Risk management information interface system and associated methods

• US 7,536,405 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Asset Protection Services LLC (AXA SA (DSG))
• Original Assignee: Global Asset Protection Services LLC (AXA SA (DSG))
• Inventors: Tschiegg, Mark A., Sutherland, Michael J., Langan, Peter F., Burrows, Linda P., Reinart, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/085,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,639 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707 9- 10, 707/200, 707/104.1, 707/100, 705/7, 705/38, 705/44, 705/1, 715/743, 715/741, 715/7, 715/752, 715/753
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A graphical and interactive interface system manages risk management information. A secure database stores risk management information that is accessible by authorized access through a network. A graphics interface generates graphic data of the risk management information in response to the authorized access. One or more workflow process terminals connect in network with the database to provide updates to the risk management information. The graphics interface may provide one or more filter functions to manipulate the risk management information for display of graphic data at a computer networked with the graphics interface. The graphic data may include one or more graphical reports. Email may be automatically generated in response to updates to the risk management information. The database may respond to electronically received recommendations regarding a segment of risk management to post the recommendations with the segment of risk management information.

Claims

1. A graphical and interactive interface system for managing risk management information, comprising:

a secure database having risk management information accessible by authorized access through a network;

a graphics interface for generating graphic data of the risk management information in response to the authorized access, the graphics interface further for providing drill-down linkage between high level summary and low level explanatory details based upon contributing factors to a risk quality rating, the contributing factors based on at least one recommendation associated with one of a plurality of facilities, the drill-down linkage enabling retrieval of lower-level interactive information; and

means for generating email to alert authorized users to updates to the risk management information,

wherein the risk management information is segmented within the database for association with a plurality of companies having proprietary interest in, and authorized access to, one or more segments of the risk management information, and wherein the risk management information pertains to property risks associated with loss of existing property associated with a plurality of entities located at a plurality of respective facilities.

2. A system of claim 1, the authorized access comprising user inputs to the graphics interface regarding risk management information.

3. A system of claim 1, further comprising one or more workflow process terminals connected in network with the database, for providing updates to the risk management information.

4. A system of claim 3, the terminals comprising a computer.

5. A system of claim 3, the terminals comprising one or more of a facsimile, telephone and scanner.

6. A system of claim 1, the database further comprising assistance data accessible concurrently with authorized access of the risk management information.

7. A system of claim 6, the assistance data comprising loss prevention and control standards and guidelines.

8. A system of claim 1, a first portion of the risk management information being associated with a first company having proprietary interest in the first portion, a second portion of the risk management information being associated with a second company having proprietary interest in the second portion, the database and interface cooperating to provide access by the first company to the first portion by authorized access while prohibiting access by the second company to the first portion, the database and interface cooperating to provide access by the second company to the second portion by authorized access while prohibiting access by the first company to the second portion.

9. A system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the risk management information is encrypted to facilitate the authorized access, and further comprising one or more access computers coupled in network with the graphics interface for accessing the risk management information of the database, each of the computers enabling decryption of the encrypted risk management information with input of appropriate access codes.

10. A system of claim 1, further comprising first and second computers coupled in network with the graphics interface, the interface providing the first computer with access to a portion of the risk management information and restricting the second computer from access to the portion.

11. A system of claim 1, the graphics interface providing one or more filter functions to manipulate the risk management information for display of graphic data at a computer networked with the graphics interface.

12. A system of claim 11, the filter functions comprising one or more of the following:

country, city, state, location identifier, gross site property damage values, property value, total location in square feet, percent noncombustible construction, percent of noncombustible walls and roof deck with combustible roof covering, percent of combustible roof, percent of combustible walls, percent with sprinklers, percent needing sprinklers, survey report delivery time, estimated annual risk avoidance, cost to complete, last survey date, next survey year/month due, ATC earthquake zone, sprinkler protection, water supply, surveillance, warehousing protection, other protection, management programs, impairments, smoking regulations, maintenance, employee training, new construction, insurance, pre-emergency planning, private fire brigade, hazardous materials, hot work, loss prevention inspection, fire protection inspection, hazard evaluation, housekeeping, outside contractors, FEMA flood zones, windstorm, fire department type, survey frequency, priority, status, customer intent to complete, and predominant construction.

13. A system of claim 11, the graphic data comprising one or more reports selected from the group consisting of fire protection, recommendation summary, loss prevention survey report delivery, loss prevention survey report schedule, risk quality benchmarking, risk quality rating, management programs, building construction, catastrophe, active recommendations, and completion status.

14. A system of claim 1, the means for generating email generates email in response to receipt of an update to the risk management information.

15. A system of claim 14, the means for generating email generates email only for authorized user inputs to the risk management information.

16. A system of claim 14, the email being addressed to a user having the authorized access to the risk management information.

17. A system of claim 14, the email having a hyperlink to graphic data of the risk management information.

18. A system of claim 1, the means for generating email generates periodic email defining updates to the risk management information.

19. A system of claim 18, the periodic email being addressed to a user having the authorized access to the risk management information.

20. A system of claim 18, the periodic email having a hyperlink to graphic data of the risk management information.

21. A system of claim 1, the database being responsive to inputs by a user with authorized access at a computer networked with the database to securely store electronic documents with the risk management information associated with the user.

22. A system of claim 21, the electronic documents comprising one or more of loss prevention survey results, risk summaries, and computer aided diagrams (CAD) diagrams.

23. A system of claim 21, the electronic documents comprising one or more computer aided diagrams (CAD) diagrams, and further comprising means for automatically converting the CAD diagrams into a graphic image for storage within the database.

24. A system of claim 1, the database comprising a SQL database server.

25. A system of claim 1, the database responsive to electronically received recommendations regarding a segment of risk management information to post the recommendations with the segment of risk management information.

26. A system of claim 1, the graphics interface facilitating interactive recommendations, wherein electronic recommendations for a segment of risk management information may be stored with the database for association with the segment of risk management information.

27. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for appending user-generated comments to one or more segments of the risk management information.

28. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for viewing and manipulating recommendations and associated valuations through the graphics interface and over the network.

29. A system of claim 28, further comprising means for selectively switching between cost-benefit analyses, summaries, and status screens, through the graphics interface and over the network.

30. A system of claim 28, further comprising means for selectively switching between values associated with recommendations, through the graphics interface and over the network.

31. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for viewing one or more of the following recommended cost-benefit analysis information through the graphics interface and over the network:

total loss before implementation of a recommendation, total loss after implementation of a recommendation, property damage loss before implementation of a recommendation, property damage loss after implementation of a recommendation, business interruption loss before implementation of a recommendation, business interruption loss after implementation of a recommendation, estimated cost to complete, estimated cost to complete source, estimated probability, estimated probability source, and estimated annual risk avoidance.

32. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for sharing one or more recommendations between users through the interface and over the network.

33. A system of claim 32, the sharing based upon access and authority levels of accounts, divisions, locations, or individuals.

34. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for automatically emailing users with notification of modifications in a segment of risk management information, the users having authorized access to the segment.

35. A system of claim 1, wherein the means for generating email comprising (a) an email server connected in network with one or more access computers, and (b) an email notification application connected in network with the database for automatically sending email notification to the access computers upon updates to the risk management information.

36. A system of claim 35, further comprising a workflow engine application connected in network between the database and the email notification application, for interfacing between one or more access terminals and the database.

37. A system of claim 1, further comprising a workflow engine application connected in network with the database for interfacing between one or more access terminals and the database.

38. A system of claim 37, the workflow engine application comprising a workflow application for posting recommendations to the risk management information.