Method and apparatus for internet on-line insurance policy service

• US 7,877,269 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Progressive Casualty Insurance Company (Progressive Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Progressive Casualty Insurance Company (Progressive Corporation)
• Inventors: McNamara, Megan N., Youngstrom, Leslie, Bowman, Amanda L., Urminski, Cheryl L., Alfred, Toby, Bauer, Alan R., Keyser, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEP VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/580,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

An Internet on-line insurance policy service system that facilitates real-time automated communication of policy information, adjustment of policy parameters, calculation and communication of resulting policy quotes, and implementation of policy changes, while obviating insurer personnel involvement and supervision of the communication. The system comprises a plurality of software modules relating to on-line real-time communication of existing policy information, testing of a wide range of variations in policy parameters, computing and communicating changes in policy premiums that would result from such variations, communicating desired changes in policy parameters and implementing desired policy changes. Other modules relate to communication of claims information and the providing of on-line forms.

Claims

1. An on-line insurance policy service system comprising:

a computer system that enables an insurance policyholder to access insurance data of an existing insurance policy remotely through a publicly accessible network and executes software embodied on a computer readable medium linked to the insurance data;

an information module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer system that identifies the insurance policyholder and verifies an insurance policy parameter of that insurance policyholder in real-time in response to data received from the insurance policyholder through a publicly accessible network;

an insurance policy adjustment module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer system that adjusts an insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter within the existing insurance policy in real-time in response to second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network;

wherein the insurance policy adjustment module generates an insurance document customized to the insurance policyholder and sends the customized insurance document to the insurance policyholder in response to the second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network; and

wherein the existing insurance policy comprises a health, a property-casualty, or a liability insurance policy.

2. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 1 wherein the software comprises a sequence of instructions that generates the customized insurance document and sends the customized insurance document to a web browser in response to the second data received from the insurance policyholder.

3. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 2 wherein the customized insurance document comprises content resident to an insurer'"'"'s computer and content received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and the web browser.

4. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 3 wherein the information module comprises a controller programmed to interact with the web browser running on a separate operating system than an operating system the information module is running on.

5. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 3 wherein the web browser is programmed to integrate content stored in a memory of the insurer'"'"'s computer with content stored in a second computer remote from the insurer'"'"'s computer.

6. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 2 wherein the insurance policy adjustment module provides a real-time acknowledgement to the web browser in response to the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter.

7. The on-line insurance policy service of claim 1 wherein the insurance policy parameter comprises a change in a number or identity of persons insured under an insurance policy of the insurance policyholder.

8. The on-line insurance policy service of claim 1 wherein the publicly accessible network comprises an Internet.

9. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 1 further comprising a visual output coupled to the information module configured to transmit display data comprising the insurance policy parameter of the insurance policyholder.

10. An on-line insurance policy service system comprising:

a browser that enables an insurance policyholder to access remote insurance information and software linked to the remote insurance information;

a publicly accessible network that facilitates data transfers from the browser;

an information module remote from the browser coupled to the publicly accessible network that identifies the insurance policyholder and verifies an insurance policy parameter of that insurance policyholder in response to and at the same rate data is received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and the browser;

an insurance policy adjustment module remote from the browser coupled to the publicly accessible network that adjusts an insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter in response to and at the same rate second data is received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and the browser; and

a payment module remote from the browser coupled to the publicly accessible network that determines a cost of the adjustment to an insurance premium in response to the adjustment of the insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter;

wherein the insurance policy adjustment module communicates to the browser an acknowledgement comprising the change in the insurance premium resulting from the adjustment in the insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter.

11. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 10 wherein an operating system is configured to allow the insurance policyholder to accept or reject an adjustment of the insurance policy parameter.

12. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 10 further comprising a visual output coupled to the information module configured to transmit display data rendering the insurance policy parameter of the insurance policyholder.

13. An on-line insurance policy service system comprising:

a computer that responds to commands from a client computer that enables an insurance policyholder to access insurance data accessible through a hierarchical address scheme and a publicly accessible network and executes software embodied on a computer readable medium that is linked to the remote insurance information;

an information module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer that identifies the insurance policyholder in real-time and verifies an insurance policy parameter of that insurance policyholder in response to first data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network;

wherein the first data comprises a personal security code that allows access to insurance policy parameters of the insurance policyholder; and

an insurance policy adjustment module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer remote from the client computer that adjusts an insurance policyholder'"'"'s policy parameter in real-time in response to second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network;

wherein the second data comprises a selection of the insurance policy parameter;

wherein the insurance policy adjustment module provides an acknowledgement to the client computer in response to the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter;

wherein an insurer'"'"'s computer executes the software that generates an insurance document customized to the insurance policyholder as identified by the personal security code and sends the customized insurance document to the client computer in response to the second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network; and

wherein the insurance policy parameter comprises a parameter of a health, a property-casualty, or a liability insurance policy.

14. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 13 further comprising a visual output coupled to the information module configured to transmit display data comprising the insurance policy parameter of the insurance policyholder.

15. An on-line insurance policy service system comprising:

a publicly accessible distributed network interface for transferring data;

an information module embodied on a computer readable medium and running on a secure computer system that couples to the publicly accessible distributed network interface that provides functionality to access insurance data through a hierarchical address scheme, the information module identifies an insurance policyholder and verifies an insurance policy parameter of an existing insurance policy of the insurance policyholder in real-time in response to first data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network interface;

where the first data comprises a personal security code that allows access to insurance policy parameters of the insurance policyholder; and

an insurance policy adjustment module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer system coupled to the publicly accessible distributed network interface, the insurance policy adjustment module adjusts the insurance policyholder'"'"'s insurance policy parameter in real-time in response to second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network interface;

where the second data comprises a selection of the insurance policy parameter;

where the insurance policy adjustment module provides an acknowledgement in response to the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter within the existing insurance policy, and implements the adjustment to the existing insurance policy;

where an insurer'"'"'s computer transmits an insurance document customized to the insurance policyholder, as identified by the personal security code, through the publicly accessible distributed network interface in response to the second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network interface; and

where the existing insurance policy comprises a health, a property-casualty, or a liability insurance policy.

16. The system of claim 15 where the publicly accessible distributed network interface is compliant with an internet protocol to facilitate a communication between a web browser and the information module.

17. The system of claim 15 where the insurance policy adjustment module provides the acknowledgment before the insurance policy adjustment module implements the adjustment to the existing insurance policy.

18. The system of claim 17 where the insurance policy adjustment module implements the adjustment to the existing insurance policy in response to third data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network interface.

19. The system of claim 17 where the acknowledgement comprises data related to the adjustment of the selected insurance parameter.

20. The system of claim 17 where the acknowledgement comprises a summary of the adjustment of the selected insurance parameter.

21. The system of claim 20 where the summary describes a change in at least one of an insurance coverage, an insurance deductible, or a benefit an insurance company will pay for an insurance coverage.

22. The system of claim 17 where the acknowledgement comprises a price of the adjustment to the selected insurance policy parameter.

23. The system of claim 22 where the price is related to a change in at least one of an insurance coverage, an insurance deductible, or a policy limit an insurance company will pay for an insurance coverage.

24. The system of claim 15 further comprising a payment module embodied on the computer readable medium and coupled to the insurance policy adjustment module.

25. The system of claim 24 where the payment module comprises an account-based system that allows the on-line insurance policy service system to receive on-line payments through the publicly accessible distributed network interface.

26. The system of claim 25 where the account based system allows an insurance policyholder to send an on-line payment through the Internet.

27. The system of claim 24 where the payment module facilitates payment of an insurance cost through an electronic funds transfer.

28. The system of claim 24 where the payment module facilitates payment of an insurance cost through a credit card.

29. The system of claim 24 where the payment module facilitates payment of an insurance cost through a card linked to the insurance policyholder'"'"'s bank account.

30. The system of claim 15 where the customized insurance document comprises content resident to the insurer'"'"'s computer and content received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible distributed network interface.

31. The system of claim 15 where the insurance document comprises a web page.

32. The system of claim 31 where the insurance document comprises data generated by the insurer'"'"'s computer that is associated with graphics.

33. The system of claim 15 where the insurance document comprises a data file generated by the insurer'"'"'s computer.

34. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises a change in an item or items insured under the existing insurance policy.

35. The system of claim 15 further comprising a claims information module embodied on the computer readable medium that communicates claim processing information through the publicly accessible distributed network interface.

36. The system of claim 15 further comprising a claims information module embodied on the computer readable medium that sends information through the publicly accessible distributed network interface related to a status of an insurance claim.

37. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises a change in an insurance coverage.

38. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises a change of an address.

39. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter changes a party insured by the existing insurance policy.

40. The system of claim 39 where the party insured comprises a person insured by the existing insurance policy.

41. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises changing the selected insurance policy parameter or a party insured by the existing insurance policy.

42. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises receiving information about a party to be insured by the existing insurance policy.

43. The system of claim 15 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter adjusts a deductible.

44. The system of claim 15 where the existing insurance policy comprises a vehicle insurance policy.

45. The system of claim 15 where the publicly accessible network interface communicates with a network that comprises an Internet.

46. The system of claim 15 where the personal security code comprises a password.

47. The system of claim 15 where the personal security code comprises a sequence of characters that identifies the insurance policyholder.

48. The system of claim 15 where the first data is received through a web page.

49. The system of claim 15 further comprising a policy quote module embodied on the computer readable medium and coupled to the publicly accessible distributed network interface to generate an insurance rate quote.

50. The system of claim 15 where the information module provides insurance information through the publicly accessible distributed network interface.

51. The system of claim 50 where the insurance information comprises on-line forms.

52. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 15 further comprising a visual output coupled to the insurance policy adjustment module configured to transmit display data rendering the insurance policy parameter of the existing insurance policy of the insurance policyholder.

53. An on-line insurance policy service system comprising:

an interface configured to enable an insurance policyholder to access personal and historical insurance information remotely through a publicly accessible network and software linked to the insurance information;

a computer system that facilitates data transfers from the interface;

an information module embodied on a computer readable medium and running on the computer system coupled to a publicly accessible network that is configured to identify the insurance policyholder and verify an insurance policy parameter of an existing insurance policy of that insurance policyholder in real-time in response to data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and the interface;

an insurance policy adjustment module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer system coupled to the publicly accessible network that adjusts an insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter in real-time in response to second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and the interface;

a visual output coupled to the information module configured to transmit display data that renders a visual of the insurance policy parameter of the insurance policyholder; and

a payment module embodied on the computer readable medium and running on the computer system coupled to the publicly accessible network that determines a cost of the adjustment to an insurance premium in response to the adjustment of the insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter;

wherein the insurance policy adjustment module communicates to the interface an acknowledgement comprising the change in the insurance premium resulting from the adjustment in the insurance policyholder'"'"'s selected insurance policy parameter, and

wherein the existing insurance policy comprises a health, a property-casualty, or a liability insurance policy.