METHOD AND COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR INSURANCE CLAIMS RECOVERY OPERATION

• US 20100057498A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• 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: Bush, Ralph Steven, Kingenberg, Hans Peter, Kucia, Susan M., Stephen, Gary D., Huff, Nancy L.
• Application Number:
  US12/204,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057498A1
• 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 includes receiving in a computer an electronic file that represents a claim paid by an insurance company. The electronic file indicates whether the claim involves another insurance company, and whether the other company has admitted or is likely to admit liability for the claim. The computer makes a triage decision to send a demand letter to the other company and then defer action if the other insurance company is likely to admit or has admitted liability. Otherwise, the computer sends the demand letter and routes the file for immediate follow-up.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving in a computer an electronic file that represents a claim paid by an insurance company, the electronic file containing indicia as to whether (a) said claim involves another insurance company and (b) said other insurance company has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim; and

making a triage decision in said computer such that;

(i) if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer generates a demand letter to said other insurance company with respect to said claim and defers further action relating to said demand for at least 20 days after generating said demand letter; and

(ii) if said indicia either do not indicate that another insurance company is involved or indicate that the other insurance company has not admitted or is not likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer generates a demand letter to said other insurance company and routes the electronic file to an employee for further action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer defers further action relating to said demand for at least 30 days after sending said demand letter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer defers further action relating to said demand for at least 40 days after sending said demand letter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer defers further action relating to said demand for 43 days after sending said demand letter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer prompts said employee to make a follow-up telephone call to said other insurance company within 10 days after said demand letter is sent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said paid claim relates to property damage to a motor vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, if said indicia indicate said property damage was caused by an uninsured vehicle, said employee is a collection specialist.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said employee is a claim handler if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has not admitted and is not likely to admit liability for said claim.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said computer determines that said indicia indicate said other insurance company is likely to admit liability if said motor vehicle was parked at the time said damage occurred or was rear-ended.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said indicia include a color-code applied to the electronic file by an employee of the insurance company that paid the claim.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said paid claim relates to property damage to a building.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer transmits said generated letter to the another insurance company.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitted letter has attachments thereto, the method further comprising said computer automatically obtaining at least one of said attachments.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said attachments include at least one of:

(a) a police report;

(b) at least one color photograph of a damaged vehicle;

(c) at least one color photograph of a motor vehicle accident scene;

(d) a payment ledger;

(e) a vehicle damage appraisal; and

(f) a replacement vehicle rental bill.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with said processor and storing program instructions, the processor operative with said program instructions to;

receive an electronic file that represents a claim paid by an insurance company, the electronic file containing indicia as to whether (a) said claim involves another insurance company and (b) said other insurance company has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim; and

make a triage decision such that;

(i) if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said processor sends out a demand letter to said other insurance company with respect to said claim and defers further action relating to said demand for at least 20 days after said demand letter is sent; and

(ii) if said indicia either do not indicate that another insurance company is involved or indicate that the other insurance company has not admitted or is not likely to admit liability for said claim, said processor sends out a demand letter to said other insurance company and routes the electronic file to an employee for further action.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said processor defers further action relating to said demand for at least 30 days after said demand letter is sent.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said processor defers further action relating to said demand for at least 40 days after said demand letter is sent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said processor defers further action relating to said demand for 43 days after said demand letter is sent.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processor prompts said employee to make a follow-up telephone call to said other insurance company within 10 days after said demand letter is sent.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said paid claim relates to property damage to a motor vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein, if said indicia indicate said property damage was caused by an uninsured vehicle, said employee is a collection specialist.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said employee is a claim handler if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has not admitted and is not likely to admit liability for said claim.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said processor determines that said indicia indicate said other insurance company is likely to admit liability if said motor vehicle was parked at the time said damage occurred or was rear-ended.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said paid claim relates to property damage to a building.

25. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for making a triage decision with respect to a paid insurance claim, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive an electronic file that represents said claim, said claim having been paid by an insurance company, the electronic file containing indicia as to whether (a) said claim involves another insurance company and (b) said other insurance company has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim; and

computer readable program code means for causing said computer to make a triage decision such that;

(i) if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer sends out a demand letter to said other insurance company with respect to said claim and defers further action relating to said demand for at least 20 days after said demand letter is sent; and

(ii) if said indicia either do not indicate that another insurance company is involved or indicate that the other insurance company has not admitted or is not likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer sends out a demand letter to said other insurance company and routes the electronic file to an employee for further action.

26. A method comprising:

receiving in a computer an electronic file that represents a claim paid by an insurance company, the electronic file containing indicia as to whether (a) said claim involves another insurance company and (b) said other insurance company has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim; and

making a triage decision in said computer such that;

(i) if said indicia indicate that another insurance company is involved and has admitted or is likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer generates a demand letter to said other insurance company with respect to said claim and defers further action relating to said demand for a predetermined period after generating said demand letter; and

(ii) if said indicia either do not indicate that another insurance company is involved or indicate that the other insurance company has not admitted or is not likely to admit liability for said claim, said computer generates a demand letter to said other insurance company and routes the electronic file to an employee for further action.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said predetermined period is at least 20 days.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said predetermined period is at least 30 days.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said predetermined period is 43 days.