SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTELLIGENTLY TRACKING AND MANAGING CLAIM BASED CALCULATIONS

• US 20110106567A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• 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: Asher, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/609,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for managing and administering a spreadsheet-driven additional living expense calculators are disclosed. Third party data provides data input to the dynamic calculator and validation rules are implemented to preserve data integrity for calculating additional living expenses for policyholders. The system includes a graphical visual interface adapted to receive input of and display a plurality of additional living expense related values, an external data module for communicating one or more additional living expense related values for display on the graphical visual interface, a validation engine for validating the additional living expense values, the validation engine configured to compare a plurality of additional living expense input values with a plurality of additional living expense reference values, and to provide a visual indication based upon one or more of the comparisons, a calculation module for determining one or more payment values based on the validated additional living expense values and a communications module for providing instructions related to payment of the calculated additional living expense values.

Claims

1. A computerized system for administering and managing additional living expense payments under an insurance policy comprising:

one or more processors configured to provide;

a graphical user interface adapted to receive one or more additional living expense input values and to display the one or more additional living expense input values;

an external module adapted to automatically receive the one or more additional living expense related values;

a validation engine for validating at least the additional living expense input values, the validation engine configured to compare a plurality of the additional living expense input values with a plurality of additional living expense reference values and to provide a visual indication on the graphical user interface based upon one or more of the comparisons;

a calculation module for determining one or more payment values based on at least the validated additional living expense input values, the calculation module configured to determine payments due for a plurality of additional living expense categories utilizing a current expense, an original expense and a normal expense associated with each additional living expense category; and

a payment module for providing instructions related to payment of the calculated additional living expense values.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions related to payment identify a routing/transit number and an account number of an insurance policyholder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface comprises at least in part a spreadsheet having one or more embedded reference links to one or more third party databases which are automatically accessed via external data module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a communications module for communicating messages responsive to the validation being performed.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the external data module interfaces with a historical database of additional living expense values.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the external data module interfaces with a utility meter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculated payment values are calculated by subtracting the current expense from the difference between the normal expense and the original expense associated with each additional living expense category.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the additional living expense input values include at least three of rental, electricity, gas, water, phone and cable/internet living expenses.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the external data module interfaces with a utility provider of at least one of the electricity, gas, water, phone and cable/internet services.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment instructions include an account number and a bank routing number associated with the utility provider.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional living expense reference values relate to a percentage of an insurance policy coverage limit for additional living expense reimbursement.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, perform a method for providing a spreadsheet-driven additional living expense calculator for a plurality of living expense categories, the method executed by the computer-executable instructions comprising:

receiving data related to living expenses for a plurality of living expense categories;

retrieving external data associated with the living expenses for the living expense categories for pre-populating at least a portion of the spreadsheet;

displaying the pre-populated living expense data in the spreadsheet;

receiving input of additional living expense data;

validating the living expense data for the living expense categories; and

issuing an electronic communication related to the validated living expense data for the living expense categories.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the data related to living expenses is received from one or more third party vendor databases containing historical data related to the living expenses.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the communication is an electronic mail message addressed to an insurance policyholder.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the communication includes an instruction for payment to a third party bank.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the communication is an electronic mail message addressed to an insurance claims adjuster.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein validating the living expense data for the living expense categories comprises comparing the living expense data to one or more predetermined reference ranges, wherein the reference ranges are based on historical data for the respective expense category.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein validating the living expense data for the living expense categories comprises issuing a warning if data for one or more of living expense categories exceeds a predetermined category threshold.

19. A computer implemented method for administering an additional living expense worksheet, the computer implemented method comprising:

initializing, via an interactive user interface, the additional living expense worksheet, the worksheet being retrieved from a electronic repository;

receiving additional living expense related data via the interactive user interface for association with one more cells in the additional living expense worksheet;

validating, via a processor, the received additional living expense related data to determine at least if the data falls within a predetermined permissible data range;

calculating, via the processor, at least one total amount for the validated additional living expense related data and

issuing a communication, via a communications interface, related to the at least one total amount.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 19, wherein validating further comprises accessing a validation rules engine containing one or more validation rules related to the additional living expense related data.