North                             and a Director

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Raymond V. Thomas
---------------------------------           Vice President, Finance and Administration        February 25, 1998
Raymond V. Thomas                           Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ Edward K. Chandler
---------------------------------           Director                                          February 25, 1998
Edward K. Chandler

---------------------------------           Director                                           __________, 1998
Oliver D. Curme

---------------------------------           Director                                           __________, 1998
Thomas F. Farb

/s/ Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
---------------------------------           Director                                          February 25, 1998
Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
6
7
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                        EXHIBIT TITLE
-------                                       -------------

4.01            HNC Software Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan.

4.02            Form of 1998 Stock Option Plan Stock Option Agreement and Stock
                Option Exercise Agreement.

4.03            Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with
                the Secretary of State of Delaware on June 13, 1996.(1)

4.04            Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(1)

4.05            Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock.(2)

5.01            Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

23.01           Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

23.02           Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent Accountants.

24.01           Power of Attorney (see page 7 ).

----------

(1)    Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 (Restated Certificate of Incorporation) and
       Exhibit 3(ii).05 (Bylaws) with the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
       quarter ended June 30, 1996, as originally filed on August 13, 1996.

(2)    Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the Company's Registration
       Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-91932) filed on May 5, 1995, and as
       subsequently amended.