Method and apparatus for internet on-line insurance policy service

• US 8,712,795 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• 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: Bauer, Alan R., Bowman, Amanda L., Keyser, Richard J., McNamara, Megan N., Urminski, Cheryl L., Youngstrom, Leslie, Alfred, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEP VAN
• Application Number:
  US13/616,426
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• 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;

an information module configured to run on the computer system and verify an insurance policy parameter of the insurance policyholder in real-time in response to data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network;

a claims module configured to process second data received from the insurance policyholder through the publicly accessible network and identify a claimant, confirm insurance coverages, and summarize the insurance claim based on the processing of the second data;

the claims module including a module aggregating service related to a loss recovery that is configured to automatically provide aggregated services to the insurance policyholder to rehabilitate the sustained loss in accordance with the information processed by the claims module;

where the claims module enables the insurance policyholder to communicate, without action by personnel of the insurance company, directly with a third party provider independent of the insurance company, of services related to loss recovery.

2. The system of claim 1 where the publicly accessible network comprises a publicly accessible distributed network.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising an insurance policy adjustment module configured to run on the computer system and adjust the insurance policy parameter comprising an insurance policy coverage, where the adjustment is made to the insurance policyholder'"'"'s existing insurance policy within the existing insurance policy'"'"'s term in real-time in response to third data received from the insurance policyholder.

4. The system of claim 3 where the insurance policy adjustment module is further configured to generate an insurance policy cost adjustment in real-time attributable to the adjustment of the insurance policyholder'"'"'s insurance policy coverage.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a payment enablement module and a policy quotes module coupled to the insurance policy adjustment module;

where the payment enablement module processes payments conveyed through the publicly accessible distributed network from the insurance policyholder.

6. The system of claim 5 where and the publicly accessible distributed network comprises the Internet.

7. The system of claim 3 where the adjustment of the insurance policy coverage comprises an adjustment to a policy limit associated with the existing insurance policy, and where the insurance policy adjustment module is configured to communicate to the insurance policyholder an insurance policy cost adjustment attributable to the adjustment of the policy limit in real-time.

8. The system of claim 3 where the insurance policy adjustment comprises a replacement of a vehicle covered under the existing insurance policy, and where the insurance policy adjustment module is configured to communicate a cost adjustment attributable to the replacement of the vehicle to the insurance policyholder in real-time through the Internet.

9. The system of claim 3 where the insurance policy adjustment module is configured to communicate with the insurance policyholder and adjust the insurance policyholder'"'"'s insurance policy parameter without involvement of an insurance agent or a personal representative of an insurer.

10. The system of claim 3 further comprising a claims information module and a policy quotes module that interfaces the computer system.

11. The system of claim 3 further comprising a claims information module, a payment enablement module, and a policy quotes module that interfaces the computer system.

12. The system of claim 3 where the on-line insurance policy service system renders a Web site that interfaces the information module and the claims module.

13. The system of claim 12 where the Web site operates as an on-line claim reporting hub that publishes details of personal insurance claims.

14. The system of claim 12 where the insurance claim comprises an automobile claim or a homeowner'"'"'s claim.

15. The system of claim 12 where the publicly accessible distributed network comprises a global computer network that accepts inputs directly from insurance policyholders independent of an insurance agent, an insurance broker, or the insurance company.

16. The system of claim 12 where the on-line insurance policy service system provides continuous network claim service handling.

17. The system of claim 12 where the on-line insurance policy service system includes a privacy preserving module for preserving the Web site users'"'"' privacy while online.

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

a computer system that enables an insurance policyholder to access insurance data during a term of the insurance policyholder'"'"'s existing insurance policy remotely through a network without the intervention of an insurance professional acting on the insurance policyholder'"'"'s behalf, the computer system being configured to execute software embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium linked to the insurance data;

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

an insurance policy adjustment module embodied on the computer readable medium that adjusts a selected insurance policy parameter within the existing insurance policy in real-time in response to second data received from the insurance policyholder through the network;

where the insurance policy adjustment module generates an insurance document that reflects the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter of the existing insurance policy and sends the insurance document to the insurance policyholder in response to the second data received from the insurance policyholder through the network;

where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter amends a coverage provided by the existing insurance policy and a premium associated with the existing insurance policy during the insurance policy term; and

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

19. The on-line insurance policy service system of claim 18 further comprising a policy quote module embodied on the computer readable medium that provides a cost for providing insurance and a payment module embodied on the computer readable medium that enables the insurance policyholder to make a payment.

20. The system of claim 18 where the insurance policy adjustment module is further configured to generate in real-time an insurance policy cost adjustment attributable to the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter, and where the insurance policy adjustment module is also further configured to communicate the insurance policy cost adjustment in real-time to the insurance policyholder over the network.

21. The system of claim 18 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises an adjustment of an insurance deductible.

22. The system of claim 18 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises an adjustment of a policy limit.

23. The system of claim 18 where the network comprises the Internet.

24. The system of claim 18 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises a replacement of a vehicle.

25. The system of claim 18 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter comprises an addition or a deletion of one or more drivers.

26. The system of claim 18 further comprising a claims information module coupled to the network, a payment enablement module coupled to the network, and a policy quotes module coupled to the network.

27. The system of claim 18 where the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter occurs during the data exchange between the insurance policyholder and the insurance policy adjustment module that results in the adjustment of the selected insurance policy parameter.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprising a claims information module coupled to the network, a payment enablement module coupled to the network, and a policy quotes module coupled to the network and where the insurance policy adjustment module generates the insurance document in real-time.