System and method for automatically monitoring the performance of a contractor in the management of an insurance claim

• US 20070226029A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Code Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: Code Blue LLC
• Inventors: Jones, Ed N., Gross, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, a server system stores a plurality of textual scripts in a database server in association with a plurality of contractor actions. Each of the textual scripts comprises an alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to perform the associated contractor action. The server system generates a plurality of deadlines by which the contractor is required to perform the contractor actions, and provides a user interface that allows a user to submit a plurality of notices of completion for the contractor actions. If a particular notice of completion is not submitted by the deadline for the contractor action, the server system selects the textual script associated with the contractor action, converts the textual script to a voice message, and initiates transmission of the voice message to the contractor via a telephone network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a contractor assigned to perform restoration services at an insured property, comprising:

storing a plurality of textual scripts in association with a plurality of contractor actions, wherein each textual script comprises an alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to perform the associated contractor action;

determining a plurality of deadlines by which the contractor is required to perform the contractor actions;

receiving a plurality of notices of completion for the contractor actions;

selecting a textual script associated with a particular contractor action if the notice of completion is not received by the deadline for the particular contractor action;

converting the textual script to a voice message; and

transmitting the voice message to the contractor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the contractor actions comprises one of the following:

arriving at the insured property, obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property, obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property, and preparing final documentation on the insured property.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each notice of completion is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the user comprises either the contractor or a claim administrator.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of voice messages are transmitted to the contractor until receipt of the notice of completion for the particular contractor action.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the textual scripts of the transmitted voice messages on a web page.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the application server initiates transmission of a plurality of voice messages to the contractor until submission of the notice of completion for the particular contractor action.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server system presents a web page that displays the textual scripts of the transmitted voice messages.

7. A system for monitoring a contractor assigned to perform restoration services at an insured property, comprising:

a database server;

a server system coupled to the database server, wherein the server system;

stores a plurality of textual scripts in the database server in association with a plurality of contractor actions, wherein each of the textual scripts comprises an alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to perform the associated contractor action;

generates a plurality of deadlines by which the contractor is required to perform the contractor actions;

provides a user interface that includes functionality for a user to submit a plurality of notices of completion for the contractor actions;

stores the notices of completion for the contractor actions in the database server in association with a claim identifier;

selects a textual script associated with a particular contractor action if the notice of completion is not submitted by the deadline for the particular contractor action;

converts the textual script to a voice message; and

initiates transmission of the voice message to the contractor via a telephone network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the contractor actions comprises one of the following:

arriving at the insured property, obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property, obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property, and preparing final documentation on the insured property.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user comprises either the contractor or a claim administrator.

12. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a contractor assigned to perform restoration services at an insured property, comprising:

determining a deadline by which the contractor is required to perform a contractor action;

receiving a notice of completion for the contractor action; and

transmitting at least one automated reminder message to the contractor if the notice of completion is not received by the deadline for the contractor action.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the contractor action comprises one of the following:

arriving at the insured property, obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property, obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property, and preparing final documentation on the insured property.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the deadline for arriving at the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the specified period of time is between 1 hour and 5 hours.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or an insurance carrier.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the notice of completion comprises receipt of a date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the user comprises either the contractor or a claim administrator.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a contractor arrival code is provided to a claimant, and wherein a date and time that the contractor arrival code is received from the claimant is utilized to verify the date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property as submitted by the user.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to arrive at the insured property and complete a description of damage to the insured property.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the deadline for obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the specified period of time is between 2 hours and 24 hours.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or an insurance carrier.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the notice of completion comprises receipt of the initial inspection information on the insured property.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the initial inspection information on the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the initial inspection information on the insured property.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the deadline for obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property comprises a specified time on each inspection date.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, wherein the notice of completion comprises receipt of the daily inspection information on the insured property.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein the daily inspection information on the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 33, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the daily inspection information on the insured property.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the deadline for obtaining final documentation on the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor completes the restoration services at the insured property.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 36, wherein the specified period of time is between 0 hours and 24 hours.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 36, wherein the date and time that the contractor completes the restoration services at the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 38, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or the contractor.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 36, wherein the notice of completion comprises receipt of the final documentation on the insured property.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 40, wherein the final documentation on the insured property is submitted by a user via access to a web page.

42. The computer-implemented method of claim 41, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 40, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the final documentation on the insured property.

44. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the automated reminder message comprises one or more of the following:

a voice message, a text message, an e-mail, and an instant message.

45. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein a plurality of automated reminder messages are transmitted to the contractor until receipt of the notice of completion.

46. The computer-implemented method of claim 45, further comprising displaying the transmitted automated reminder messages on a web page.

47. A system for monitoring a contractor assigned to perform restoration services at an insured property, comprising:

a database server;

a server system coupled to the database server, wherein the server system;

generates a deadline by which the contractor is required to perform a contractor action;

provides a user interface that includes functionality for a user to submit a notice of completion for the contractor action;

stores the notice of completion for the contractor action in the database server in association with a claim identifier; and

initiates transmission of at least one automated reminder message to the contractor if the notice of completion is not submitted by the deadline for the contractor action.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the contractor action comprises one of the following:

arriving at the insured property, obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property, obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property, and preparing final documentation on the insured property.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the deadline for arriving at the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the specified period of time is between 1 hour and 5 hours.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or an insurance carrier.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the notice of completion comprises submission of a date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or the contractor.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein a contractor arrival code is provided to a claimant, and wherein a date and time that the contractor arrival code is received from the claimant is utilized to verify the date and time that the contractor arrives at the insured property as submitted by the user.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to arrive at the insured property and complete a description of damage to the insured property.

58. The system of claim 48, wherein the deadline for obtaining initial inspection information on the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the specified period of time is between 2 hours and 24 hours.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the date and time that the contractor is dispatched to the insured property.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or an insurance carrier.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein the notice of completion comprises submission of the initial inspection information on the insured property.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the initial inspection information on the insured property.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the initial inspection information on the insured property.

66. The system of claim 48, wherein the deadline for obtaining daily inspection information on the insured property comprises a specified time on each inspection date.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the notice of completion comprises submission of the daily inspection information on the insured property.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the daily inspection information on the insured property.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

70. The system of claim 68, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the daily inspection information on the insured property.

71. The system of claim 48, wherein the deadline for obtaining final documentation on the insured property comprises a specified period of time after a date and time that the contractor completes the restoration services at the insured property.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the specified period of time is between 0 hours and 24 hours.

73. The system of claim 71, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the date and time that the contractor completes the restoration services at the insured property.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the user comprises either a claim administrator or the contractor.

75. The system of claim 71, wherein the notice of completion comprises submission of the final documentation on the insured property.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein the user interface includes functionality for the user to submit the final documentation on the insured property.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the user comprises the contractor.

78. The system of claim 75, wherein the automated reminder message comprises a textual or audio alert notifying the contractor of an obligation to submit the final documentation on the insured property.

79. The system of claim 47, wherein the automated reminder message comprises one or more of the following:

a voice message, a text message, an e-mail, and an instant message.

80. The system of claim 47, wherein the server system initiates transmission of a plurality of automated reminder messages to the contractor until submission of the notice of completion.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the user interface presents a web page that displays the transmitted automated reminder messages.