Systems and methods for managing insurance associated with devices populated within a property

• US 10,679,292 B1
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Call, Shawn M., Hakimi-Boushehri, Daryoush, Weekes, John H., Bryant, Ronny S., Criswell, Jennifer, Binion, Todd, Jordan, II, Jackie O., McDermeit, Elisabeth, Donovan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaikh, Mohammad Z
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, II, Gregory S
• Application Number:
  US14/692,864
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/163 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart, intelligent house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 10/50 Finance; Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 40/10 Detection; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing insurance policies associated with properties may be provided. A property may be populated with a plurality of smart devices or devices that are connected to a central controller, such as via wired or wireless communication, whereby the plurality of devices are covered by an insurance policy, such as a homeowners, renters, or personal articles insurance policy. The central controller may receive identifications for the devices, and may update an inventory list to include the plurality of devices. A total market value of the devices may be calculated, and the central controller may estimate any modification to the insurance policy based upon the total market value. The controller may facilitate the modification to the insurance policy with a customer and an insurance provider. The smart devices may be, or be associated with, appliances, electronics, computers, televisions, jewelry, vehicles, furniture, or other equipment or personal belongings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing an insurance policy associated with a property and having a coverage amount, the property populated with a smart home controller in communication with a plurality of smart devices, each of the plurality of smart devices configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property, the method comprising:

receiving, by the smart home controller from a plurality of transmitters via a first communication network, a plurality of identifications and a plurality of GPS coordinates respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices, the plurality of transmitters respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices;

updating, with the plurality of identifications, an inventory list associated with the property;

automatically generating a virtual map that locates the plurality of smart devices within the property, wherein the virtual map indicates the plurality of GPS coordinates respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices;

accessing, by the smart home controller via a short-range communication network, a market value for each of the plurality of smart devices from a data tag equipped as part of the respective smart device, wherein the data tag for each respective smart device stores the market value of the respective smart device;

calculating, by the smart home controller, a decrease to at least one of the plurality of market values based on an age of the respective at least one of the plurality of smart devices;

calculating, by the smart home controller, based upon the plurality of market values for the plurality of smart devices and the calculated decrease to the at least one of the plurality of market values, a total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices;

estimating, by the smart home controller, a modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy based upon the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices, wherein the modified insurance coverage quote has an associated modified coverage amount that is less than the coverage amount;

communicating, via the smart home controller, to an electronic device of a customer having the insurance policy, the modified insurance coverage quote, wherein the electronic device concurrently presents, in a user interface, (i) the modified coverage amount, and (ii) a selection to accept the modified insurance coverage quote;

receiving, from the electronic device of the customer, an acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote; and

facilitating a modification to the insurance policy, with an insurance provider, based upon the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy comprises:

communicating, to the insurance provider, the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices and an indication of the property; and

receiving the modified insurance coverage quote from the insurance provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the modified insurance coverage quote comprises:

communicating, to the electronic device of the customer via one of the first communication network or a second communication network, the modified insurance coverage quote.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the modified insurance coverage quote comprises:

communicating, to the insurance provider, the modified insurance coverage quote and an instruction to cause the insurance provider to provide the modified insurance coverage quote to the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote comprises:

receiving, from the electronic device of the customer via the insurance provider, the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating the modification to the insurance policy comprises:

communicating, to the insurance provider, an identification of the insurance policy and an indication of the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote, wherein the insurance provider modifies the insurance policy.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that at least one of the plurality of smart devices is no longer associated with the property; and

removing the at least one of the plurality of smart devices from the inventory list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy comprises:

identifying a current premium amount associated with the insurance policy;

calculating, based upon the current premium amount and the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices, an adjustment to the current premium amount; and

generating the modified insurance coverage quote including the adjustment to the current premium amount.

9. A system for managing an insurance policy associated with a property and having a coverage amount, the system comprising:

a plurality of smart devices populated on the property configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property;

a smart home controller comprising;

a memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions;

a transceiver for communicating data; and

a processor interfacing with the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor to;

receive, via the transceiver from a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of identifications and a plurality of GPS coordinates respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices, the plurality of transmitters respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices,

update, with the plurality of identifications, an inventory list associated with the property,

automatically generate a virtual map that locates the plurality of smart devices within the property, wherein the virtual map indicates the plurality of GPS coordinates respectively associated with the plurality of smart devices,

access, via a short-range communication network, a market value for each of the plurality of smart devices from a data tag equipped as part of the respective smart device, wherein the data tag for each respective smart device stores the market value of the respective smart device,

calculate a decrease to at least one of the plurality of market values based on an age of the respective at least one of the plurality of smart devices,

calculate, based upon the plurality of market values for the plurality of smart devices and the calculated decrease to the at least one of the plurality of market values, a total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices,

estimate a modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy based upon the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices, wherein the modified insurance coverage quote has an associated modified coverage amount that is less than the coverage amount,

communicate, via the transceiver to an electronic device of a customer having the insurance policy, the modified insurance coverage quote, wherein the electronic device concurrently presents, in a user interface, (i) the modified coverage amount, and (ii) a selection to accept the modified insurance coverage quote,

receive, from the electronic device of the customer via the transceiver, an acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote, and

facilitate a modification to the insurance policy, with an insurance provider, based upon the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein to estimate the modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy, the processor is configured to:

communicate, to the insurance provider via the transceiver, the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices and an indication of the property, and

receive the modified insurance coverage quote from the insurance provider.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein to communicate the modified insurance coverage quote, the processor is configured to:

communicate, to the electronic device of the customer via one of a local area network or a wide area network, the modified insurance coverage quote.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein to communicate the modified insurance coverage quote, the processor is configured to:

communicate, to the insurance provider, the modified insurance coverage quote and an instruction to cause the insurance provider to provide the modified insurance coverage quote to the customer.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein to receive the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote, the processor is configured to:

receive, from the electronic device of the customer via the insurance provider, the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein to facilitate the modification to the insurance policy, the processor is configured to:

communicate, to the insurance provider via the transceiver, an identification of the insurance policy and an indication of the acceptance of the modified insurance coverage quote, wherein the insurance provider modifies the insurance policy.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect that at least one of the plurality of smart devices is no longer associated with the property, and

remove the at least one of the plurality of smart devices from the inventory list.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein to estimate the modified insurance coverage quote for the insurance policy, the processor is configured to:

identify a current premium amount associated with the insurance policy,

calculate, based upon the current premium amount and the total amount of worth of the plurality of smart devices, an adjustment to the current premium amount, and

generate the modified insurance coverage quote including the adjustment to the current premium amount.