Systems and methods for underwriting risks utilizing epigenetic information

• US 20090094065A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthhardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/906,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094065A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/00 ICT specially adapted for functional genomics or proteomics, e.g. genotype-phenotype associations
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/20 Allele or variant detection, e.g. single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] detection

Abstract

Methods and devices are described for calculating insurance premiums based upon epigenetic information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual; and

underwriting a risk at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual.

2-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A device comprising:

means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual; and

means for underwriting a risk at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual.

34. The device of claim 33 wherein said means for underwriting a risk at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual comprises:

means for correlating at least one aspect of said epigenetic information for said at least one individual to a health risk; and

means for underwriting a financial risk at least partially based upon said health risk.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein said means for correlating at least one aspect of said epigenetic information for said at least one individual to a health risk comprises:

means for determining a statistical correlation between at least one aspect of said epigenetic information and said health risk.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein said means for correlating at least one aspect of said epigenetic information for said at least one individual to a health risk comprises:

means for counting an occurrence of at least one clinical outcome.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for reviewing information regarding DNA methylation for said at least one individual.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for reviewing information regarding histone structure for said at least one individual.

39. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for reviewing information regarding multiple genomic loci for said at least one individual.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for reviewing information regarding at least two chromosomes for said at least one individual.

41. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for comparing information regarding said at least one individual to information regarding a second individual having an attribute in common with said at least one individual.

42. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for reviewing information regarding mosaicism of said at least one individual.

43. The device of claim 33, wherein said means for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for establishing at least one of an exclusionary period, a categorization-level, a class, a premium escalation, a term, a coverage limitation, or a condition.

46. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for whole life insurance.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for whole life insurance comprises:

means for establishing an amount at risk in at least one issued insurance contract.

48. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for at least one of adjustable life insurance or flexible premium adjustable life insurance.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for at least one of adjustable life insurance or flexible premium adjustable life insurance comprises:

means for establishing a premium rate on at least one of classes of insureds or blocks of business representative of at least two classes of insureds at a time of policy renewal of at least one of adjustable life insurance or flexible premium adjustable life insurance.

50. The device of claim 48, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for at least one of adjustable life insurance or flexible premium adjustable life insurance comprises:

means for establishing at least one of a death benefit or a policy face amount on at least one of classes of insureds representative of or blocks of business representative of at least two classes of insureds at a time of policy renewal of said adjustable life insurance.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein said means for establishing at least one of a death benefit or a policy face amount on at least one of classes of insureds representative of or blocks of business representative of at least two classes of insureds at a time of policy renewal of said adjustable life insurance comprises:

means for determining an asset share value for said at least one of classes of insureds representative of or blocks of business representative of at least two classes of insureds.

52. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for establishing at least one of a term of a conversion privilege or a convertibility.

53. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for universal life insurance.

54. The device of claim 53, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for universal life insurance comprises:

means for establishing a corridor representing a level of pure insurance protection in excess of an accumulated value of at least one universal life policy.

55. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for decreasing term life insurance.

56. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for a fully paid life insurance policy.

57. The device of claim 56, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for a fully paid life insurance policy comprises:

means for establishing at least one of a number of required payments, a premium amount, or a face value for said fully paid life insurance policy.

58. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for establishing at least one of guaranteed insurability or guaranteed renewability.

59. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for establishing a human life value.

60. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for accepting at least one life insurance applicant having at least one impaired risk factor requiring rejection, a rider, or a categorization-level without at least one of a rider or a categorization level change.

61. The device of claim 44, wherein said means for setting a premium at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual for life insurance comprises:

means for establishing a prospective reserve at least partially based upon at least one epigenetic factor of at least one policy holder.

62. The device of claim 34, wherein said means for correlating at least one aspect of said epigenetic information for said at least one individual to a health risk comprises:

means for correlating at least one aspect of said epigenetic information for said at least one individual to a health risk where said at least one individual comprises the cestui que vie.

63. The device of claim 34, wherein said means for underwriting a financial risk at least partially based upon said health risk comprises:

means for underwriting a financial risk at least partially based upon said health risk for at least one of a regular manual rate insurance or a classified rate insurance.

64. The device of claim 34, wherein said means for underwriting a financial risk at least partially based upon said health risk comprises:

means for underwriting a financial risk at least partially based upon said health risk for a combination plan reinsurance.

65. A device comprising:

circuitry for reviewing epigenetic information for at least one individual; and

p1 circuitry for underwriting a risk at least partially based upon said epigenetic information for said at least one individual.

66-116. -116. (canceled)