Application facilitated claims damage estimation

• US 10,580,075 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• 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., Koza, Daniel, Loo, William, Marlow, Clint J., Ramirez, Philip Peter, Stricker, Kurt M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US14/063,570
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4, 705 35- 40
• 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 user computing device and from a claims processing server, a first Internet link to a web site displaying one or more photos;

retrieving, by the user computing device and responsive to receiving the first Internet link, one or more photos related to damage of an insured item;

generating, via one or more user interface elements associated with an application and displayed on a display screen of the user computing device, data comprising a three-dimensional view of the damage to the insured item or a panoramic view of the damage to the insured item;

transmitting, by the user computing device, the one or more photos and the data to an enhanced claims processing server;

receiving, by the user computing device, a signal to lock the one or more user interface elements displayed on the display screen of the user computing device;

locking, by the user computing device and in response to receiving the signal, the one or more user interface elements displayed on the display screen;

receiving, by the user computing device, a request for additional data related to the damage of the insured item;

unlocking, by the user computing device, and responsive to receiving the request for additional data, one or more locked user interface elements displayed on the display screen;

receiving, by the user computing device, a user selection of a first user interface element of the one or more unlocked user interface elements;

generating, by the user computing device and via the first user interface element, the additional data; and

transmitting, by the user computing device, the additional data to the enhanced claims processing server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for additional data is received from the claims processing server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal to unlock one or more locked user interface elements of the application comprises a signal to unlock locked user interface elements that correspond to the additional data.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving, by the user computing device, a message that comprises instructions about the additional data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the message includes a user-selectable button identifying the first user interface element.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the additional data comprises one or more images.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, by the user computing device, a signal to re-lock one or more user interface elements of the application used to submit the additional data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of images, or video that depict the damage to the insured item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one of images, or video include three-dimensional and panoramic views of a location of an accident.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the user computing device, a certification that the damage to the insured item depicted in the data received from the application corresponds to damage from a most recent accident.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a login screen on the display screen of the user computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a summary of all claims initiated by the user on the display screen of the user computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the summary includes active claims currently being reviewed by the enhanced claims processing server and completed claims that have already been reviewed by the enhanced claims processing server.

14. A system comprising:

an insured vehicle, wherein the insured vehicle comprises a damaged portion; and

a first computing device communicatively connected to the insured vehicle and comprising;

a display screen;

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first computing device to;

receive, from a claims processing server, a first Internet link to a web site displaying one or more photos;

retrieve, responsive to receiving the first Internet link, one or more photos related to damage of an insured item;

capture, via one or more user interface elements associated with an application and displayed on the display screen, data comprising a three-dimensional view of the damaged portion of the insured item or a panoramic view of the damaged portion of the insured item;

transmit the data and the one or more photos to an enhanced claims processing server;

receive a signal to lock the one or more user interface elements displayed on the display screen of the first computing device;

lock, in response to receiving the signal, the one or more user interface elements;

receive a request for additional data related to the damaged portion;

unlock, responsive to receiving the request for additional data, one or more locked user interface elements displayed on the display screen;

receive a user selection of a first user interface element of the one or more unlocked user interface elements;

generate, via the first user interface element, the additional data; and

transmit the additional data to the claims processing server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first computing device to:

generate the additional data via the one or more user interface elements.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory further stores computer-readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the first computing device to:

receive a second signal to unlock the one or more locked user interface elements; and

responsive to receiving the second signal, unlock the one or more locked user interface elements.

17. A computing device comprising:

a display screen;

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

receive, from a claims processing server, a first Internet link to a web site displaying one or more photos;

retrieve, responsive to receiving the first Internet link, one or more photos related to damage of an insured item;

capture, via one or more user interface elements displayed on the display screen and associated with an application executing on the computing device, data comprising a three-dimensional view of the damage of the insured item or a panoramic view of the damage of the insured item;

transmit the data and the one or more photos to an enhanced claims processing server;

receive a first signal to lock the user interface element; and

lock the user interface element responsive to receiving the first signal;

receive a request for additional data related to the damaged portion;

unlock, responsive to receiving the request for additional data, one or more locked user interface elements displayed on the display screen;

receive a user selection of a first user interface element of the one or more unlocked user interface elements;

generate, via the first user interface element, the additional data; and

transmit the additional data to the claims processing server.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

receive a second signal to unlock the one or more locked user interface elements.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein memory further stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

unlock the one or more locked user interface elements responsive to receiving the second signal.