Enhanced claims damage estimation using aggregate display

• US 10,552,913 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Brandmaier, Jennifer A., Faga, Mark E., Johnson, Robert H., Ramirez, Philip Peter, Stricker, Kurt M., Campbell, Joshua E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Liz P
• Application Number:
  US14/671,617
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage to process claims associated with an insured item, such as a vehicle. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a user device (e.g., a mobile device). The enhanced claims processing server may submit a signal that locks one or more portions of an application on the mobile device used to submit the photos/videos. The mobile device may receive feedback from the server regarding the acceptability of submitted photos/video. The photos may further be annotated using, for example, a touch screen display. An estimate, such as a cost estimate, may be determined for the damage associated with the insured item based on the photos and/or annotations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a claims processing device comprising a display and a touch-screen interface, instruction data indicating a portion of an insured item associated with an insurance claim;

displaying, at the display, a graphical visual aid, generated based on the instruction data, comprising at least one visual marker indicating a positioning of the claims processing device relative to the insured item;

automatically capturing, by the claims processing device and when the claims processing device is in the position indicated by the graphical visual aid, an image of the portion of the insured item indicated in the instruction data;

receiving, via the touch-screen interface, first input at the image identifying a location on the image at which to place an annotation that indicates damage to the portion of the insured item;

displaying, at the display, the annotation on the image at the location identified;

receiving, via the touch-screen interface, second input at the annotation displayed on the image;

displaying, at the display in response to receipt of the second input, a plurality of selectable damage descriptors proximate to the annotation, each selectable damage descriptor identifying at least one damage severity level available for selection;

receiving, via the touch-screen interface, third input selecting one of the plurality of selectable damage descriptors to associate with the annotation;

receiving estimate data for the annotation, wherein the estimate data is based on the selected damage descriptor;

querying a database associated with a remote server to determine cost information for the annotation based on the estimate data;

receiving, from the remote server and based on the cost information, estimated cost information, wherein the estimated cost information is determined based on at least one of;

inflation between a date associated with the cost information and a current date;

a make, model, and year of manufacture of insured item;

or

a difference between the damage to the portion of the insured item and damage associated with an item on which the cost information is based;

receiving, via the touch-screen interface, fourth input indicating a request to view information associated with the annotation; and

displaying, at the display in response to receipt of the fourth input, the estimated cost information.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, via the touch-screen interface, a clone annotation of the image wherein the clone annotation is linked to the annotation of the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the annotation is associated with the image based on the clone annotation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

both the annotation and the clone annotation indicate the damage to the portion of the insured item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the insured item comprises a vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the estimated cost information comprises an estimated number of labor hours to either repair the damage to the portion of the insured item depicted in the image or replace the portion of the insured item depicted in the image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the estimated cost information further comprises a type of labor for either repairing the damage to the portion of the insured item depicted in the image or replacing the portion of the insured item depicted in the image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the image is one of a plurality of images captured by the claims processing device wherein each image of the plurality of images depict damage to a particular portion of the insured item; and

the annotation is one of a plurality of annotations received at the claims processing device wherein each annotation of the plurality of annotations indicates the damage to the particular portion of the insured item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the estimated cost information comprises a respective estimated cost for each annotation of the plurality of annotations to obtain a plurality of estimated costs.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an aggregate estimated cost based on the plurality of estimated costs; and

displaying, at the display of the claims processing device, the aggregate estimated cost.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the image further comprises receiving a plurality of images depicting the damage from a plurality of angles.

11. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a touch-screen display; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more of the processors, cause the apparatus to;

receive instruction data indicating a portion of an insured item associated with an insurance claim,

display, at the touch-screen display, a graphical visual aid, generated based on the instruction data, comprising at least one visual marker indicating a positioning of the claims processing device relative to the insured item,

automatically capturing, by the claims processing device and when the claims processing device is in the position indicated by the graphical visual aid, an image of the portion of the insured item indicated in the instruction data,

receive, via a touch-screen interface, first input at the image identifying a location on the image at which to place an annotation that indicates damage to the portion of the insured item,

display, at the touch-screen display, the annotation on the image at the location identified,

receive, via the touch-screen interface, second input at the annotation displayed on the image,

displaying, at the touch-screen display in response to receipt of the second input, a plurality of selectable damage descriptors proximate to the annotation, each selectable damage descriptor identifying a damage severity level of a plurality of damage severity levels available for selection,

receive, via the touch-screen interface, third input selecting one of the plurality of selectable damage descriptors,

receive estimate data for the annotation, wherein the estimate data is based on the selected damage descriptor,

query a database associated with a remote server to determine cost information for the annotation based on the estimate data,

receive, from the remote server and based on the cost information, estimated cost information, wherein the estimated cost information is determined based on at least one of;

inflation between a date associated with the cost information and a current date;

a make, model, and year of manufacture of insured item;

or

a difference between the damage to the portion of the insured item and damage associated with an item on which the cost information is based;

receive, via the touch-screen interface, fourth input indicating a request to view information associated with the annotation; and

display, at the touch-screen display in response to receipt of the fourth input, the estimated cost information for the annotation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more of the processors, further cause the apparatus to receive, via the touch-screen interface, a clone annotation of the image wherein the clone annotation is linked to the annotation of the image.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the annotation is associated with the image based on the clone annotation.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

both the annotation and the clone annotation indicate the damage to the portion of the insured item.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the insured item comprises a vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the estimated cost information comprises an estimated number of labor hours to either repair the damage to the portion of the insured item depicted in the image or replace the portion of the insured item depicted in the image.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the estimated cost information further comprises a type of labor for either repairing the damage to the portion of the insured item depicted in the image or replacing the portion of the insured item depicted in the image.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the image is one of a plurality of images captured by the apparatus wherein each image of the plurality of images depict damage to a particular portion of the insured item; and

the annotation is one of a plurality of annotations received at the claims processing device wherein each annotation of the plurality of annotations indicates the damage to the particular portion of the insured item.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more of the processors, further cause the apparatus to receive a respective estimated cost for each annotation of the plurality of annotations to obtain a plurality of estimated costs.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more of the processors, further cause the apparatus to;

receive an aggregate estimated cost based on the plurality of estimated costs, and

display the aggregate estimated cost at the touch-screen display.