Feedback loop in mobile damage assessment and claims processing

• US 8,510,196 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Brandmaier, Jennifer A., Faga, Mark E., Johnson, Robert H., Koza, Daniel, Loo, William, Marlow, Clint J., Stricker, Kurt M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Havan, Thu Thao
• Application Number:
  US13/587,620
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705 35- 40
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage and processing claims associated with an insured item, such as a vehicle. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a user device (e.g., a mobile device). The mobile device may receive feedback from the server regarding the acceptability of submitted photos/video, and if the server determines that any of the submitted photos/video is unacceptable, the mobile device may capture additional photos/video until all of the data are deemed acceptable. To aid in damage analysis, the server may also interface with various internal and external databases storing reference images of undamaged items and cost estimate information for repairing previously analyzed damages to similar items. Further still, the server may generate a payment for compensating a claimant for repair of the insured item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving from a computing device, at an enhanced claims processing server, a claim number related to an insurance claim associated with damage to an insured item;

(b) determining, at an enhanced claims processor, whether or not the claim number is valid;

(c) when the claim number is valid, transmitting instructions to the computing device about how to capture image data related to the damage of the insured item;

(d) in response to the instructions, receiving a set of image data related to the damage to the insured item;

(e) applying a predetermined set of rules to determine, at the enhanced claims processor, whether or not each one of the set of image data is acceptable;

(f) when at least one of the set of image data are not acceptable, repeating steps (c)-(e) until all of the set of image data are acceptable; and

(g) analyzing, at the enhanced claims processor, the set of image data to determine a damage estimate for the damage to the insured item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) based on the damage estimate, determining, at the enhanced claims processor, a settlement for settling the insurance claim.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(i) transmitting the settlement to the computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(j) receiving, from the computing device, a notification detailing whether or not the settlement is acceptable.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the settlement is acceptable, transmitting funds described in the settlement to an account of a user using the computing device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the settlement is not acceptable, transmitting the settlement to a claims adjuster for manual processing of the insurance claim.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of rules include rules related to whether or not each of the set of image data is too blurry for image analysis.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the insured item comprises a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the instructions comprise instructions for providing image data within a plurality of categories and wherein the plurality of categories include image data related to the entire vehicle, image data related to a vehicle identification number (VIN) door tag, and image data related to specific areas of damage to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the damage estimate includes determining a depth of the damage using at least one of stereoscopic techniques and three-dimensional video.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when all of the set of image data is acceptable, attaching the set of image data to the insurance claim in a database associated with the enhanced claims processing server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the damage estimate is determined by comparing the set of image data with other image data from previously analyzed insured items with damage similar to the damage to the insured item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the damage estimate is determined by comparing the set of image data with other image data from undamaged insured items similar to the insured item.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to the computing device, a list of recommended repair shops for repairing the damage to the insured item.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor at least to:

(i) receive instructions regarding a plurality of categories of image data that needs to be captured, wherein the image data relates to a claim for damage to an insured vehicle;

(ii) based on the instructions, capture the image data;

(iii) transmit the image data to an enhanced claims processing server;

(iv) receive feedback regarding whether or not the image data are acceptable for further analysis;

(v) when the feedback indicates that the image data are not acceptable, repeat steps (ii)-(iv) until the feedback indicates that all of the image data are acceptable;

(vi) receive a settlement for the claim;

(vii) receive, via a user interface, a first indication of whether or not the settlement is acceptable; and

(viii) transmit the first indication to the enhanced claims processing server.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further caused to:

display the instructions on a display prior to capturing the image data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further caused to:

prior to the capturing the image data, receive, via the user interface, a selection of one of the plurality of categories to which the captured image data will be added.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further caused to:

display a preview of the image data on a display after receiving, via the user interface, a second indication for displaying the preview.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device at least to;

(a) receive a plurality of instructions regarding a plurality of categories of photos of a damaged vehicle that should be captured;

(b) receive, via a user interface, a first indicator of a user'"'"'s intention to capture photos within one of the plurality of categories of photos;

(c) capture at least one photo in response to the first indicator;

(d) store the at least one photo in the one of the plurality of categories;

(e) receive, via the user interface, other indicators of the user'"'"'s intention to capture photos within other ones of the plurality of categories of photos;

(f) capture at least one photo for each of the other ones of the plurality of categories of photos in response to each of the other indicators;

(g) store the at least one photo for each of the other ones of the plurality of categories of photos;

(h) transmit all of the stored photos to an enhanced claims processing server;

(i) receive feedback regarding whether or not the transmitted photos are acceptable for further analysis;

(j) when the feedback indicates that the transmitted photos are not acceptable, repeat steps (c)-(i) until all of the transmitted photos are acceptable; and

(k) receive a settlement for an insurance claim associated with the damage vehicle.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the mobile device is further caused to:

(l) receive, via the user interface, a response as to whether or not the settlement is acceptable; and

(m) transmit the response to the enhanced claims processing server.