SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING A REQUEST TO REPAIR OR REPLACE AN ITEM COVERED BY INSURANCE

• US 20090063202A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Inventors: Vigo, Doris, Hickey, James, Becerra, Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method of providing insurance to a customer that comprises the steps of: (1) selling a service contract to the customer that provides protection against the mechanical breakdown or other failure of an item (and in some cases, accidental damage); and (2) in response to the customer purchasing the service contract, providing, at no cost to the customer, third-party-paid insurance coverage that protects the customer against damage to the item, which, in some cases, includes accidental damage. In one embodiment of the invention, the step of providing the third-party-paid insurance coverage is done in order to permit the provision of insurance without the use of a licensed insurance agent.

Claims

1. A method of processing a request that an item be repaired or replaced, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving said request at a central claim processing facility;

determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to;

(1) an event covered under a service contract provided by a first provider, or

(2) an event covered under an insurance policy provided by a second provider;

in response to determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract, submitting a request to said first provider to process said item according to said service contract; and

in response to determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy, submitting a request to said second provider to process said item according to said insurance policy, wherein;

said step of determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract comprises;

(A) determining whether said item has incurred a mechanical breakdown; and

(B) in response to determining that said item has incurred a mechanical breakdown, determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract;

said step of determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy comprises;

(A) determining whether said item has been damaged; and

(B) in response to determining that said item has been damaged, determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of processing an insurance claim corresponding to said request that said item be repaired or replaced.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of, after determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy:

(A) determining whether a customer who is submitting said request is in a state that requires the use of licensed claims adjusters; and

(B) in response to determining that said customer is in a state that requires the use of licensed claims adjusters, transferring said request to a licensed claim adjuster for processing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an individual associated with said central claim processing facility executes said step of determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to:

(1) an event covered under said service contract;

or (2) an event covered under said insurance policy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of submitting a request to said first provider is executed by an individual associated with said central claim processing facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of submitting a request to said second provider is executed by an individual associated with said central claim processing facility.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an individual associated with said central claim processing facility executes said steps of:

determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to;

(1) an event covered under said service contract, or (2) an event covered under said insurance policy; and

submitting a request to said first provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an individual associated with said central claim processing facility executes said steps of:

determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to;

(1) an event covered under said service contract, or (2) an event covered under said insurance policy; and

submitting a request to said second provider.

9. A system for processing a request that an item be repaired or replaced, said system comprising:

a computer network; and

a customer service representative computer that is adapted for;

receiving said request via said network;

determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to;

(1) an event covered under a service contract provided by a first provider, or

(2) an event covered under an insurance policy provided by a second provider;

in response to determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract, submitting a request via said computer network to said first provider to process said item according to said service contract; and

in response to determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy, submitting a request via said network to said second provider to process said item according to said insurance policy, wherein;

said step of determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract comprises;

(A) determining whether said item has incurred a mechanical breakdown; and

(B) in response to determining that said item has incurred a mechanical breakdown, determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said service contract; and

said step of determining whether said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy comprises;

(A) determining whether said item has been damaged; and

(B) in response to determining that said item has been damaged, determining that said item requires replacement or repair due to an event covered under said insurance policy.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer service representative computer is located at a central claim processing facility.