Method and system for a facility care benefit in an annuity providing lifetime benefit payments

• US 20090030736A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss, Joseph M., Tatro, Charles D., Taylor, Jason F.
• Application Number:
  US11/985,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030736A1
• 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 method and system provide an annuity contract with a payment base value, a contract value, lifetime benefit payments, and a death benefit, as well as the option of enhanced lifetime benefit payments for a period of time. An insured qualifies for these enhanced lifetime benefit payments when the insured is confined to a nursing home and fails two of six predetermined activities of daily living. The insured retains the option of returning to a lower level of lifetime benefit payments when the enhanced lifetime benefit payments are no longer necessary. The death benefit is reduced by the enhanced lifetime benefit payment withdrawals but the lifetime benefit payment continues to be paid, even if the contract value declines to zero.

Claims

1. A data processing system for administering a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase, the annuity contract having a payment base value, a contract value, and lifetime benefit payments, said system comprising:

a storage device;

a processor coupled to the storage device, the storage device storing modules utilized by the processor for determining a payment base value for the annuity contract, for determining a contract value for the annuity contract, for determining a death benefit amount, for calculating a lifetime benefit payment for the relevant life which decreases both the contract value and the death benefit amount, and for calculating an enhanced lifetime benefit payment.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is calculated if an insured can demonstrate failure to perform at least two of six predetermined activities of daily living and if the insured requires long-term care;

wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is equal to a predetermined multiple times the lifetime benefit payment withdrawal; and

wherein the death benefit is reduced by an amount equal to the enhanced withdrawal payment without reducing the payment base.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further used for periodically accepting premium payments from the relevant life which increase the payment base, the guaranteed death benefit amount, and the contract value, if requested to do so by the relevant life.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further used for periodically calculating a withdrawal payment, that is in excess of the lifetime benefit payment, to the relevant life from the contract value, which decreases each of:

the contract value, the payment base, and the guaranteed death benefit amount.

5. The data processing system of claim 4, wherein calculating a withdrawal payment, that is in excess of the lifetime benefit payment, to the relevant life from the contract value can decrease the contract value below a predetermined minimum contract value, if requested by the relevant life.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein upon the death of the relevant life the processor is further used for calculating a death benefit for a beneficiary, wherein the death benefit is the greater of:

(a) a predetermined death benefit amount; and

(b) the present contract value.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein if the an enhanced lifetime benefit payment has been made the death benefit for a beneficiary is equal to the predetermined death benefit minus the enhanced lifetime benefit payments.

8. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is available to the relevant life for a maximum number of years.

9. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment remains available to the relevant life even if the contract value equals zero.

10. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein following at least one request for an enhanced lifetime benefit payment, the lifetime benefit payment still remains available for future withdrawals.

11. A system for administering a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase, the annuity contract having a payment base value, a contract value, and lifetime benefit payments, comprising:

a storage device;

a processor coupled to the storage device, the storage device storing modules utilized by the processor, the modules comprising;

i. a first module for receiving information from a relevant life in order to establish a deferred variable annuity contract;

ii. a second module for determining a payment base value for the annuity contract;

iii. a third module for determining a contract value for the annuity contract;

iv. a fourth module for determining a death benefit amount;

v. a fifth module for receiving lifetime benefit payment withdrawal requests from the relevant life; and

vi. a sixth module for calculating a lifetime benefit payment for the relevant life which decreases both the contract value and the death benefit amount.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, and further comprising a seventh module for calculating an enhanced lifetime benefit payment if an insured can demonstrate failure to perform at least two of six predetermined activities of daily living and if the insured requires long-term care;

wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is equal to a predetermined multiple times the lifetime benefit payment withdrawal; and

wherein the death benefit is reduced by an amount equal to the enhanced withdrawal payment without reducing the payment base.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, further comprising an eighth module for calculating a death benefit for a beneficiary upon the death of the relevant life, wherein the death benefit is the greater of:

(a) a predetermined death benefit amount; and

(b) the present contract value, unless an enhanced lifetime benefit payment has been made, in which case the death benefit is equal to the predetermined death benefit minus the enhanced lifetime benefit payments.

14. A computer implemented data processing method for administering a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase, the annuity contract having a payment base value, a contract value, and lifetime benefit payments, said method comprising the steps of:

a. determining a present payment base for said annuity contract;

b. determining a contract value for said annuity contract that may change over time;

c. determining a death benefit amount that may change over time;

d. if requested by the relevant life, calculating a lifetime benefit payment for the relevant life which decreases both the contract value and the death benefit amount;

e. if requested by the relevant life and if the relevant life is confined to a nursing home and fails two of six predetermined activities of daily living for a predetermined period, calculating an enhanced lifetime benefit payment;

wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is equal to a predetermined multiple times the lifetime benefit payment; and

wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment reduces the death benefit by an amount equal to the enhanced lifetime benefit payment without reducing the payment base.

15. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

if requested by the relevant life, periodically accepting premium payments from the relevant life which increase the payment base, the guaranteed death benefit amount, and the contract value.

16. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

if requested by the relevant life, periodically calculating a withdrawal payment, that is in excess of the lifetime benefit payment, to the relevant life from the contract value, which decreases each of;

the contract value, the payment base, and the guaranteed death benefit amount, and can decrease the contract value below a predetermined minimum contract value.

17. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, wherein both of the following two events must have occurred in order for the relevant life to be eligible for the enhanced lifetime benefit payment:

i. the relevant life has reached age seventy; and

ii. ten years have passed since the issue date of the contract.

18. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

upon the death of the relevant life, calculating a death benefit for a beneficiary, wherein the death benefit is the greater of;

(a) a predetermined death benefit amount; and

(b) the present contract value, unless an enhanced lifetime benefit payment has been made, in which case the death benefit is equal to the predetermined death benefit minus the enhanced lifetime benefit payments.

19. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined multiple is three.

20. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment is available to the relevant life for a maximum number of years.

21. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, wherein the enhanced lifetime benefit payment remains available to the relevant life even if the contract value equals zero.

22. The computer implemented data processing method of claim 14, wherein following at least one request for an enhanced lifetime benefit payment, the lifetime benefit payment still remains available for future withdrawals.