Communication of insurance claim data

• US 10,445,835 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanson, Randall Martin, Upadhyaya, Raj Albert, Gangaram, Srinivas Reddy, Wales, Erika Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Linh Giang
• Application Number:
  US14/286,361
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Aspects of the invention include methods and systems for a vehicle insurance claim management application which improves communication and streamline tasks between a vehicle repair shop and an insurance company system in three general task groups: assignment (comprising work requests, estimates/photos, and reinspections), financial management, and performance measurement. Aspects of the invention also provide interoperability with different types of estimating systems that do not necessarily follow an industry standard. This interoperability is provided through an adapter module with a claim processing system to communicate with the insurance company system and the vehicle insurance claim management application. The invention is preferably accessed by a user over a computer network such as the Internet, from a remote location such as a vehicle repair shop.

Claims

1. An insurance claim system for improved interoperability between an insurance company data server and a vehicle repair estimating system, the system comprising:

a work request that includes a set of assignment data with information about a customer, a corresponding vehicle, and a corresponding loss with the vehicle;

an insurance company data server comprising at least one computer processor and a user interface coupled to a network, wherein the user interface includes an assignment user interface and an authentication user interface to enable the customer to enter a user name and a password;

a vehicle repair estimating system having at least one computer processor and interconnected with the insurance company data server via the network, the vehicle repair estimating system located on a premises of a vehicle repair shop and the vehicle repair estimating system creates a repair estimate, wherein the repair estimate includes a set of estimate data and an image of the corresponding loss and damage of the vehicle; and

a vehicle insurance claim management application operating on the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system and executing a specific sequence of steps with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system that causes the insurance claim system to;

receive the work request and the set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface;

translate and change the set of assignment data into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the set of assignment data;

transfer the translated and encrypted set of assignment data to the vehicle repair estimating system;

receive the repair estimate with the set of estimate data and the image from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the repair estimate with the set of estimate data and the image includes information about the repair estimate for the loss of the vehicle, and further wherein the repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application;

translate and change the set of estimate data and the image into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the set of estimate data and the image;

analyze and audit the set of estimate data for compliance with a set of contract-based conditions;

provide real-time updates between the vehicle insurance claim management application and the vehicle repair estimating system when one or more of the assignment data or the estimate data changes;

transmit and communicate, over the Internet to the vehicle insurance claim management application and displayed on the user interface, the real-time updates of changes to one or more of the assignment data or the estimate data; and

based on the translation and the review of the set of estimate data, transfer and communicate the translated and encrypted set of estimate data to insurance company data server.

2. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

receive a second set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface, wherein the second set of assignment data includes information about a second customer, a corresponding second vehicle, and a corresponding second loss with the second vehicle;

translate and change the second set of assignment data into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the second set of assignment data;

transfer the translated and encrypted second set of assignment data to the vehicle repair estimating system;

receive a second set of estimate data and a second image of the corresponding second loss and damage of the second vehicle from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the second set of estimate data and the second image includes information about a second repair estimate for the second loss of the second vehicle, and further wherein the second repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application; and

translate and change the second set of estimate data and the second image into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the second set of estimate data and the second image.

3. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

store and provide payment status information for the set of assignment data.

4. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

store and provide one or more performance metrics for the vehicle repair facility as compared to other vehicle repair facilities.

5. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the insurance company data server is coupled to a web server through which users interact with the vehicle insurance claim management application and the insurance claim system.

6. The insurance claim system of claim 5, wherein the web server includes a claim processing system used to store the set of assignment data for further processing.

7. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provide a timeline indicating a plurality of milestone dates corresponding to a vehicle work request.

8. The insurance claim system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provides an interactive calendar through which the vehicle repair shop schedules repair of a vehicle corresponding to a vehicle work request.

9. An insurance claim system for improved interoperability between an insurance company data server and a vehicle repair estimating system, the system comprising:

a first work request that includes a first set of assignment data with information about a first customer, a corresponding first vehicle, and a corresponding first loss with the first vehicle;

a second work request that includes a second set of assignment data with information about a second customer, a corresponding second vehicle, and a corresponding second loss with the second vehicle;

an insurance company data server comprising at least one computer processor and a user interface and coupled to a network, wherein the user interface includes an assignment user interface and an authentication user interface to enable the customer to enter a user name and a password;

a vehicle repair estimating system having at least one computer processor and interconnected with the insurance company data server via the network, the vehicle repair estimating system located on a premises of a vehicle repair shop and the vehicle repair estimating system creates a repair estimate; and

a vehicle insurance claim management application operating on the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system and executing a specific sequence of steps with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system that causes the insurance claim system to;

receive the first work request and the first set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface;

receive the second work request and the second set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface;

translate and change the first set and the second set of assignment data into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the first set and the second set of assignment data;

transfer the translated and encrypted first set and the second set of assignment data to the vehicle repair estimating system;

receive a first set of estimate data from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the first set of estimate data includes a first image and information about a first repair estimate for the first loss of the first vehicle, and further wherein the first repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application;

receive a second set of estimate data from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the second set of estimate data includes a second image and information about a second repair estimate for the second loss of the second vehicle, and further wherein the second repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application;

translate and change the first set and the second set of estimate data, the first image, and the second image into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the first set and the second set of estimate data, the first image, and the second image;

analyze and audit the first set and the second set of estimate data for compliance with a set of contract-based conditions;

provide real-time updates between the vehicle insurance claim management application and the vehicle repair estimating system when one or more of the assignment data, the first set of estimate data, or the second set of estimate data changes;

transmit and communicate, over the Internet to the vehicle insurance claim management application and displayed on the user interface, the real-time updates of changes to one or more of the assignment data, the first set of estimate data, or the second set of estimate data; and

based on the translation and the review of the first set and the second set of estimate data, transfer and communicate the translated and encrypted first set and the second set of estimate data, the first image, and the second image to the insurance company data server,

and further wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application provides interoperability between the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system.

10. The insurance claim system claim 9, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provide a timeline indicating a plurality of milestone dates corresponding to a vehicle work request.

11. The insurance claim system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provide an interactive calendar through which the vehicle repair shop schedules repair of a vehicle corresponding to a vehicle work request.

12. The insurance claim system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

store and provide a performance metric for the vehicle repair shop as compared to other vehicle repair shops.

13. The insurance claim system of claim 9, wherein the insurance company data server is coupled to a web server through which users interact with the vehicle insurance claim management application and the insurance claim system.

14. The insurance claim system of claim 13, wherein the web server includes a claim processing system used to store the set of assignment data for further processing.

15. An insurance claim system for improved interoperability between an insurance company data server and a vehicle repair estimating system, the system comprising:

a work request that includes a set of assignment data with information about a customer, a corresponding vehicle, and a corresponding loss with the vehicle;

an insurance company data server comprising at least one computer processor and a user interface and coupled to a network, wherein the user interface includes an assignment user interface and an authentication user interface to enable the customer to enter a user name and a password;

a vehicle repair estimating system having at least one computer processor and interconnected with the insurance company data server via the network, the vehicle repair estimating system located on a premises of a vehicle repair shop and the vehicle repair estimating system creates a repair estimate, wherein the repair estimate includes with a set of estimate data and an image of the corresponding loss and damage of the vehicle;

a vehicle insurance claim management application operating on the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system and executing a specific sequence of steps with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system that causes the insurance claim system to;

receive the work request and the set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface, wherein the set of assignment data includes information about a customer, a corresponding vehicle, and a corresponding loss with the vehicle;

translate and change the set of assignment data into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the set of assignment data;

transfer the translated and encrypted set of assignment data to the vehicle repair estimating system;

receive the set of estimate data and the image from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the set of estimate data and the image includes information about the repair estimate for the loss of the vehicle, wherein the repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application;

translate and change the set of estimate data and the image into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the set of estimate data and the image;

analyze and audit the set of estimate data for compliance with a set of contract-based conditions;

based on the translation and the review of the set of estimate data, transfer and communicate the translated and encrypted set of estimate data and the image to the insurance company data server;

receive a set of reinspection data from the insurance company data server;

review the set of reinspection data;

update and change the set of estimate data based on the set of reinspection data;

provide real-time updates between the vehicle insurance claim management application and the vehicle repair estimating system when one or more of the assignment data or the estimate data changes; and

transmit and communicate, over the Internet to the vehicle insurance claim management application and displayed on the user interface, the real-time updates of changes to one or more of the assignment data or the estimate data; and

a web server coupled to and in communication with the insurance company data server through which users interact with the vehicle insurance claim management application and the insurance claim system,

and further wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application provides interoperability between the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system.

16. The insurance claim system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

receive a second set of assignment data from the insurance company data server via the assignment user interface, wherein the second set of assignment data includes information about a second customer, a corresponding second vehicle, and a corresponding second loss with the second vehicle;

translate and change the second set of assignment data into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the second set of assignment data;

transfer the translated and encrypted second set of assignment data to the vehicle repair estimating system;

receive a second set of estimate data and a second image of the corresponding second loss and damage of the second vehicle from the vehicle repair estimating system, wherein the second set of estimate data and the second image includes information about a second repair estimate for the second loss of the second vehicle, wherein the second repair estimate is uploaded from the vehicle repair estimating system to the vehicle insurance claim management application; and

translate and change the second set of estimate data and the second image into a format accepted by the vehicle insurance claim management application, wherein the translating includes encrypting the second set of estimate data and the second image.

17. The insurance claim system of claim 15, wherein the web server includes a claim processing system used to store the set of assignment data for further processing.

18. The insurance claim system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provide a timeline indicating a plurality of milestone dates corresponding to a vehicle work request.

19. The insurance claim system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

provide an interactive calendar through which the vehicle repair shop schedules repair of a vehicle corresponding to a vehicle work request.

20. The insurance claim system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle insurance claim management application in communication with the insurance company data server and the vehicle repair estimating system causes the insurance claim system further to:

store and provide a performance metric for the vehicle repair shop as compared to other vehicle repair shops, wherein the performance metric includes a tier level and a ranking.