Online system and method for processing life insurance applications

• US 8,650,049 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symetra Life Insurance Company (Sumitomo Life Insurance Company)
• Original Assignee: Symetra Life Insurance Company (Sumitomo Life Insurance Company)
• Inventors: Davies, Jennifer Victoria, Johnson, Laura Ann, Methven, Kathleen Marie, Donnelly, Kaley, Miles, Noah Nathaniel, Wilhelm, Debora Ann, Knowles, Brandon H., Moeller, Alissa C., Higley, John Joseph, Carey, Douglas Steven, Tobiason, Wendell, Hallstaff, Charlene E., Besso, James FerneKeith, Madden, Michael Edward, Moore, Bradley James, Pozniak, Joelle Juleann, Walle, Jerald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RANGREJ, SHEETAL
• Application Number:
  US12/837,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method and system for online processing of life insurance applications includes receiving information that identifies an individual to be insured and describes the insurability of the individual. A certification may be received via an electronic data communications link confirming whether an illustration of a life insurance policy was delivered to the policy applicant. Furthermore, information may be received via an electronic data communications link from a third party confirming the identity of the individual to be insured. When a commitment to purchase the policy is received, a personalized temporary insurance certificate may be issued to the applicant, preferably accompanied by a temporary insurance agreement specifying the terms of temporary life insurance coverage extended to the individual. An authorization may also be received via an electronic data communications link authorizing immediate collection of medical history information from one or more third parties concerning the individual to be insured.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for online processing of a life insurance application, comprising:

under control of instructions executed by one or more computing devices in a computer system;

receiving information via an electronic data communications link that identifies an individual to be insured and describes the insurability of the individual, wherein the information includes health information of the individual;

obtaining a commitment for purchase of a life insurance policy to be issued by an insurance provider in accordance with parameters of the life insurance application;

evaluating the health information of the individual;

determining whether to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual based on the evaluation of the health information of the individual;

if it is determined to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then issuing via an electronic data communications link a temporary insurance certificate that is personalized for the individual according to the life insurance policy to be issued by the insurance provider, accompanied by a temporary life insurance agreement specifying terms of legally binding temporary life insurance that is extended to the individual pending issuance of the life insurance policy, wherein the personalized temporary insurance certificate includes, in a single document, information identifying the individual, information identifying the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual, and the amount of insurance coverage provided by the temporary life insurance agreement; and

if it is determined to not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then refusing to collect a premium for the life insurance policy and not extending temporary insurance coverage to the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party is a trusted person having a capacity to confirm the identification of the individual.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the trusted person is an agent of the insurance provider.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party confirms the identification of the individual by accessing an electronic database and verifies the identification of the individual based on information in the electronic database.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the personalized temporary insurance certificate further includes the amount of coverage and the premium amount of the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the personalized temporary insurance certificate delineates between the temporary insurance coverage and the coverage of the insurance policy to be issued to the individual.

7. A computer system for online processing of a life insurance application, comprising an application processing server configured with computer-implemented instructions that, in response to execution, cause the application processing server to:

receive information via an electronic data communications link that identifies an individual to be insured and describes the insurability of the individual, wherein the information includes health information of the individual;

obtain a commitment for purchase of a life insurance policy to be issued by an insurance provider in accordance with parameters of the life insurance application;

evaluate the health information of the individual;

determine whether to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual based on the evaluation of the health information of the individual;

if it is determined to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then issue via an electronic data communications link a temporary insurance certificate that is personalized for the individual according to the life insurance policy to be issued by the insurance provider, accompanied by a temporary life insurance agreement specifying terms of legally binding temporary life insurance that is extended to the individual pending issuance of the life insurance policy, wherein the personalized temporary insurance certificate includes, in a single document, information identifying the individual, information identifying the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual, and the amount of insurance coverage provided by the temporary life insurance agreement; and

if it is determined to not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then refuse to collect a premium for the life insurance policy and not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual.

8. The computer system of claim 7, in which the application processing server is further configured to receive information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party is a trusted person having a capacity to confirm the identification of the individual.

9. The computer system of claim 8, in which the trusted person is an agent of the insurance provider.

10. The computer system of claim 7, in which the application processing server is further configured to receive information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party confirms the identification of the individual by accessing an electronic database and verifies the identification of the individual based on information in the electronic database.

11. The computer system of claim 7, in which the personalized temporary insurance certificate further includes the amount of coverage and the premium amount of the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual.

12. The computer system of claim 11, in which the personalized temporary insurance certificate delineates between the temporary insurance coverage and the coverage of the insurance policy to be issued to the individual.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for online processing of a life insurance application, wherein in response to execution of the program instructions by one or more computing components, the program instructions cause the computing components to:

receive information via an electronic data communications link that identifies an individual to be insured and describes the insurability of the individual, wherein the information includes health information of the individual;

obtain a commitment for purchase of a life insurance policy to be issued by an insurance provider in accordance with parameters of the life insurance application;

evaluate the health information of the individual;

determine whether to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual based on the evaluation of the health information of the individual;

if it is determined to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then issue via an electronic data communications link a temporary insurance certificate that is personalized for the individual according to the life insurance policy to be issued by the insurance provider, accompanied by a temporary life insurance agreement specifying terms of legally binding temporary life insurance that is extended to the individual pending issuance of the life insurance policy, wherein the personalized temporary insurance certificate includes, in a single document, information identifying the individual, information identifying the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual, and the amount of insurance coverage provided by the temporary life insurance agreement; and

if it is determined to not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then refuse to collect a premium for the life insurance policy and not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, in which the program instructions further cause the one or more computing components to receive information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party is a trusted person having a capacity to confirm the identification of the individual.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, in which the trusted person is an agent of the insurance provider.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, in which the program instructions further cause the one or more computing components to receive information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party confirms the identification of the individual by accessing an electronic database and verifies the identification of the individual based on information in the electronic database.

17. A computer system for online processing of a life insurance application, comprising:

means for receiving information via an electronic data communications link that identifies an individual to be insured and describes the insurability of the individual, wherein the information includes health information of the individual;

means for obtaining a commitment for purchase of a life insurance policy to be issued by an insurance provider in accordance with parameters of the life insurance application;

means for evaluating the health information of the individual;

means for determining whether to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual based on the evaluation of the health information of the individual;

if it is determined to extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then means for issuing via an electronic data communications link a temporary insurance certificate that is personalized for the individual according to the life insurance policy to be issued by the insurance provider, accompanied by a temporary life insurance agreement specifying terms of legally binding temporary life insurance that is extended to the individual pending issuance of the life insurance policy, wherein the personalized temporary insurance certificate includes, in a single document, information identifying the individual, information identifying the life insurance policy to be issued to the individual, and the amount of insurance coverage provided by the temporary life insurance agreement; and

if it is determined to not extend temporary insurance coverage to the individual, then means for refusing to collect a premium for the life insurance policy and not extending temporary insurance coverage to the individual.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party is a trusted person having a capacity to confirm the identification of the individual.

19. The computer system of claim 18, in which the trusted person is an agent of the insurance provider.

20. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving information via an electronic data communications link from a third party that confirms the identification of the individual to be insured, in which the third party confirms the identification of the individual by accessing an electronic database and verifies the identification of the individual based on information in the electronic database.