<PAGE>   1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 15, 1999

                                                      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)

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

                           5935 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                  NON-QUALIFIED
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

                            (Full Title of the Plan)


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


                                RAYMOND V. THOMAS
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                           5935 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.
                             WILLIAM L. HUGHES, 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     AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE   REGISTRATION FEE
                                                                    SHARE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                        <C>               <C>                    <C>
Common Stock, $0.001 par value             250,000 (1)        $23.00 (2)                    $5,750,000          $1,599 (3)
================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  (1) Represents 250,000 shares subject to an awarded outstanding stock option.

  (2) Per share exercise price for such stock option determined pursuant to Rule
      457(h)(1).

  (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 latest annual report filed pursuant to Section
              13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
              (the "Exchange Act") or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to
              Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
              "Securities Act") that contains audited financial statements for
              the Registrant's latest fiscal year for which such statements have
              been filed;

         (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
              Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
              annual report or prospectus referred to in (a) above; and

         (c)  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 offered 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 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.

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, of Palo
Alto, California. Members of the firm of Fenwick & West LLP own an aggregate of
approximately 4,000 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.


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

         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 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; and (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.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

         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.

         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 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

               4.01      Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated
                         March 19, 1999, between Registrant and Ward Carey.

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

               4.03      Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(2)

               4.04      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common
                         Stock.(3)

               5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

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

              23.02      Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent
                         Accountants.

              24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 6).

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

         (1)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 with the Registrant's Quarterly
                  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1996.

         (2)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).01 with the Registrant's Quarterly
                  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1998, as
                  amended.

         (3)      Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the
                  Registrant'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 of 1933;


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                  (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 and 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 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 furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.

         (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, 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 of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934) 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 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 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 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 (the "Registration Statement"), and
to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the
Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule
462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments
thereto, 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 15th day
of October, 1999.

                                         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                 October 15, 1999
------------------------------------        and a Director
Robert L. North

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER:

/s/ Raymond V. Thomas                       Vice President, Finance and Administration         October 15, 1999
------------------------------------        Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Raymond V. Thomas

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Kenneth J. Saunders                     Vice President, Corporate Controller               October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Kenneth J. Saunders

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ Edward K. Chandler                      Director                                           October 13, 1999
------------------------------------
Edward K. Chandler

/s/ Thomas F. Farb                          Director                                           October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Thomas F. Farb

/s/ Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.                 Director                                           October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.

/s/ Alex W. Hart                            Director                                           October 12, 1999
------------------------------------
Alex W. Hart
</TABLE>


                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                              EXHIBIT TITLE
-------                             -------------
<S>            <C>
4.01           Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated March 19,
               1999, between Registrant and Ward Carey.

5.01           Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

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

23.02          Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants.

24.01          Power of Attorney (see page 6).
</TABLE>


                                      -7-
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 22349}]
{"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": "333-89165", "film-number": "99729451"}, "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 October 15, 1999

                                                      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.)
5935 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121-3728
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                  NON-QUALIFIED
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

                            (Full Title of the Plan)

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

                                RAYMOND V. THOMAS
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                           5935 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.
                             WILLIAM L. HUGHES, 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     AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE   REGISTRATION FEE
                                                                    SHARE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $0.001 par value             250,000 (1)        $23.00 (2)                    $5,750,000          $1,599 (3)
================================================================================================================================
(1) Represents 250,000 shares subject to an awarded outstanding stock option.

  (2) Per share exercise price for such stock option determined pursuant to Rule
      457(h)(1).

  (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 latest annual report filed pursuant to Section
              13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
              (the "Exchange Act") or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to
              Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
              "Securities Act") that contains audited financial statements for
              the Registrant's latest fiscal year for which such statements have
              been filed;

         (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
              Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
              annual report or prospectus referred to in (a) above; and

         (c)  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 offered 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 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.

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, of Palo
Alto, California. Members of the firm of Fenwick & West LLP own an aggregate of
approximately 4,000 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.

                                      -2-
3

         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 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; and (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.

                                      -3-
4

         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.

         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 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

               4.01      Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated
                         March 19, 1999, between Registrant and Ward Carey.

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

               4.03      Registrant's Bylaws, as amended.(2)

               4.04      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common
                         Stock.(3)

               5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

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

              23.02      Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent
                         Accountants.

              24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 6).

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

         (1)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).04 with the Registrant's Quarterly
                  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1996.

         (2)      Filed as Exhibit 3(i).01 with the Registrant's Quarterly
                  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1998, as
                  amended.

         (3)      Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.01 to the
                  Registrant'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 of 1933;

                                      -4-
5

                  (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 and 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 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 furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.

         (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, 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 of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934) 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 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 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 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 (the "Registration Statement"), and
to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the
Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule
462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments
thereto, 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 15th day
of October, 1999.

                                         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                 October 15, 1999
------------------------------------        and a Director
Robert L. North

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER:

/s/ Raymond V. Thomas                       Vice President, Finance and Administration         October 15, 1999
------------------------------------        Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Raymond V. Thomas

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Kenneth J. Saunders                     Vice President, Corporate Controller               October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Kenneth J. Saunders

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ Edward K. Chandler                      Director                                           October 13, 1999
------------------------------------
Edward K. Chandler

/s/ Thomas F. Farb                          Director                                           October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Thomas F. Farb

/s/ Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.                 Director                                           October 15, 1999
------------------------------------
Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.

/s/ Alex W. Hart                            Director                                           October 12, 1999
------------------------------------
Alex W. Hart
-6-
7

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                              EXHIBIT TITLE
-------                             -------------
4.01           Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated March 19,
               1999, between Registrant and Ward Carey.

5.01           Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

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

23.02          Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants.

24.01          Power of Attorney (see page 6).
-7-