Processing insured items holistically with mobile damage assessment and claims processing

• US 10,803,532 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2019
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• 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): Campen, Kelly S
• Application Number:
  US16/570,421
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4, 703 8, 702108, 707705
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

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 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:

send, to a mobile device, user instructions to capture images depicting damage to an insured item;

receive, from a software application executing on the mobile device, a first plurality of images depicting a plurality of damaged areas of an insured vehicle;

send one or more feedback instructions to the mobile device based on an analysis of the first plurality of images;

receive, from the mobile device and responsive to the one or more feedback instructions, a second plurality of images;

identify the plurality of damaged areas of the insured vehicle within the second plurality of images by applying an object recognition algorithm to the second plurality of images;

access a damage template associated with a reference image and comprising a damage estimate;

compare three-dimensional coordinates of the second plurality of images to three-dimensional coordinates of the reference image;

generate, for a first damaged area of the plurality of damaged areas, and based on the damage estimate and a result of the comparing, a modified damage estimate;

generate a total damage estimate based on the modified damage estimate and a second damage estimate for a second damaged area of the plurality of damaged areas;

generate an effective total damage estimate based on the total damage estimate and an interaction term, wherein the interaction term represents a modified cost associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and the second damaged area;

determine a settlement based on the effective total damage estimate;

generate a user interface screen comprising the settlement; and

send one or more feedback instructions to the mobile device based on an analysis of the first plurality of images;

receive, from the mobile device and responsive to the one or more feedback instructions, a second plurality of images; and

send, to the mobile device, the user interface screen.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the interaction term is generated based on information stored in a database.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

translate an audio file, comprising data associated with one or more of the plurality of damaged areas of the insured vehicle, into a text file.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

perform optical character recognition on an image depicting a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the insured vehicle.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

predict damage to an interior of the insured vehicle based on damage to an exterior of the insured vehicle.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

send one or more feedback instructions to the mobile device based on an analysis of the first plurality of images;

receive, from the mobile device and responsive to the one or more feedback instructions, a second plurality of images; and

send a request for additional images to the mobile device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive one or more additional images depicting the plurality of damaged areas of the insured vehicle.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether or not the one or more additional images are acceptable.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

when the one or more additional images are not acceptable, send a second request for additional images to the mobile device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

send, to the mobile device, a notification associated with a repairing of the insured vehicle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive, from the mobile device, a notification indicating whether or not the settlement is acceptable.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

when the settlement is acceptable, send funds to an account of a user of the mobile device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

when the settlement is not acceptable, send the settlement to a claims adjuster.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by an enhanced claims processor, from a software application executing on a mobile device, a first plurality of images depicting a plurality of damaged areas of an insured vehicle;

sending one or more feedback instructions to the mobile device based on an analysis of the first plurality of images;

receiving, from the mobile device and responsive to the one or more feedback instructions, a second plurality of images;

identifying, by the enhanced claims processor, the plurality of damaged areas of the insured vehicle within the second plurality of images by applying an object recognition algorithm to the second plurality of images;

comparing three-dimensional coordinates of the second plurality of images to three-dimensional coordinates of a reference image of a damage template associated with a reference image;

generating, by the enhanced claims processor, a total damage estimate based on a first damage estimate, a second damage estimate, and an interaction term, wherein the first damage estimate is for a first damaged area and is based on the comparing, and wherein the interaction term represents a modified cost associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and a second damaged area associated with the second damage estimate;

determining a settlement based on the total damage estimate;

generating a user interface screen comprising the settlement; and

sending, by the enhanced claims processor, to the mobile device, the user interface screen.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interaction term is generated based on information stored in a database.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

translating, by the enhanced claims processor, an audio file comprising data associated with one or more of the plurality of damaged areas into a text file.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing, by the enhanced claims processor, optical character recognition on an image depicting a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the insured vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sending a request for additional images to the mobile device.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

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

send, to a mobile device, user instructions to capture images depicting damage to an insured item;

receive, from a software application executing on the mobile device, a first plurality of images depicting a plurality of damaged areas of an insured vehicle;

send one or more feedback instructions to the mobile device based on an analysis of the first plurality of images;

receive, from the mobile device and responsive to the one or more feedback instructions, a second plurality of images;

identify the plurality of damaged areas of the insured vehicle within the second plurality of images by applying an object recognition algorithm to the second plurality of images;

compare three-dimensional coordinates of the second plurality of images to three-dimensional coordinates of a reference image of a damage template associated with a reference image;

generate a total damage estimate based a first damage estimate and an interaction term, wherein the first damage estimate is for a first damaged area and is based on the comparing, and wherein the interaction term represents a modified cost associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and a second damaged area;

determine a settlement based on the total damage estimate;

generate a user interface screen comprising the settlement; and

send, to the mobile device, the user interface screen.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the interaction term is generated based on information stored in a database.