Component based interface to handle tasks during claim processing

• US 7,013,284 B2
• Filed: 05/04/1999
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DUCK Creek Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Guyan, George V., Pish, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/305,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9, 705/7, 705/4, 707/10, 709/203, 709/318
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer program is provided for developing component based software capable of handling insurance-related tasks. The program includes a data component that stores, retrieves and manipulates data utilizing a plurality of functions. Also provided is a client component that includes an adapter component that transmits and receives data to/from the data component. The client component also includes a business component that serves as a data cache and includes logic for manipulating the data. A controller component is also included which is adapted to handle events generated by a user utilizing the business component to cache data and the adapter component to ultimately persist data to a data repository. In use, the client component is suitable for receiving a plurality of tasks that achieve an insurance-related goal upon completion, allowing users to add new tasks that achieve the goal upon completion, allowing the users to edit the tasks, and generating a historical record of the tasks that are completed.

Claims

1. A system for generating tasks to be performed in an insurance organization, the system comprising:

an insurance transaction database for storing information related to an insurance transaction, the insurance transaction database comprising a claim folder containing the information related to the insurance transaction decomposed into a plurality of levels from the group comprising a policy level, a claim level, a participant level and a line level, wherein the plurality of levels reflects a policy, the information related to the insurance transaction, claimants and an insured person in a structured format;

a task library database for storing rules for determining tasks to be completed upon an occurrence of an event;

a client component in communication with the insurance transaction database configured for providing information relating to the insurance transaction, said client component enabling access by an assigned claim handler to a plurality of tasks that achieve an insurance related goal upon completion; and

a server component in communication with the client component, the transaction database and the task library database, the server component including an event processor, a task engine and a task assistant;

wherein the event processor is triggered by application events associated with a change in the information, and sends an event trigger to the task engine;

wherein in response to the event trigger, the task engine identifies rules in the task library database associated with the event and applies the information to the identified rules to determine the tasks to be completed, and populates on a task assistant the determined tasks to be completed, wherein the task assistant transmits the determined tasks to the client component.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a task library administrator interface for adding or editing rules and tasks in the task library.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the task library includes a list of all standardized tasks.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the tasks associated with the information relating to the insurance transaction include predetermined due dates.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the task assistant generates a historical record to document completion of the tasks.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics are regulatory compliance requirements, account servicing commitments and best practices for handling all types of claims.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the insurance transaction is a claim under an insurance policy.

8. An automated method for generating tasks to be performed in an insurance organization, the method comprising:

transmitting information related to an insurance transaction;

determining characteristics of the information related to the insurance transaction;

applying the characteristics of the information related to the insurance transaction to rules to determine a task to be completed, wherein an event processor interacts with an insurance transaction database containing information related to an insurance transaction decomposed into a plurality of levels from the group comprising a policy level, a claim level, a participant level and a line level, wherein the plurality of levels reflects a policy, the information related to the insurance transaction, claimants and an insured person in a structured format;

transmitting the determined task to a task assistant accessible by an assigned claim handler, wherein said client component displays the determined task;

allowing an authorized user to edit and perform the determined task and to update the information related to the insurance transaction in accordance with the determined task;

storing the updated information related to the insurance transaction; and

generating a historical record of the completed task.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristics are regulatory compliance requirements, account servicing commitments and best practices for handling all types of claims.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information related to the insurance transaction is a claim under an insurance policy.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the policy level further comprises information related to a covered automobile for automobile claims.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the policy level further comprises information related to covered property for property claims.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the policy level further comprises information related to covered yacht for marine claims.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the claim level further comprises information from the group comprising facts of loss, events and liability.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the participant level further comprises contact information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the participant level further comprises additional sections for claimants.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional sections are shown to display, events, injury and disability management.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the line level includes information related to details and damaged vehicle for automobile claims.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the line level further comprises information related to damaged property for property claims.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the line level further comprises information related to damaged yacht for marine claims.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the line level further comprises information related to events, damages and negotiation.

22. The method of claim 8, further comprising a task library administrator interface for adding or editing the rules and tasks in the task library.