Method for providing web-based insurance data processing services to users

• US 7,333,939 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Travelers Indemnity Company (The Travelers Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Travelers Property Casualty Corporation (The Travelers Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Hendrick, Marcia, Stender, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLASS, RUSSELL S
• Application Number:
  US09/909,866
• Time in Patent Office: 2,402 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a web-based graphical user interface to a legacy insurance data process system to increase the functionality and ease of use in quoting and issuing insurance quotes and policies, providing insurance information and other insurance related services. The system and method integrate use of Internet technology in business work flows, provide dynamic data entry for insurance coverage packages and pricing programs, offer easy access to value-added products and services, and enable local printing of professional insurance applications, proposals and forms to facilitate immediate delivery of professional-quality proposals to customers.

Claims

1. A method for providing remote access to insurance applications via an insurance data processing application with a web-based user interface, comprising:

receiving a first request from a first user to use the web-based user interface to access a

plurality of insurance applications comprising at least one legacy insurance application for administering an insurance policy;

when the first request has the authorization to access the legacy insurance application, employing a legacy application wrapper to display a Web-based GUI screen for the legacy insurance application, wherein the screen displays a listing of actions and additional screens that are accessible for the legacy insurance application;

verifying that the first request includes a first authorization to use the web-based user interface;

upon successful verification of the first authorization, granting the first request to use the web-based user interface;

prompting a selection to establish a connection for the first request to use the web-based user interface if the first request represents the first time that the web-based user interface is used, and downloading files to a source of the first request;

receiving a second request from the first user to access a particular one of the plurality of insurance applications via the web-based user interface;

verifying that the second request includes a second authorization to the particular insurance application;

if the second authorization is successfully verified, granting the second request to access the particular insurance application of the plurality of insurance applications, including

providing a search screen that can perform a search of insurance accounts;

receiving a search command from the search screen;

performing the account search based on the search command;

listing results of the account search on the search screen; and

providing options to select one of the search results and to create a new account name; and

if the second authorization cannot be verified, displaying a notice denying access to the particular insurance application of the plurality of insurance applications and providing an option to refer the particular insurance application to a second user that has the authorization to access the particular insurance application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular insurance application comprises a commercial-lines insurance policy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of insurance applications resides in at least one mainframe data processing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the first request to use the web-based user interface comprises:

displaying a welcome screen customized for the first request based on identity of the first request as derived from verifying the first authorization.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the welcome screen includes at least one marketing message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the welcome screen includes options to print out forms, to establish an insurance account or issue an insurance policy, and to exit the web-based user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the second request to access the particular insurance application comprises:

providing options to add a new insurance policy, to modify a quote on an insurance policy of record, to refer a quote on an insurance policy of record, to issue an insurance policy of record, and to purge a quote on an insurance policy of record; and

receiving a selection of one of the options.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a selection of one of the options comprises:

receiving a selection to modify the quote on the insurance policy of record; and

displaying a first screen showing a first directory of available screens for the quote on the insurance policy of record.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first directory of available screens for the quote on insurance policy of record includes a direct link to each of the available screens.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a selection of one of the options further comprises:

displaying on the first screen a second directory of available screens for the quote on the insurance policy of record.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second directory includes a direct link to at least an action available in one of the available screens for the quote on the insurance policy of record.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a selection of one of the options comprises:

receiving a selection to issue the insurance policy of record; and

displaying a first screen showing a first directory of available screens for the issue of the insurance policy of record.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first directory of available screens for the insurance policy issue includes a direct link to at least one of the available screens for the issue of the insurance policy of record.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a selection of one of the options further comprises:

displaying on the first screen a second directory of available screens for the issue of the insurance policy of record.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second directory includes at least a direct link to an action available in one of the available screens for the issue of the insurance policy of record.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the wrapper comprises a rule engine executing a plurality of business rule sets, and each business rule set enables the wrapper to interface with one legacy insurance application.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the wrapper presents a unified web-based GUI for a plurality of legacy insurance applications, and wherein communication between legacy applications is handled by the wrapper through a messaging protocol.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of business rule sets are stored in an information management system, wherein the information management system provides the business rule sets to the wrapper.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the list of screens within the legacy insurance application that the first user has accessed.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying a link within the Web-based GUI screen for displaying a screen of one or more direct links to screens of the legacy insurance application that the first user has accessed.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamic display of a next display based on previous insurance related content in a prior display.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the wrapper comprises a rule engine executing rules based on a question and answer flow, the wrapper providing a dynamic display of insurance related content based on results of the rule execution engine.

23. The method of claim 1, where the wrapper comprises a rule engine executing rules based on a question and answer flow, the wrapper providing a dynamic display of insurance related content in a next display based on insurance related answers to questions provided in a prior display.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the dynamic display of insurance related content in the next display includes rate information.