Systems and methods for automobile total loss calculations

• US 8,788,297 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Hal S., Patel, Kamal D., Pelaez, Andres, Sprague, Deborah D., Varner, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US13/206,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4- 44
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Described are computer systems, methods, apparatus, and computer-readable data storage media storing instructions for performing a vehicle total loss calculation. In an embodiment, a computer system for performing total loss calculations includes a total loss engine computer and a storage device operatively coupled to the total loss engine computer. The storage device includes a total loss application program having instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to receive a valid claim number and a state selection entered on a main menu of a total loss calculator application by a user for a vehicle that has been totaled. The instructions also instruct the total loss engine computer to provide access to the user to a plurality of total loss calculator data input fields, selection buttons, and a state guidelines viewer on the main menu, to receive an instruction to calculate a total loss amount based on data entered by the user in the main menu, to determine that all required data has been entered, to calculate a net total amount for the totaled vehicle, and to provide the net total amount to the user.

Claims

1. A computer system for performing total loss calculations comprising:

a total loss engine computer system; and

a storage device operatively coupled to the total loss engine computer system, wherein the storage device includes a total loss application program having instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer system to;

receive a valid claim number and a state selection entered on a main menu of a total loss calculator application by a user for a vehicle that has been totaled;

request, based on the state selection, state jurisdictional data and state tax rate data for the totaled vehicle;

provide access to the user to a plurality of total loss calculator data input fields, selection buttons, and a state guidelines viewer on the main menu;

receive an instruction to calculate a total loss amount based on data entered by the user in the main menu;

determine that all required data has been entered;

calculate a net total amount for the totaled vehicle including a first net total amount in a case where an insurance company obtains the vehicle and a second net total amount in a case where an owner retains the vehicle, the first and second net total amounts calculated based on application of a plurality of fee rules associated with the state jurisdictional data, the state tax rate data, and said state selection; and

provide the net total amount to the user, wherein the first net total amount is provided in the case where the insurance company obtains the vehicle and the second net total amount is provided in the case where the owner retains the vehicle; and

a vehicle rental computer system, operatively coupled to the total loss engine computer system, configured to determine, based at least on the state selection, and provide to the user, one or both of an estimate of a number of days and a fair price that the insurance company will pay for rental of a rental vehicle by the owner of the totaled vehicle.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to store in a memory the net total amount and at least one of the claim number, the date data is entered, the time data is entered, and an identity of the user.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to analyze the total loss results to determine at least one of trends, inconsistencies and anomalies.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the instructions for instructing the total loss engine computer to receive the valid claim number and state selection, instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to:

receive a user identifier and password;

determine that the user identifier and password correspond to an ordinary user with permission to access the total loss calculator application; and

provide at least a portion of the main menu of the total loss calculator application.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the instructions for instructing the total loss engine computer to receive the valid claim number and state selection, instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to:

receive a user identifier and password;

determine that the user identifier and password correspond to a super user with permission to access the total loss calculator application and to perform maintenance tasks; and

provide a total loss calculator menu including options for accessing the main menu and for accessing at least one maintenance function menu.

6. The computer system of claim 5, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to:

receive a selection of a maintenance function menu by the super user;

provide the maintenance function menu to the super user for data input; and

update total loss calculator application data based on the input and capture at least one of a date of input entry, a time of input entry, and an identity of the super user.

7. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the instructions for providing the maintenance function menu to the super user comprises instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to provide at least one of a maintain state guidelines menu, a maintain fees menu, a maintain fee rules menu, and an update user menu.

8. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss engine computer to provide at least one of vehicle rental information and vehicle purchase information.

9. A method for providing a vehicle total loss solution comprising:

receiving, by a total loss processor, a valid claim number and a state selection entered on a main menu of a total loss calculator application by a user for a vehicle that has been totaled;

requesting, based on the state selection, state jurisdictional data and state tax rate data for the totaled vehicle;

providing access to the user on the main menu to a plurality of total loss calculator data input fields, at least one selection button, and a state guidelines viewer;

receiving, by the processor, an instruction to calculate a total loss amount based on data entered by the user in the data input fields;

determining that all required data has been entered;

calculating, by the total loss processor, a net total amount for the totaled vehicle including a first net total amount in a case where an insurance company obtains the vehicle and a second net total amount in a case where an owner retains the vehicle, the first and second net total amounts calculated based on an application of a plurality of fee rules associated with the state jurisdictional data, the state tax rate data, and said state selection;

providing the net total amount to the user, wherein the first net total amount is provided in the case where the insurance company obtains the vehicle and the second net total amount is provided in the case where the owner retains the vehicle; and

determining and providing to the user, by a vehicle rental computer system coupled to the total loss processor and based at least on the state selection, one or both of an estimate of a number of days and a fair price that the insurance company will pay for rental of a rental vehicle by the owner of the totaled vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing in a memory the net total amount and at least one of the claim number, the date data is entered, the time data is entered, and an identity of the user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing the total loss results to determine at least one of trends, inconsistencies and anomalies.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising, prior to receiving the valid claim number and state selection:

receiving, by the total loss processor, a user identifier and password;

determining that the user identifier and password correspond to an ordinary user with permission to access the total loss calculator application; and

providing, on the display component, at least a portion of the main menu of the total loss application.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, prior to receiving the valid claim number and state selection:

receiving, by the total loss processor, a user identifier and password;

determining that the user identifier and password correspond to a super user with permission to access the total loss calculator application and to perform maintenance tasks; and

providing, on the display component, a total loss calculator menu including options for accessing the main menu and for accessing at least one maintenance function menu.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the total loss processor, a selection of a maintenance function menu by the super user;

displaying the maintenance function menu on a display component for data input by the super user; and

updating, by the total loss processor, total loss application data based on the input and at least one of a date of input entry, a time of input entry, and an identity of the super user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one maintenance function menu comprises at least one of maintain state guidelines menu, a maintain fees menu, a maintain fee rules menu, and an update user menu.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing at least one of vehicle rental information and vehicle purchase information.

17. A computer readable medium storing non-transitory instructions for controlling one or more processors comprising a total loss processor and a vehicle rental system processor, the instructions configured to cause the total loss processor to:

receive a valid claim number and a state selection entered on a main menu of a total loss calculator application by a user for a vehicle that has been totaled;

request, based on the state selection, state jurisdictional data and state tax rate data for the totaled vehicle;

provide access to the user to a plurality of total loss calculator data input fields, selection buttons, and a state guidelines viewer on the main menu;

receive an instruction to calculate a total loss amount based on data entered by the user in the main menu;

determine that all required data has been entered;

calculate a net total amount for the totaled vehicle including a first net total amount in a case where an insurance company obtains the vehicle and a second net total amount in a case where an owner retains the vehicle, the first and second net total amounts calculated based on application of a plurality of fee rules associated with the state jurisdictional data, the state tax rate data, and said state selection;

provide the net total amount to the user, wherein the first net total amount is provided in the case where the insurance company obtains the vehicle and the second net total amount is provided in the case where the owner retains the vehicle; and

the instructions configured to cause the vehicle rental system processor to determine and provide to the user, based on the state selection, one or both of an estimate of a number of days and a fair price that the insurance company will pay for rental of a rental vehicle by the owner of the totaled vehicle.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to store in a memory the net total amount and at least one of the claim number, the date data is entered, the time data is entered, and an identity of the user.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to analyze the total loss results to determine at least one of trends, inconsistencies and anomalies.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising, prior to the instructions for instructing the total loss processor to receive the valid claim number and state selection, instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to:

receive a user identifier and password;

determine that the user identifier and password correspond to an ordinary user with permission to access the total loss calculator application; and

provide at least a portion of the main menu of the total loss calculator application.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising, prior to the instructions for instructing the total loss processor to receive the valid claim number and state selection, instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to:

receive a user identifier and password;

determine that the user identifier and password correspond to a super user with permission to access the total loss calculator application and to perform maintenance tasks; and

provide a total loss calculator menu including options for accessing the main menu and for accessing at least one maintenance function menu.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to:

receive a selection of a maintenance function menu by the super user;

provide the maintenance function menu to the super user for data input; and

update total loss calculator application data based on the input and capture at least one of a date of input entry, a time of input entry, and an identity of the super user.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions for providing the maintenance function menu to the super user comprises instructions operative to instruct the total loss processor to provide at least one of a maintain state guidelines menu, a maintain fees menu, a maintain fee rules menu, and an update user menu.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for providing at least one of vehicle rental information and vehicle purchase information.