System and method for creating insurance virtual affinity groups

• US 9,972,053 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Denning, Ryan Owen, Moin, Mushter Munib, Perschy, Deborah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradley, Joshua D.
• Application Number:
  US14/143,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Pursuant to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus and computer program code for creating and administering virtual affinity groups are provided. Pursuant to some embodiments, a computer implemented processing method is provided which includes receiving, at an insurance processing platform, information identifying at least a first characteristic of a virtual affinity group, receiving, at the insurance processing platform, information identifying at least a first feature of the virtual affinity group and at least a first insurance related benefit to be offered to the virtual affinity group, automatically identifying at least a first individual matching the at least first characteristic, and communicating to the at least first individual information allowing the at least first individual to participate in the virtual affinity group.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented processing method for managing data flow to create and identify members for a virtual affinity group created based solely on an identified characteristic and not based on an existing affinity group, comprising:

storing, in a data storage device, historical underwriting data and historical loss data;

analyzing, by a virtual affinity group computer processor, the historical underwriting data and the historical loss data to determine an aggregated group of risk characteristics;

identifying, by the virtual affinity group computer processor based upon analysis of the aggregated group of risk characteristics, a first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group to be created, the identified first set of characteristics comprising at least a demographic attribute and a psychographic attribute;

creating, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, the virtual affinity group based on the identified first set of characteristics;

creating, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, a web property domain for the virtual affinity group, wherein the web property domain includes at least one of a subdomain or a top level domain, and further includes at least automated feed-generated content and user-generated interactive content accessible by members of the virtual affinity group;

determining, by the virtual affinity group computer processor based on a risk analysis performed based on the identified first set of characteristics, a benefit comprising one of a pre-qualification for a product and a reduced rate for a product to be offered to said virtual affinity group;

receiving, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, data collection instructions identifying at least two of online forums, social media sites, and other web sites to monitor for potential members of the virtual affinity group, wherein the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites comprise authority sites identified based upon a page view traffic data analysis of the authority sites;

responsive to creation of the web property domain, periodically triggering a potential member identification process comprising;

receiving, by the virtual affinity group computer processor based upon the data collection instructions, online data from the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites;

analyzing, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, the received online data to identify at least a first individual matching the identified first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group, said analyzing including categorizing, based upon natural language processing of the received online data, an interest level psychographic attribute of the potential members of the virtual affinity group;

updating, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, membership data of the virtual affinity group to include information identifying the at least first individual as being eligible for membership in the virtual affinity group;

transmitting an invitation to the at least first individual to join the virtual affinity group; and

responsive to receipt of an affirmative response to the invitation, providing, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, access to the virtual affinity group, and the benefit, to the at least first individual.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, the received online data to identify a geographic characteristic of said virtual affinity group, the geographic characteristic identifying an additional desired characteristic of members of the virtual affinity group;

wherein analyzing, by the virtual affinity group computer processor, the received online data to identify the at least first individual further comprises analyzing the received online data to identify the at least first individual matching the geographic characteristic of the virtual affinity group.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received online data to categorize the interest level psychographic attribute of the potential members of the virtual affinity group comprises scanning the received online data with a text processor to identify statements or comments relevant to the virtual affinity group and identifying the at least first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group based on the identified statements or comments.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the statements or comments relevant to the virtual affinity group are weighted by the text processor to give a predetermined greater weight to comments by individuals who exhibit one or more of (a) a predetermined high number of posts of a predetermined quality on a subject matter related to the virtual affinity group, (b) posts of a predetermined quality on a subject matter related to the virtual affinity group, and (c) comments with a predetermined level of correct grammar and a predetermined level of spelling accuracy than to the comments by individuals who do not exhibit the predetermined number of posts, the posts of the predetermined quality, or the comments with the predetermined level of correct grammar and the predetermined level of spelling accuracy.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the authority sites based upon the page view traffic data analysis of the authority sites comprises:

identifying, in the received online data, data from the authority sites having a predetermined threshold ranking or a predetermined threshold level of traffic, and data from commenters who have posted with a predetermined frequency on the authority sites;

wherein analyzing the received online data to identify the at least first individual comprises scanning the data from the authority sites to identify the at least first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group from the commenters who have posted with the predetermined frequency on the authority sites.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein analyzing the received online data to identify the at least first individual comprises scanning the received online data with a text processor to identify an authority site generated reputation level of individuals associated with the authority sites, and identifying the at least first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group based on the authority site generated reputation level of the individuals associated with the authority sites.

7. A computer system for accessing and modifying data to create and identify members for a virtual affinity group created based solely on an identified characteristic and not based on an existing affinity group, comprising:

one or more data storage devices including historical underwriting data and historical loss data;

one or more virtual affinity group computer processors in communication with the one or more data storage devices;

a memory in communication with the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors and storing program instructions, the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors operative with the program instructions to;

analyze the historical underwriting data and the historical loss data to determine an aggregated group of risk characteristics;

identify a first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group to be created, the first set of characteristics based upon analysis of the aggregated group of risk characteristics and comprising at least a demographic attribute and a psychographic attribute;

create the virtual affinity group based on the identified first set of characteristics;

create a web property domain for the virtual affinity group, wherein the web property domain includes at least one of a subdomain or a top level domain, and further includes at least automated feed-generated content and user-generated interactive content accessible by members of the virtual affinity group;

determine, based on a risk analysis performed based on the identified first set of characteristics, a benefit comprising one of a pre-qualification for a product and a reduced rate for a product to be offered to said virtual affinity group;

receive data collection instructions identifying at least two of online forums, social media sites, and other web sites to monitor for potential members of the virtual affinity group, wherein the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites comprise authority sites identified based upon a page view traffic data analysis of the authority sites;

responsive to creation of the web property domain, periodically trigger a potential member identification process to;

receive, based upon the data collection instructions, online data from the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites;

analyze the received online data to identify at least a first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group, said analyzing including categorizing, based upon natural language processing of the received online data, an interest level psychographic attribute of the potential members of the virtual affinity group;

update membership data of the virtual affinity group to include information identifying the at least first individual as being eligible for membership in the virtual affinity group;

transmit an invitation to the at least first individual to join the virtual affinity group; and

responsive to receipt of an affirmative response to the invitation provide access to the virtual affinity group, and the benefit, to the at least first individual.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a policy quoting system comprising:

one or more quoting data storage devices;

one or more quoting processors in communication with the one or more data storage devices;

a quoting system memory in communication with the one or more quoting processors and storing quoting program instructions, the one or more quoting processors operative with the quoting program instructions to;

receive a request for a policy quote from the computer system for an individual identified in the membership data of the virtual affinity group;

determine the policy quote for the individual; and

provide the policy quote to the computer system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors are further operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to identify a geographic characteristic of the virtual affinity group, the geographic characteristic identifying an additional desired characteristic of members of the virtual affinity group and wherein the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to identify the at least first individual further comprises the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to identify the at least first individual matching the geographic characteristic of the virtual affinity group.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to categorize the interest level psychographic attribute of the potential members of the virtual affinity group comprises the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to scan the received online data with a text processor to identify statements or comments relevant to the virtual affinity group and identify the at least first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group based on the identified statements or comments.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the statements or comments relevant to the virtual affinity group are weighted by the text processor to give a predetermined greater weight to the statements or comments by individuals who exhibit one or both of (a) a predetermined level of interest in a subject matter related to the virtual affinity group, or (b) comments of a predetermined quality posted on a subject matter related to the virtual affinity group than to the statements or comments by individuals who do not exhibit the predetermined level of interest or the comments of the predetermined quality.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein identifying the authority sites based upon the page view traffic data analysis of the authority sites comprises:

the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being further operative with the program instructions to identify the authority sites having a predetermined threshold ranking or a predetermined threshold level of traffic and data from commenters who have posted with a predetermined frequency on the authority sites;

wherein the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to identify the at least first individual comprises the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to scan the data from the authority sites to identify the commenters who have posted with the predetermined frequency on the authority sites and identify the at least first individual matching said first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group from the commenters who have posted with the predetermined frequency on the authority sites.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to analyze the received online data to identify the at least first individual comprises the one or more virtual affinity group computer processors being operative with the program instructions to:

scan the received online data with a text processor to identify an authority site generated reputation level of individuals associated with the authority sites; and

identify the at least first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group based on the authority site generated reputation level of the individuals associated with the authority sites.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium for managing data flow to create and identify members for a virtual affinity group created based solely on an identified characteristic and not based on an existing affinity group, having stored therein computer readable instructions that, upon execution by a virtual affinity group computer processor, cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to:

analyze historical underwriting data and the historical loss data to determine an aggregated group of risk characteristics;

identify a first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group to be created, the first set of characteristics based upon analysis of the aggregated group of risk characteristics and comprising at least a demographic attribute and a psychographic attribute;

create the virtual affinity group based on the identified first set of characteristics;

create a web property domain for the virtual affinity group, wherein the web property domain includes at least one of a subdomain or a top level domain, and further includes at least automated feed-generated content and user-generated interactive content accessible by members of the virtual affinity group;

determine, based on a risk analysis performed based on the identified first set of characteristics, a benefit to be offered to said virtual affinity group, the benefit including at least one of a pre-qualification for a product and eligibility for a reduced rate;

receive data collection instructions identifying at least two online forums, social media sites, and other web sites to monitor for potential members of the virtual affinity group, wherein the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites comprise authority sites identified based upon a page view traffic data analysis of the authority sites;

responsive to creation of the web property domain, periodically trigger a potential member identification process to;

receive, based upon the data collection instructions, online data from the at least two of the online forums, the social media sites, and the other web sites;

analyze the received online data to identify at least a first individual matching the first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group, said analyzing including categorizing, based upon natural language processing of the received online data, an interest level psychographic attribute of the potential members of the virtual affinity group;

update membership data of the virtual affinity group to include information identifying said at least first individual as being eligible for membership in the virtual affinity group;

transmit an invitation to the at least first individual to join the virtual affinity group; and

responsive to receipt of an affirmative response to the invitation, provide access to the virtual affinity group, and the benefit, to the at least first individual.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14,

wherein the instructions further cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to identify, in the received online data, data from the authority sites having a threshold ranking or a threshold level of traffic;

wherein the instructions that cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to analyze the received online data to identify the at least first individual further cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to scan the received online data with a text processor to identify a reputation level of individuals associated with the authority sites; and

wherein the instructions that cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to identify the at least first individual matching said first set of characteristics of the virtual affinity group cause the virtual affinity group computer processor to identify the at least first individual based on the reputation level of the individuals associated with the authority sites.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein providing the benefit to the at least first individual comprises providing the benefit to the at least first individual via the web property.