System and Method for Incentivizing Insurance Participation Utilizing Social Networking Systems

• US 20110145023A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unitrin Direct Insurance Co. (Kemper Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Unitrin Direct Insurance Co. (Kemper Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahl, Michael Z., Atchison, Marshall
• Application Number:
  US12/967,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145023A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provide to incentivize a policy holder of an insurance company to increase membership in the insurance company. This method includes the act of, using a processing device, generating a unique code and associating the unique code to each policy holder in a memory associated with a database of policy holders. The method also includes the acts of receiving, in association with a first policy holder, a unique code associated with a second policy holder and, using the processing device or another processing device, associating the unique code of the first policy holder with the unique code of the second policy holder in the memory associated with the database. The method also includes the act of determining, using the processing device or the another processing device, if either of or both of the new policy holder and the another policy holder are entitled to a benefit responsive to the new association between the policy holders.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company to increase membership in the insurance company comprising the acts of:

storing, in a memory associated with a network database, a unique code associated with each policy holder in the insurance company;

receiving on a first computer, in association with receipt of information for a new insurance policy application, a unique code associated with a first policy holder;

transmitting to a second computer from the first computer, or from another computer, responsive to the act of receiving, a quote for the new insurance policy, the quote incorporating a benefit attributed to the receiving of the unique code associated with the first policy holder;

receiving on the first computer, or the another computer, an acceptance of the quote for the new insurance policy from the second computer;

issuing the new insurance policy to a new policy holder following acceptance of the quote incorporating the benefit, the act of issuing further comprising the act of updating the memory associated with the network database to store a unique code in association with the new policy holder;

storing, in the memory associated with the network database or another database, an association between the unique code of the first policy holder and the unique code stored in association with the new policy holder; and

providing a benefit to the first policy holder responsive to the act of issuing the new insurance policy, the benefit being the same as or different from the benefit incorporated in the new insurance policy.

2. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, wherein the benefit incorporated in the quote for the new insurance policy comprises a discount on the new insurance policy premium.

3. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 2, wherein the new insurance policy premium comprises a single insurance product.

4. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 2, wherein the new insurance policy premium comprises a plurality of insurance products, and wherein the benefit is applied to at least one of the plurality of insurance products.

5. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, wherein the benefit is conditioned upon maintenance of an insurance policy for a predetermined period of time.

6. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving on a first computer, in association with receipt of information for a new insurance policy application, a unique code associated with each one of a plurality of policy holders;

transmitting to a second computer from the first computer, or from another computer, responsive to the act of receiving, a quote for the new insurance policy, the quote incorporating a benefit attributed to the receiving of the unique codes associated with the plurality of policy holders;

receiving on the first computer, or the another computer, an acceptance of the quote for the new insurance policy from the second computer;

issuing the new insurance policy to a new policy holder following acceptance of the quote incorporating the benefit, the act of issuing further comprising the act of updating the memory associated with the network database to store a unique code in association with the new policy holder;

storing, in the memory associated with the network database or another database, an association between the unique codes of the plurality of policy holders and the unique code stored in association with the new policy holder; and

providing a benefit to at least one of the plurality of policy holders responsive to the act of issuing the new insurance policy, the benefit being the same as or different from the benefit incorporated in the new insurance policy.

7. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating, in a memory associated with a network database, a unique code associated with a policy holder in the insurance company responsive to a request by a policy holder to change an association with one or more non-related policy holders in the network database.

8. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving on a first computer, a request by the new policy holder to add an association with a unique code associated with another policy holder;

updating the association between the new policy holder and the another policy holder in the memory associated with the network database; and

determining, using a processing device communicatively coupled to the network database, if either of or both of the new policy holder and the another policy holder are entitled to a benefit responsive to the new association between the policy holders.

9. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 1, further comprising:

processing, using a processing device communicatively coupled to the network database, a change in a status of a policy holder; and

processing, using the processing device or another processing device communicatively coupled to the network database, a change in a status of another policy holder, not related to the policy holder, relative to the change in status of the policy holder.

10. A computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company to increase membership in the insurance company comprising the acts of:

using a processing device, generating a unique code and associating the unique code to each policy holder in a memory associated with a database of policy holders;

receiving, in association with a first policy holder, a unique code associated with a second policy holder;

using the processing device or another processing device, associating the unique code of the first policy holder with the unique code of the second policy holder in the memory associated with the database; and

determining, using the processing device or the another processing device, if either of or both of the new policy holder and the another policy holder are entitled to a benefit responsive to the new association between the policy holders.

11. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 10, wherein the benefit comprises a discount on an existing insurance policy.

12. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 11, wherein the discount is applied to monthly premiums for a remainder of a term of the insurance policy.

13. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 11, wherein the discount is accrued during a remainder of a term of the insurance policy and is applied to a renewal of the insurance policy.

14. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 10, wherein the benefit attaches for the first policy holder only upon renewal of an existing insurance policy by both the first policy holder and the second policy holder.

15. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 10, wherein the benefit attaches for the second policy holder only upon renewal of an existing insurance policy by both the first policy holder and the second policy holder.

16. A computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company to increase membership in the insurance company comprising the acts of:

defining, in an interface displayed on an electronic device display, at least one benefit available to a policy holder for bringing a new customer to the insurance company;

providing, in the interface displayed on the electronic device display, a contact information data entry field into which a referring policy holder can input contact information for a referee non-policy holder;

using the electronic device, or another electronic device, transmitting a policy quote to the referee non-policy holder, the policy quote incorporating a benefit associated with the referring policy holder;

issuing an insurance policy to the referee responsive to an acceptance of the quote;

providing a benefit to the referring policy holder responsive to the issuing of the new insurance policy to the referee,

wherein the benefit provided to the referring policy holder may be the same as or different from the benefit provided to the referee.

17. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 16, wherein the benefit comprises a discount on an existing insurance policy.

18. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 16, wherein the benefit provided to the referring policy holder is the same as the benefit provided to the referee.

19. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a computer, a portable computer, or a cellular telephone.

20. The computer-implemented method for incentivizing a policy holder of an insurance company according to claim 16, wherein the interface displayed on the electronic device display comprises an internet web-page, a facebook page, a twitter page, a blog, or another social media page.