System and method of providing pricing information

• US 7,707,049 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Van Cleave, Robert Jackson, Kuhn, James Steven, Pawelek, David Ray, Clark, Larry Wayne, Mills, Steven Carl, Moritz, Karen Marie, Dye, Myron Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan; C. Luke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lubin; Valerie
• Application Number:
  US10/677,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,399 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method capable of providing an estimated premium without extensive and repetitive questioning. The present invention utilizes unique assumptions to dramatically reduce the amount of information that must be provided by the customer. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a mainframe computer system, an application server, and an external rules management system to interact with the customer via an attractive graphic user interface. Once logged onto the website of the present invention, the customer may choose to engage in a fast quote process which utilizes assumptions, driver information, and vehicle information to assess the risk associated with insuring the customer and then calculates an estimated cost to insure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing pricing information, comprising:

defining an assumption set comprising one or more assumptions, wherein said assumptions are derived from statistical data relating to a plurality of actual customers;

receiving at a computer system a first set of information from a customer via a network;

receiving at said computer system a second set of information from said customer via said network;

utilizing said assumption set, said first set of information, and said second set of information, estimating a price associated with one or more products;

sending, from said computer system to said customer, said estimated price via said network;

dynamically updating said assumption set based upon feedback provided by a plurality of potential customers affecting statistical data related to said plurality of actual customers and said plurality of potential customers; and

receiving at said computer system the updated assumption set from an external rules management system updating said assumption set with said external rules management system and;

implementing with said computer system said updated assumptions set in place of said assumption set without interrupting the ability of the computer system to provide pricing information to said customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said product comprises vehicle insurance.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said assumptions comprise good credit, active driver'"'"'s license, no vehicle value over a first value, vehicular usage limited to 12,000 miles for work/school, and/or all vehicles built according to a first set of regulations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first value comprises $80,000.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first set of regulations comprise applicable Federal and State laws of the United States.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said first set of information comprises driver information comprising number of drivers, previous insurance coverage, driver identification, and driver history.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second set of information comprises vehicle information comprising vehicle location, number of vehicles, make &

model, and vehicle safety devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

receiving feedback information from one or more customers; and

amending one or more of said assumptions according to said feedback information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said estimating step further comprises assessing the risk associated with insuring said driver, said risk assessment being calculated by an underwriting engine.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said estimating step further comprises determining a pricing rate associated with said assessed risk, said pricing rate being calculated by a rating engine coupled to said network.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein said pricing information is provided through a web-based graphic user interface, said interface providing one or more product options.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said product options are selected from the group consisting of minimum options, standard options, maximum options and customized options.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said graphic user interface further comprises one or more data entry fields.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional step of offering product incentives to one or more customers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said product incentives are determined according to one or more incentive rules, said rules utilizing said driver information, said vehicle information and/or said assumptions to determine which customers are eligible for said incentives.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional steps of:

storing said driver information and said vehicle information upon a storage device; and

providing access to said driver information and said vehicle information, said information being displayed upon a dynamically rendered graphic user interface viewable by said customer or by a customer service representative.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said graphic user interface provides said customer and said customer service representative with substantially the same navigational links, data entry fields, and selective fields.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said driver information and/or said vehicle information is retrieved from a remote information source.

18. A method of providing all-risk pricing information to members of an organization over a computer network comprising the steps of:

providing quoting options comprising fast quote and detailed quote pricing options;

receiving at a computer system a quote selection from a first member;

determining that said member selected said fast quote pricing option;

defining an assumption set comprising one or more assumptions applicable to at least a portion of actual members of said organization based on said quote selection, said assumptions comprising good credit, active driver'"'"'s license, no vehicle value over a predefined value of at least $80,000, vehicular usage limited to 12,000 miles for work/school, and/or all vehicles built according to applicable Federal and State regulations;

receiving at a computer system driver information from a first member comprising number of drivers, previous insurance coverage, driver identification, and driver history;

receiving at said computer system vehicle information from a potential member comprising vehicle location, number of vehicles, make &

model, and vehicle safety devices;

utilizing said assumption set, said driver information, and said vehicle information, calculating an estimated price to insure said potential member;

storing said driver information, said vehicle information, and said estimated price in an electronic storage device;

dynamically updating said assumption set based upon feedback provided by a plurality of potential members affecting statistical data related to a plurality of actual members and said plurality of potential members; and

receiving at said computer system the updated assumption set from an external rules management system updating said assumption set with said external rules management system and;

implementing with said computer system said updated assumptions set in place of said assumption set without interrupting the ability of the computer system to provide pricing information to said members.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said estimating step further comprises 1) assessing the risk associated with insuring said driver, said risk assessment being calculated by an underwriting engine coupled to said network and 2) determining a pricing rate associated with said assessed risk, said pricing rate being calculated by a rating engine coupled to said network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the additional steps of:

confirming each of said assumptions; and

providing said first member with a potentially binding cost estimate to insure.

22. A computer system for providing pricing information comprising:

a computer system, wherein said computer system comprises;

a storage device configured to store electronic data, wherein said storage device contains an assumption set comprising one or more assumptions, wherein said assumptions are based on statistical data relating to a plurality of actual customers,

an underwriting engine configured to determine a risk associated with a customer based on said assumption set, and

a rating engine configured to calculate a quote for the customer based on the risk associated with the customer;

an application server for presenting a graphic user interface upon a remote workstation, said server coupled to said computer system; and

an external rules management system operatively connected to said computer system, wherein said external rules management system is configured to dynamically update said assumption set based upon feedback provided by a plurality of potential customers affecting statistical data related to said plurality of actual customers and said plurality of potential customers and send said updated assumption set to said computer system; and

a computer network coupled to said server and said remote station;

wherein said computer system is configured to implement said updated assumptions set in place of said assumption set such that said presentation of said graphic user interface is not interrupted.