SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RISK ACCEPTANCE IN THE PROVISIONING OF PRICE PROTECTION PRODUCTS

• US 20080306776A1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pricelock, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pricelock, Inc.
• Inventors: Painter, Scott, Fell, Robert M., Bonsignore, Michael R., Magnuson, Gary A., Reed, Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US12/099,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306776A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A provider of price protection products may enter into an agreement with a set of terms and associated financial risk with a financial institution such that the financial institution provides indemnification against the financial risk associated with selling a commodity. The provider may analyze data, the terms of the agreement and perform scenario analyses to determine its financial risk and may lay off or take on more risk. The provider may offer price protection products to consumers via computing devices and retail locations. The products may have the same terms as the agreement between the provider and the financial institution, or may have different terms and conditions to either take on or lay off risk.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing an agreement for a commodity, wherein the agreement has a first set of terms and an associated first financial risk;

analyzing market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product;

comparing the terms of the agreement to the analysis of the market conditions; and

generating a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions, wherein the second set of terms has an associated third financial risk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of terms comprises one or more of designated market area (DMA), quantity, length of the agreement, expiration date of the agreement, price per unit, hedge cost per unit, delivery terms, commodity definitions, and settling terms.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein settling terms comprises designating an index-based settlement.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein delivery terms comprises specifying a minimum or maximum quantity of the commodity that may be consumed in a time period.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the commodity definitions comprises a carbon-based energy product.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a carbon-based energy product comprises motor fuel, heating oil, aviation fuel, or emission credit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product comprises determining a composite aggregated price for the commodity within a geographic boundary.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product comprises determining the ability to generate revenue from other sources related to the commodity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions comprises increasing the financial risk to the provider of the price protection product.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions comprises decreasing the financial risk to the provider of the price protection product.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of terms comprises one or more of a designated market area (DMA), quantity, time period, commodity standards, settling terms, and delivery terms.

12. A system for managing risk in the provisioning of price protection products, comprising:

an insurance provider for establishing an agreement to accept a first financial risk associated with the cost of a commodity, wherein the insurance provider accepts the first financial risk according to a first set of terms in exchange for a first price;

a price protection operable to;

obtain insurance associated with the commodity from the insurance provider in exchange for the first price;

analyze market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product;

compare the terms of the agreement to the analysis of the market conditions; and

generate a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions, wherein the second set of terms has an associated third financial risk.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first set of terms comprises one or more of designated market area (DMA), quantity, length of the agreement, expiration date of the agreement, price per unit, hedge cost per unit, delivery terms, commodity definitions, and settling terms.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein settling terms comprises designating an index-based settlement.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein delivery terms comprises specifying a minimum or maximum quantity of the commodity that may be consumed in a time period.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the commodity definitions comprises a carbon-based energy product.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a carbon-based energy product comprises motor fuel, heating oil, aviation fuel, or emission credit.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein analyzing market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product comprises determining a composite aggregated price for the commodity within a geographic boundary.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein analyzing market conditions for the commodity to determine a second financial risk associated with the commodity for the provider of the price protection product comprises determining the ability to generate revenue from other sources related to the commodity.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein generating a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions comprises increasing the financial risk to the provider of the price protection product.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein generating a price protection product having a second set of terms based on the first set of terms and the comparison of the first set of terms to the analysis of the market conditions comprises decreasing the financial risk to the provider of the price protection product.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the second set of terms comprises one or more of a designated market area (DMA), quantity, time period, commodity standards, settling terms, and delivery terms.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the index comprises NYMEX.