SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROACTIVE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

• US 20160335725A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Travelers Indemnity Company (The Travelers Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Travelers Indemnity Company (The Travelers Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Philbrick, William S., Klein, William, Brown, Caston S., Hurley, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,346,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture that provide for proactive weather awareness and actions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by a processing device, indications of a plurality of locations associated with an insurance customer;

storing, by the processing device, insurance data descriptive of each of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device, that a weather alert is active for at least one of the plurality of locations, the active weather alert comprising an alert of a particular weather alert type;

transmitting, by the processing device and to a mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the active weather alert for the at least one of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device and based on the particular weather alert type of the active weather alert, a weather preparedness tip for the at least one of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device, based on the stored insurance data descriptive of the at least one of the plurality of locations, and based on the weather preparedness tip, a specific weather event preparation action for the at least one of the plurality of locations; and

transmitting, by the processing device and to the mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the specific weather event preparation action determined for the at least one of the plurality of locations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processing device, that the insurance customer requires assistance to accomplish the specific weather event preparation action determined for the at least one of the plurality of locations;

selecting, by the processing device, a method of providing assistance to the insurance customer; and

transmitting, by the processing device and to the mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the method of assistance.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing, by the processing device and in accordance with the selected method, the assistance to the insurance customer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the providing of the assistance comprises at least one of:

(i) actuating an automatic device associated with the insurance customer; and

(ii) scheduling a third-party to provide assistance to the insurance customer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting, by the processing device, the insurance customer to capture images of the at least one of the plurality of locations; and

receiving, by the processing device and in response to the prompting, data comprising one or more images captured by the mobile device of the insurance customer of the at least one of the plurality of locations.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, by the processing device and based on the data comprising the one or more images captured by the mobile device of the insurance customer, that the insurance customer has completed the specific weather event preparation action determined for the at least one of the plurality of locations; and

providing, by the processing device and in response to the determining that the insurance customer has completed the specific weather event preparation action determined for the at least one of the plurality of locations, an incentive to the insurance customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the incentive comprises at least one of an insurance premium discount, a lower insurance deductible, and an increase in insurance coverage.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the processing device and after the receiving of the data comprising the one or more images captured by the mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of an insurance claim made by the insurance customer; and

determining, by the processing device and based on the data comprising the one or more images captured by the mobile device of the insurance customer, a validity of the insurance claim.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processing device and from the mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the insurance data descriptive of each of the plurality of locations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication of insurance data descriptive of each of the plurality of locations comprises an insurance account identifier for an insurance policy covering an object located at the at least one of the plurality of locations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the insurance data descriptive of each of the plurality of locations associated with the insurance customer is received from the mobile device of the insurance customer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the specific weather event preparation action for the at least one of the plurality of locations, comprises:

querying, utilizing an identifier of the at least one of the plurality of locations, a database of insurance data for the at least one of the plurality of locations;

determining, based on the querying, an insured object that requires protection from a weather-related peril associated with the particular weather alert type of the active weather alert; and

determining, based on the particular weather alert type of the active weather alert, the specific weather event preparation action for the at least one of the plurality of locations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting of the indication of the specific weather event preparation action for the at least one of the plurality of locations comprises transmitting instructions describing how to protect the insured object from the weather-related peril.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

verifying, after the transmitting of the indication of the specific weather event preparation action for the at least one of the plurality of locations, that the insurance customer has complied with the instructions describing how to protect the insured object from the weather-related peril.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processing device, that a weather alert is active for at least one of the plurality of locations, comprises determining that a weather alert is active for a plurality of locations, at least two of the active weather alerts comprising an alert of a different particular weather alert type.

16. A method, comprising:

storing, by a processing device, indications of a plurality of locations associated with an insurance customer;

storing, by the processing device, insurance data descriptive of each of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device, that a first weather alert is active for a first location of the plurality of locations, the first active weather alert comprising an alert of a first particular weather alert type;

determining, by the processing device, that a second weather alert is active for a second location of the plurality of locations, the second active weather alert comprising an alert of a second particular weather alert type;

transmitting, by the processing device and to a mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the first and second active weather alerts for the first and second locations of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device and based on the first particular weather alert type of the first active weather alert, a first weather preparedness tip for the first location of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device and based on the second particular weather alert type of the second active weather alert, a second weather preparedness tip for the second location of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device, based on the stored insurance data descriptive of the first location of the plurality of locations, and based on the first weather preparedness tip, a first specific weather event preparation action for the first location of the plurality of locations;

determining, by the processing device, based on the stored insurance data descriptive of the second location of the plurality of locations, and based on the second weather preparedness tip, a second specific weather event preparation action for the second location of the plurality of locations; and

transmitting, by the processing device and to the mobile device of the insurance customer, an indication of the first and second specific weather event preparation actions determined for the first and second locations of the plurality of locations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of:

(i) the first and second active weather alerts comprise a single active weather alert, and (ii) the first and second particular weather alert types comprise a single particular weather alert type.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second weather preparedness tips comprise different weather preparedness tips.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second specific weather event preparation actions comprise specific weather event preparation actions.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first specific weather event preparation action defines an action with respect to a first insured object at the first location and wherein the second specific weather event preparation action defines an action with respect to a second insured object at the second location.