Systems and methods for implementing real estate value insurance

• US 7,844,478 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Smith, Arthur Quentin
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): OJIAKU, CHIKAODINAKA
• Application Number:
  US12/192,396
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/43, 705/4, 705/400
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

To protect a person with a property interest in real property against a loss of market value thereof, a base market value of the real property is determined at a current time when the property interest in the real property arises or thereafter, and a number of types of events that cause the real property to lose market value as compared with the base market value are defined. A number of the defined types of events are selected, and a real estate market value policy is issued to the person at about the current time. The policy promises to compensate the person for any loss experienced by the person if the real property loses market value as compared with the base market value based on any of the selected types of events.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a person with a property interest in a piece of real property against a loss of market value of the real property during ownership of the property interest, the method being performed by a hardware computing device including a processor, a memory, and a communications module, the method comprising:

determining a base market value of the real property at a current time, the current time comprising one of when the property interest in the real property arises and after when the property interest in the real property arises;

defining in the memory of the computing device a number of types of loss events that cause the real property to lose market value as compared with the base market value, each of the number of types of events occurring prior to the person selling the property interest;

storing the defined types of loss events in the memory;

selecting a number of the defined types of loss events for which the person is to be protected;

issuing to the person at about the current time a real estate market value insurance policy, the policy promising to compensate the person for any loss experienced by the person when the real property loses market value as compared with the base market value based on any of the selected types of loss events, the issued policy not requiring the person to sell the property interest to establish the loss;

establishing, using the processor, a premium with regard to the policy based on a calculation of a risk of loss incurred in connection with the policy;

collecting the established premium;

receiving a notification of an occurrence of one of the selected types of loss events;

transmitting information to compensate the person with a payment equal to a value of the one of the selected types of loss events;

thereafter, receiving, using the communications module, a notification of a sale of the property interest;

determining that the property interest has regained at least a portion of the value of the one of the selected types of loss events; and

collecting an offset payment from the person to offset the payment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the person with the property interest in the piece of real property is an owner of the real property.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the base market value of the real property comprises the market value thereof at the current time such as may be obtained if sold to a willing buyer in an arm'"'"'s length transaction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the real property is selected from land, land with improvements, and improvements without attached land.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the market value policy covers losses not covered by a property insurance policy.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting information to incur a lien on the property interest equal to the payment.

7. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions thereon implementing a method of protecting a person with a property interest in a piece of real property against a loss of market value of the real property during ownership of the property interest, the method comprising:

determining a base market value of the real property at a current time, the current time comprising one of when the property interest in the real property arises and after when the property interest in the real property arises;

defining a number of types of loss events that cause the real property to lose market value as compared with the base market value, each of the number of types of loss events occurring prior to the person selling the property interest;

selecting a number of the defined types of loss events for which the person is to be protected;

issuing to the person at about the current time a real estate market value insurance policy, the policy promising to compensate the person for any loss experienced by the person when the real property loses market value as compared with the base market value based on any of the selected types of loss events, the issued policy not requiring the person to sell the property interest to establish the loss;

establishing a premium with regard to the policy based on a calculation of a risk of loss incurred in connection with the policy;

collecting the established premium;

receiving a notification of an occurrence of one of the selected types of loss events;

transmitting information to compensate the person with a payment equal to a value of the one of the selected types of loss events;

thereafter, receiving a notification of a sale of the property interest;

determining that the property interest has regained at least a portion of the value of the one of the selected types of loss events; and

collecting an offset payment from the person to offset the payment.

8. The medium of claim 7 wherein the person with the property interest in the piece of real property is an owner of the real property.

9. The medium of claim 7 wherein determining the base market value of the real property comprises the market value thereof at the current time such as may be obtained if sold to a willing buyer in an arm'"'"'s length transaction.

10. The medium of claim 7 wherein the real property is selected from land, land with improvements, and improvements without attached land.

11. The medium of claim 7 wherein the market value policy covers losses not covered by a property insurance policy.

12. The medium of claim 7 further comprising transmitting information to incur a lien on the property interest equal to the payment.

13. A system that protects a person with a property interest in a piece of real property against a loss of market value of the real property during ownership of the property interest, the system comprising:

a subsystem that determines a base market value of the real property at a current time, the current time comprising one of when the property interest in the real property arises and after when the property interest in the real property arises;

a subsystem that defines a number of types of loss events that cause the real property to lose market value as compared with the base market value, each of the number of types of loss events occurring prior to the person selling the property interest;

a subsystem that selects a number of the defined types of loss events for which the person is to be protected;

a subsystem that issues to the person at about the current time a real estate market value insurance policy, the policy promising to compensate the person for any loss experienced by the person when the real property loses market value as compared with the base market value based on any of the selected types of loss events, the issued policy not requiring the person to sell the property interest to establish the loss;

a subsystem that establishes a premium with regard to the policy based on a calculation of a risk of loss incurred in connection with the policy;

a subsystem that collects the established premium;

a subsystem that receives a notification of an occurrence of one of the selected types of loss events;

a subsystem that transmits information to compensate the person with a payment equal to a value of the one of the selected types of loss events;

a subsystem that thereafter, receives a notification of a sale of the property interest;

a subsystem that determines that the property interest has regained at least a portion of the value of the one of the selected types of loss events; and

a subsystem that collects an offset payment from the person to offset the payment.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the person with the property interest in the piece of real property is an owner of the real property.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein determining the base market value of the real property comprises the market value thereof at the current time such as may be obtained if sold to a willing buyer in an arm'"'"'s length transaction.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the real property is selected from land, land with improvements, and improvements without attached land.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the market value policy covers losses not covered by a property insurance policy.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the person is compensated for a loss experienced prior to selling the property interest but is required to offset the compensated loss with any future gain when the property interest is sold further comprising a subsystem to transmit information to incur a lien on the property interest equal to the payment.