Insurance claim processing via streaming video

• US 9,792,654 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Limas, Shanna, Burgess, Cleburne, McEachron, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael W
• Application Number:
  US13/837,883
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for processing insurance claims in a manner that reduces or eliminates a need for an adjuster to visit an insured person or property of the insured person. The method includes receiving a query from an insured regarding a claim and determining if the insured has a mobile device with a video camera capable of streaming video to the insurance claim processing system. If a mobile device capable of streaming video is available, the system generates an electronic invitation to a one-way streaming video session and transmits the electronic invitation to the mobile device. Upon acceptance, the system initiates the one-way video session, receives real-time streaming video, and appends received video from the real-time streaming video to a claim workfile. In alternative implementations, the system can remotely control the camera and other features of the mobile device during the one-way streaming video session.

Claims

1. A method for damage assessment comprising:

in a damage assessment system having a memory and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor;

receiving, from a mobile device associated with a policy holder, a query regarding a damage assessment from the policy holder located remotely from the damage assessment system for processing the damage assessment, the query further including mobile device capability information indicating the mobile device is capable of streaming video;

determining, in response to the information included in the query, whether the mobile device is capable of streaming video to the damage assessment system; and

in response to determining the mobile device is capable of streaming video;

generating an electronic invitation to a one-way streaming video session, the electronic invitation including an interactive link for controlling the mobile device to initiate streaming video to the damage assessment system upon activation of the interactive link;

transmitting the electronic invitation to the mobile device;

upon receiving an acceptance of the electronic invitation based on activation of the interactive link, controlling the mobile device to initiate the one-way video session;

receiving, from the mobile device, real-time streaming video based on the initiation of the one-way video session, the real time streaming video containing embedded metadata;

decoding the embedded metadata; and

appending received video and metadata from the real-time streaming video to a damage assessment workfile at the damage assessment system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after initiating the one-way video session, remotely controlling the mobile device from the damage assessment system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the mobile device comprises adjusting a zoom of a video camera of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the mobile device comprises controlling a flash on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the mobile device comprises remotely turning on a speaker of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the query comprises receiving identification and authentication information from the policy holder, automatically retrieving policy information for the policy holder from the memory upon receiving the identification and authentication information and generating an electronic claim file for the claim of the policy holder.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein appending received video comprises, receiving real-time streamed video from the mobile device, and automatically displaying the real-time streamed video to a customer representative associated with the damage assessment system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising capturing screenshots from the real-time streaming video in response to receiving instructions from the customer representative and storing the captured screen shots in the memory in addition to the streaming video.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising annotating at least one of the streaming video or captured screen shots with indicia in response to a command received from a customer representative in communication with the damage assessment system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving location information from the mobile device and verifying that the location information corresponds with a location of property associated with a policy of the policy holder.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after initiating the one-way video session, transmitting control information in order to modify the real time streaming video.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control information comprises control commands indicative, to the mobile device, of remote control to modify the real time streaming video.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the control information comprises display commands indicative, to the mobile device, to display to the insured to control the real time streaming video.

14. A damage assessment system for processing a damage assessment utilizing streaming video, the system comprising:

a memory storing processor executable instructions for processing damage assessments; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to execute the processor executable instructions to;

receive, from a mobile device associated with a policy holder, a query regarding an damage assessment from the policy holder located remotely from the damage assessment system for processing a damage assessment, the query further including mobile device capability information indicating the mobile device is capable of streaming video;

determine, in response to the information included in the query, whether the mobile device is capable of streaming video to the damage assessment system; and

in response to determining the mobile device is capable of streaming video;

generate an electronic invitation to a one-way streaming video session, the electronic invitation including an interactive link for controlling the mobile device to initiate streaming video to the damage assessment system upon activation of the interactive link;

transmit the electronic invitation to the mobile device;

in response to receiving an acceptance of the electronic invitation based on activation of the interactive link, control the mobile device to initiate the one-way video session;

receive, from the mobile device, real-time streaming video based on the initiation of the one-way video session, the real time streaming video containing embedded metadata; and

append received video and metadata from the real-time streaming video to a damage assessment workfile at the damage assessment system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to, after initiating the one-way video session, remotely control the mobile device from the damage assessment system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to remotely control the mobile device by adjusting a zoom of a video camera of the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to remotely control the mobile device by controlling a flash on the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to remotely control the mobile device by remotely turning on a speaker of the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein in response to receiving the query, including receiving identification and authentication information from the policy holder, the processor is configured to automatically retrieve policy information for the policy holder from the memory and generate an electronic claim file for the claim of the policy holder.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein to append received video, the processor is configured to append received real-time streamed video from the mobile device, and automatically display the real-time streamed video to a customer representative associated with the damage assessment system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to capture screenshots from the real-time streaming video in response to receiving instructions from the customer representative, and to store the captured screen shots in the memory in addition to the streaming video.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to annotate at least one of the streaming video or captured screen shots with indicia in response to a command received from a customer representative in communication with the damage assessment system.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to receiving location information from the mobile device, verify that the location information corresponds with a location of property associated with a policy of the policy holder.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to, after initiating the one-way video session, remotely control the mobile device from the damage assessment system in order to modify the real time streaming video.