Methods and structure for insurance industry workflow processing

• US 20040128182A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company
• Original Assignee: Westport Insurance Corp. (Canada) (Swiss Re AG)
• Inventors: Pepoon, Francesca Miller, Throop, Robert Jack, Kommineni, Aruna Babu, Francisco, Andrea M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Methods and structure for automated insurance workflow processing. Methods include receipt of a document to be entered into the workflow processing system. The document is either received initially in digital form or is digitized into a digital form for further processing in the workflow system. Subsequent flow of the document through various review processes of the insurance entity is in electronic form. Interaction with third parties including individual agents, agencies and underwriters may also be conducted in digitized, electronic form. The workflow processes and systems automatically may generate a sequence of tasks to be performed associated with a new document entered in the system and may track progress of the tasks. A central may database maintain information regarding all such tasks and documents.

Claims

1. A method for insurance automated workflow comprising the steps of:

receiving a document to be reviewed for insurance processing;

automatically generating a sequence of tasks to be completed corresponding to processing of said document;

entering information regarding said document and information regarding said sequence of tasks in a central database;

forwarding each task of said sequence of tasks to a select insurance review entity; and

automatically updating information in said central database in response to completion of said each task.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving a paper copy of said document; and

scanning said paper copy to produce a digitized version thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving said document as a facsimile transmission; and

applying a security filter to verify the transmitting facsimile machine as an authorized source for said document.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving said document as an e-mail message; and

applying a security filter to verify the e-mail sender as an authorized source for said document.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

repeating the steps of forwarding and automatically updating in response to completion of each task

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

associating a role attribute with each insurance review entity of a plurality of insurance review entities,

wherein the step of generating a sequence of tasks includes the step of;

associating a role attribute with said each task, and

wherein the step of forwarding includes the step of;

selecting said select insurance review entity from among said plurality of insurance review entities in accord with the role attribute of said select insurance review entity and the role attribute of said each task.

7. The method of claim 6

wherein each task of said sequence of tasks comprises one of:

Review Document Task, New Appointment Task, License Copy Task, Initiate Background Investigation Task, Check Background Results Task, Review Background Results Task, Quality Check Task, Verify PIN Approval Task, Submit Appointment Paperwork Task, Verify Paper Approval Task, and Terminate Appointment Task, and

wherein said plurality of roles comprises one or more of Licensing Reviewer, Legal Reviewer and Data Entry Reviewer, and

wherein the step of selecting comprises the steps of;

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Licensing Reviewer for tasks including;

Review Document Task, Check Background Results Task, Quality Check Task, Submit Appointment Paperwork Task, and Verify Paper Approval Task;

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Data Entry Reviewer for tasks including;

New Appointment Task, License Copy Task, Initiate Background Investigation Task, Verify PIN Approval Task, and Terminate Appointment Task; and

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Legal Reviewer for the Review Background Results Task.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks includes the step of generating a Review Document Task as a first task of said sequence of tasks.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein information in said central database includes status of each task of said sequence of tasks and wherein tasks of said sequence of tasks that follow said first task must await a Completed status to be associated with said first task in said central database.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

receiving acceptance of said Review Document Task by said select reviewer entity;

presenting said document on a display for review of said document by said select insurance reviewing entity; and

updating the status associated with said Review Document Task in response to input from said select reviewer entity.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of updating includes the steps of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating successful completion of said Review Document Task; and

updating the status information associated with said Review Document Task to reflect said Completion status.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks includes the step of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating completion of the Review Document Task; and

automatically generating a next task in response to said completion.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks further includes the steps of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating completion of each task;

automatically generating another task in response to said completion of said each task; and

repeating the steps of receiving input indicating completion of said each task and generating said another task until all tasks are completed for processing of said document.

14. An automated insurance workflow system comprising:

a document management component to store and retrieve received documents associated with insurance licensing and appointment procedures;

a task control component to generate and monitor workflow tasks associated with said insurance licensing and appointment procedures;

a central database for storing information relating to said documents and information relating to said workflow tasks;

an insurance user interface component for enabling interaction between the system with users within a corresponding insurance entity wherein said interaction relates to said documents and relates to said workflow tasks and relates to said central database; and

an outside user interface component for enabling interaction between the system and outside users not within said corresponding insurance entity wherein said interaction relates to said documents and relates to said workflow tasks and relates to said central database.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said insurance user interface comprises:

a display communicatively coupled to said system for presenting to said insurance user information relating to said documents and information relating to said tasks and information relating to said central database; and

a user input device communicatively coupled to said system for enabling said insurance user to update said information in said central database.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said outside user interface comprises:

a display communicatively coupled to said system for presenting to said outside user information relating to said central database; and

a user input device communicatively coupled to said system for enabling said outside user to provide further information to said insurance user.

17. A method of exchanging information between an insurance entity and another entity comprising the steps of:

electronically receiving information from said another entity regarding insurance licensing and appointment procedures;

automatically reviewing said information using an automated workflow processing system within said insurance entity; and

electronically providing said another entity with required information regarding said insurance licensing and appointment procedures.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said another entity is an underwriter associated with said insurance entity.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said another entity is an agent associated with said insurance entity.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of electronically receiving includes the step of:

receiving said information as an electronic transmission from said another entity.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of electronically receiving includes the step of:

receiving said information as a paper transmission from said another entity; and

digitizing said paper transmission to generate an electronic form of said information

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of reviewing includes the step of:

reviewing licensing information regarding said another entity.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of electronically providing includes the step of:

electronically providing appointment information to said another entity.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of reviewing information includes the steps of:

reviewing a document received from said another entity; and

generating at least one additional task within said workflow processing system in accordance with results of reviewing said document.

25. A method of communicating information with an insurance entity comprising the steps of:

electronically submitting required information regarding licensing and appointment;

receiving electronic requests from said insurance entity for additional information;

electronically submitting said additional information to said insurance company; and

receiving electronic appointment information from said insurance entity to authorize a transaction.

26. A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying program instructions for a method for insurance automated workflow, the, method comprising the steps of:

receiving a document to be reviewed for insurance processing;

automatically generating a sequence of tasks to be completed corresponding to processing of said document;

entering information regarding said document and information regarding said sequence of tasks in a central database;

forwarding each task of said sequence of tasks to a select insurance review entity; and

automatically updating information in said central database in response to completion of said each task.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving a paper copy of said document; and

scanning said paper copy to produce a digitized version thereof.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving said document as a facsimile transmission; and

applying a security filter to verify the transmitting facsimile machine as an authorized source for said document.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving said document as an e-mail message; and

applying a security filter to verify the e-mail sender as an authorized source for said document.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

repeating the steps of forwarding and automatically updating in response to completion of each task

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

associating a role attribute with each insurance review entity of a plurality of insurance review entities,

wherein the step of generating a sequence of tasks includes the step of;

associating a role attribute with said each task, and

wherein the step of forwarding includes the step of;

selecting said select insurance review entity from among said plurality of insurance review entities in accord with the role attribute of said select insurance review entity and the role attribute of said each task.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 31

wherein each task of said sequence of tasks comprises one of:

Review Document Task, New Appointment Task, License Copy Task, Initiate Background Investigation Task, Check Background Results Task, Review Background Results Task, Quality Check Task, Verify PIN Approval Task, Submit Appointment Paperwork Task, Verify Paper Approval Task, and Terminate Appointment Task, and

wherein said plurality of roles comprises one or more of Licensing Reviewer, Legal Reviewer and Data Entry Reviewer, and

wherein the step of selecting comprises the steps of;

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Licensing Reviewer for tasks including;

Review Document Task, Check Background Results Task, Quality Check Task, Submit Appointment Paperwork Task, and Verify Paper Approval Task;

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Data Entry Reviewer for tasks including;

New Appointment Task, License Copy Task, Initiate Background Investigation Task, Verify PIN Approval Task, and Terminate Appointment Task; and

selecting said select insurance review entity as one having an associated role attribute of Legal Reviewer for the Review Background Results Task.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks includes the step of generating a Review Document Task as a first task of said sequence of tasks.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein information in said central database includes status of each task of said sequence of tasks and wherein tasks of said sequence of tasks that follow said first task must await a Completed status to be associated with said first task in said central database.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 34 further comprising the steps of:

receiving acceptance of said Review Document Task by said select reviewer entity;

presenting said document on a display for review of said document by said select insurance reviewing entity; and

updating the status associated with said Review Document Task in response to input from said select reviewer entity.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35 wherein the step of updating includes the steps of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating successful completion of said Review Document Task; and

updating the status information associated with said Review Document Task to reflect said Completion status.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks includes the step of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating completion of the Review Document Task; and

automatically generating a next task in response to said completion.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37 wherein the step of generating said sequence of tasks further includes the steps of:

receiving input from said select reviewer entity indicating completion of each task;

automatically generating another task in response to said completion of said each task; and

repeating the steps of receiving input indicating completion of said each task and generating said another task until all tasks are completed for processing of said document.