Gamification of renter's/homeowner's insurance products

• US 10,262,375 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Howard, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Lalita M
• Application Number:
  US15/208,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Techniques for providing information related to insurance services solicit interaction from a user (e.g., during video game play). The solicited interaction identifies a real property. A virtual environment gaming landscape is generated. The gaming landscape includes a virtual representation of the identified real property. Additional interaction from the user with the virtual environment gaming landscape is solicited. A risk assessment related to the identified real property is performed based on user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual environment gaming landscape. A recommendation regarding one or more services is provided based on the performed risk assessment.

Claims

1. A method for providing information related to insurance services, the method comprising:

receiving user input identifying a real property;

generating, by a processor, a virtual environment gaming landscape on a display comprising a virtual representation of a geo-spatial floor layout corresponding to the identified real property;

soliciting, by the processor, interaction on the display from the user with the virtual environment gaming landscape;

performing, by the processor, a risk assessment related to the identified real property based on user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual environment gaming landscape; and

providing, by the processor, a recommendation regarding one or more services based on the performed risk assessment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a virtual environment gaming landscape further comprises obtaining, by the processor, data for the identified real property from a third party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment gaming landscape further comprises a plurality of avatars and a plurality of objects capable of being interacted with the plurality of avatars and wherein the user is represented by an avatar in the virtual environment gaming landscape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment gaming landscape enables the user to modify the virtual representation of geo-spatial floor layout corresponding to the identified real property.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects represent a plurality of personal property objects associated with the identified real property.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more services includes at least one of homeowner'"'"'s insurance services, renter'"'"'s insurance services, personal automobile insurance services, umbrella liability insurance services, valuable personal property insurance services, boat insurance services and snowmobile insurance services.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing, by the processor, an educational tutorial to the user regarding the one or more recommended services within the virtual environment gaming landscape.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of personal property objects comprise a plurality of household appliances and wherein the provided recommendation is related to energy efficiency and conservation.

9. A computer system for providing information related to insurance services, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions;

a processor disposed in communication with the memory, wherein the processor upon execution of the instructions is configured to;

receive user input identifying a real property;

generate a virtual environment gaming landscape on a display comprising a virtual representation of a geo-spatial floor layout corresponding to the identified real property;

solicit interaction from the user on the display with the virtual environment gaming landscape;

perform a risk assessment related to the identified real property based on user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual environment gaming landscape; and

provide a recommendation regarding one or more services based on the performed risk assessment.

10. The computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein performing a risk assessment includes analysis of the user input to determine mitigatable items situated in the vicinity of the identified real property such that the mitigatable items can be removed or modified to reduce a risk of natural hazards associated with the identified real property.

11. The computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein the virtual environment gaming landscape comprises a plurality of avatars and a plurality of objects capable of being interacted with the plurality of avatars and wherein the user is represented by an avatar in the virtual environment gaming landscape.

12. The computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an educational tutorial to the user regarding the one or more recommended services within the virtual environment gaming landscape and configured to determine user'"'"'s completion progress with respect to the provided educational tutorial.

13. The computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein performing a risk assessment further includes analysis of the user input to determine monetary values of a plurality of characteristics associated with the identified real property and wherein the plurality of characteristics are indicative of the identified real property'"'"'s overall monetary value.