ENHANCED CLAIMS SETTLEMENT

• US 20150332407A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihm, Stephen Lawrence, Wilson, Thomas Joseph II
• Granted Patent: US 9,424,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/751 Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

An enhanced claims settlement apparatus may process insurance claims rapidly and accurately. The apparatus may first receive a notification of loss associated with an insured item (e.g., car, boat, truck, home, etc.). The apparatus may then apply various algorithms for using sensors to identify, analyze, and estimate the cost of damage associated with the insured item. The sensors that are a part of the enhanced claims settlement server may include cameras, tactile sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc. that may communicate data to a processor associated with the server. Once the data has been generated and analyzed by the sensors, a claim settlement file may be transmitted to a claimant.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17-18. -18. (canceled)

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

(i) display, at a display device, a video feed of a vehicle positioned at an analysis location within an analysis facility wherein the analysis facility comprises

a robotic arm configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the vehicle,

a lift configured to reposition the vehicle at the analysis location, and

a plurality of sensors aimed at the analysis location and configured to generate information that identifies damaged caused to the vehicle,

wherein the robotic arm, the lift, and at least one of the plurality of sensors are remotely controllable by an individual that is not located at the analysis facility;

(ii) receive input corresponding to remote operation of one of the robotic arm, the lift, or one of the plurality of sensors;

(iii) transmit a signal to one of the robotic arm, the lift, or one of the plurality of sensors wherein receipt of the signal causes the robotic arm, the lift, or the sensor to operate in accordance with the input received;

(iv) receive from the plurality of sensors the information that identifies the damage caused to the vehicle;

(v) estimate a cost to repair the damage or replace the vehicle based on the information received; and

(iv) generate a claim settlement file that includes the estimated cost to repair the damage or replace the vehicle, a list of vendors for repairing the vehicle, and payment information identifying a payment to the claimant that settles an insurance claim associated with the vehicle.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to perform an analysis using one or more object recognition algorithms to compare one or more images of the vehicle with one or more images of an undamaged vehicle of similar make and model.

22. An remote inspection system comprising:

an analysis facility having an analysis location at which an item is positionable wherein the analysis facility comprises

a robotic arm configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the item,

a lift configured to reposition the item at the analysis location, and

a plurality of sensors aimed at the analysis location wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to generate information that identifies damage caused to the item when the item is positioned at the analysis location,

wherein the robotic arm, the lift, and at least one of the plurality of sensors are remotely controllable by an individual that is not located at the analysis facility; and

a claim settlement server in signal communication with the robotic arm, the lift, and the plurality of sensors and comprising a memory having instructions that, when executed, cause the claim settlement server to

receive a notification of an insurance claim associated with the item,

display, at a display device, a video feed of the item positioned at the analysis location,

receive input corresponding to remote operation of one of the robotic arm, the lift, or one of the plurality of sensors,

transmit a signal to one of the robotic arm, the lift, or one of the plurality of sensors wherein receipt of the signal causes the robotic arm, the lift, or the sensor to operate in accordance with the input received,

receive from the plurality of sensors the information that identifies the damage caused to the item,

estimate a cost to repair or replace the item based, at least in part, on the information received from the plurality of sensors,

generate a claim settlement file that includes i) the estimated cost to repair or replace the item, ii) a list of one or more vendors for repairing or replacing the item, and iii) payment information identifying a payment that settles the insurance claim, and

providing the claim settlement file to an individual that filed the insurance claim.

3. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the item comprises a vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the notification comprises an automated notification of an accident from a telematics device associated with the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the notification further includes speed, braking parameters, and acceleration of the vehicle preceding and subsequent to the accident in addition to vehicle identifying information.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the information received comprises a plurality of vehicle parameters collected via an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system associated with the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of vehicle parameters include vehicle mileage, coolant temperature, engine speed, vehicle speed, timing advance, throttle position, and readings from an oxygen sensor in the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed further cause the claim settlement server to

provide an interface that presents a plurality of questions to the individual comprising a first question about prior damage to the item, a second question about liability for the damage caused to the item, and a third question about the particulars of an event that caused the damage to the item, and

receive a plurality of answers to the plurality of questions.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the claim settlement server to

perform a comparison between the answers and the information received from the sensors, and

determine whether the insurance claim is fraudulent based on the comparison.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the claim settlement server to

notify a claims adjuster upon detection of discrepancies between the plurality of answers and the information received from the plurality of sensors for manual processing of the insurance claim.

12. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the claim settlement server to

obtain from a weather condition database information describing weather conditions at a time of an event that caused the damage to the item,

obtain from a law enforcement database related to a police report of the event, and

obtain from a medical records database details about one or more individuals involved in the event.

14. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the claim settlement file further includes iv) one or more product or service discounts available to the individual when an actual cost to repair or replace the item exceeds the estimated cost.

23. the insurance claim settlement system of claim 22 further comprising:

a card reader in signal communication with the claim settlement server and configured to provide the notification of the insurance claim responsive to a swipe of an insurance card or a credit card through the card reader.

24. The insurance claim settlement system of claim 22 wherein:

the plurality of sensors include at least one of a camera, a laser, a mechanical device, a tactile sensor, a fluid sensor, an infrared sensor and combinations thereof.

25. A method of remotely inspecting a vehicle comprising:

receiving a first notice of loss related to a vehicle;

receiving the vehicle at an analysis location of an analysis facility wherein the analysis facility comprises

a robotic arm configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the item,

a lift configured to reposition the item at the analysis location, and

a plurality of sensors aimed at the analysis location wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to generate information that identifies damage caused to the item when the item is positioned at the analysis location,

wherein the robotic arm, the lift, and at least one of the plurality of sensors are remotely controllable by an individual that is not located at the analysis facility;

displaying, on a display device, a video feed of the vehicle positioned at the analysis location;

remotely controlling at least one of the robotic arm, the lift, or one of the plurality of sensors during an analysis of the vehicle;

receiving from the plurality of sensors information that identifies damage caused to the vehicle;

estimating a cost to repair or replace the item based, at least in part, on the information received,

generating a claim settlement file based on the analysis wherein the claim settlement file includes i) the estimated cost to repair the vehicle, ii) a list of vendors for repairing the vehicle, and iii) payment information identifying a payment that settles the insurance claim; and

providing the claim settlement file to an individual associated with the vehicle;

wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of a camera, a laser, a mechanical device, a tactile sensor, a fluid sensor, an infrared sensor and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

transmitting the claim settlement file to a claims adjuster for manual processing responsive to determining that the individual disputes information included in the claim settlement file.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating holograms that depict external and internal features of the insured vehicle; and

presenting the holograms to the claims adjuster.