Computerized system for combining insurance company and credit card transactions

• US 7,246,068 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James C. Thomas Jr
• Original Assignee: James C. Thomas Jr
• Inventors: Thomas, James C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/927,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for combining a credit card account with a medical services or insurance account. A client establishes a credit card account and links the credit card account to an insurance policy or medical services account. The client uses the credit card and generates rebates used to offset the cost of the insurance policy or make payments into the medical services account. The form of the rebate depends on the type of insurance policy or medical services account selected by the client. An interactive Web site is provided for creation, coordination, and monitoring of the linked credit card accounts and insurance policies. A client uses the interactive Web site to explore different insurance policies and the effects of using credit card rebates to offset the price of an insurance policy. The interactive Web site also provides services for the client to maintain and monitor the linked accounts.

Claims

1. A method for providing rebates for charges made to a credit card as payments for amounts due on an insurance account, the method comprising:

providing a web site displaying a plurality of insurance policies to which the rebates may be applied;

receiving at the website, a user selection of at least one of the displayed plurality of insurance policies for applying the rebates;

identifying, at the website, an insurance account associated with the user selected insurance policy;

identifying, at the web site, a credit card account;

linking the insurance account with the credit card account;

calculating a rebate amount based on a purchase amount charged to the credit card account using an associated credit card;

electronically transmitting the rebate amount to a remote processing system associated with the insurance account; and

applying, by the remote processing system, the rebate amount to the insurance account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote processing system is accessed over a wide area data communications network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rebate amount is a percentage of a purchase amount charged to the credit card account.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically identifying an amount due on the insurance account; and

automatically applying the rebate amount to the amount due on the insurance account and reducing the amount due.

5. A method for providing rebates for charges made to a credit card for making payments for medical expenses, the method comprising:

calculating a rebate amount based on a purchase amount charged to a credit card account using an associated credit card;

identifying a medical services account associated with the credit card account;

transferring funds associated with the rebate amount to the identified medical services account;

receiving information on a medical expenditure associated with the medical services account;

automatically transferring funds out of the medical services account based on the medical expenditure;

verifying an amount of existing funds in the medical services account;

linking the medical services account to a second account;

detecting insufficient funds in the medical services account; and

transferring the detected insufficient funds amount out of the second account.