SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RISK VALIDATION

• US 20130013343A1
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Travelers Cos., Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Travelers Cos., Inc.
• Inventors: Christie-Sorensen, Amanda B., Kish, Anita L.
• Application Number:
  US13/179,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013343A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods for validating the level of risk associated with an insurance policy are based on information intrinsic to one or more of the activities covered by the policy, such as a vehicle identification number of a vehicle operated in association with one or more of the activities. From the vehicle identification number, a vehicle type for a vehicle may be determined, and the vehicle type may be used to validate whether the level of risk associated with the policy is appropriate.

Claims

1. A computer-based system for risk validation, comprising:

a server; and

at least one computer having at least one processor and at least one database,

wherein the at least one database is in communication with the at least one processor and has specially-programmed instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, perform the method comprising;

receiving, by the server, a request for an insurance policy covering at least one activity, wherein the at least one activity includes an operation of at least one vehicle;

determining a classification of a risk associated with the at least one activity;

generating the insurance policy based on the classification;

obtaining an identification number for the at least one vehicle;

determining a vehicle type of the at least one vehicle based on the identification number; and

validating the risk based on the vehicle type.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

calculating a premium for the insurance policy based on the risk.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

if the risk is validated based on the vehicle type, issuing the insurance policy; and

if the risk is not validated based on the vehicle type, sending the insurance policy to an underwriter.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein determining the vehicle type comprises:

comparing the identification number of the at least one vehicle to at least one stored identification number in the at least one database, wherein each stored identification number is associated with a stored vehicle type, and

selecting the stored vehicle type corresponding to the identification number as the vehicle type.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein validating the risk comprises:

determining an association between the vehicle type and the at least one activity.

6. A computer-based method for validating a level of risk associated with an insurance policy comprising:

receiving, by a computer comprising at least one processor, a request for the insurance policy from a customer, wherein the request identifies at least one activity to be covered by the insurance policy, and wherein the request includes information regarding at least one vehicle to be operated in association with the at least one activity;

classifying, by the computer, the level of risk;

obtaining, by the computer, a vehicle identification number for each of the at least one vehicles;

determining, by the computer, a vehicle type for each of the at least one vehicles based on the vehicle identification number; and

validating the level of risk based on at least one of the vehicle types.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein each of the vehicle identification numbers is obtained from at least one of the customer, a third party, and a database.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the vehicle type comprises:

comparing a portion of the vehicle identification number to stored vehicle identifiers, wherein each stored vehicle identifier corresponds to a stored vehicle type; and

designating the stored vehicle type corresponding to a stored vehicle identifier that matches the portion of the vehicle identification number as the vehicle type.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

verifying a validity of at least one of the vehicle identification numbers.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein each of the vehicle identification numbers includes a check digit calculated according to a formula;

and

wherein verifying the validity comprises calculating a checksum according to the formula, and comparing the checksum to the check digit.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a premium for the insurance policy.

12. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

if the risk is validated based on the vehicle type, issuing the insurance policy; and

if the risk is not validated based on the vehicle type, sending the insurance policy to an underwriter.

13. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining, based on at least one of the vehicle identification numbers, a model year of the at least one vehicle for which the at least one of the vehicle identification numbers has been obtained.

14. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining, for the at least one vehicle, whether a manufacturer of the at least one vehicle assembled 500 or more vehicles during the year in which the at least one vehicle was assembled.

15. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

rating the policy based on the level of risk.

16. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

analyzing the policy according to at least one business rule.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one business rule determines a valuation category of the at least one vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 6, further comprising sending the policy to the customer.

19. A computer-implemented method for validating a level of risk associated with an insurance policy covering at least one activity comprising:

receiving, by a computer comprising at least one processor, a request for the policy;

classifying, by the computer, the level of risk;

receiving, by the computer, at least one intrinsic identifier associated with the at least one activity over the network; and

validating, by the computer, the level of risk based on the at least one intrinsic identifier.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the request comprises information regarding the at least one activity provided by a customer.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the request includes information regarding at least one vehicle to be operated during the at least one activity, and

wherein the at least one intrinsic identifier comprises an identification number of the at least one vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

verifying the validity of the identification number.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the identification number includes a check digit calculated according to a formula, and

wherein verifying the validity comprises calculating a checksum according to the formula, and comparing the checksum to the check digit.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

determining a vehicle type for the at least one vehicle based on the identification number.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein validating the level of risk comprises determining an association between the vehicle type and the at least one activity.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

if the risk is validated based on the vehicle type, issuing the insurance policy; and

if the risk is not validated based on the vehicle type, sending the insurance policy to an underwriter.

27. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

calculating a premium for the insurance policy based on the level of risk.

28. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

issuing the policy.