Patent Application Titled “Total Loss Evaluation And Handling System And Method” Published Online (USPTO 20230334571): Allstate Insurance Company

2023 NOV 02 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventors DeWall, Joel (Libertyville, IL, US); Ejupi, Jamin (Libertyville, IL, US); Hanson, Randall M. (Lake Ozark, MO, US), filed on June 16, 2023, was made available online on October 19, 2023.

The assignee for this patent application is Allstate Insurance Company (Northbrook, Illinois, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Handling insurance claims can be a time-consuming and complex process for both the claimant and the claims processor. The claimant often starts the process with a first notice of loss to a claims processing office associated with an insurance company. Usually, a claims adjuster within the claims processing office is assigned to the case to assess the damage for which compensation is sought. The claims adjustment process can involve paperwork processing, telephone calls, and potentially face-to-face meetings between claimant and adjuster. In addition, time can elapse between a first notice of loss from the claimant and the final settlement of the claim.

“From these claims adjustment efforts insurance companies may compile large volumes of information regarding the circumstances that led to a loss and determinations of whether an estimated cost to repair a damaged item exceeds the value of the item. From this information insurance companies may be able to derive statistics that correlate the circumstances resulting in a loss with the determination of whether the damaged item should be repaired or simply replaced. Therefore a need exists for new approaches that leverage such information to streamline claims processing.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “The following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosures. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.

“A first aspect described herein provides a computer-implemented method of handling a loss involving an insured vehicle. A total loss evaluation and handling system may receive vehicle state data associated with an insured vehicle. The total loss evaluation and handling system may determine that a loss involving the vehicle has occurred, and a total loss evaluator may select a set of total loss rules that are configured to determine whether the loss is a total loss. The total loss evaluator may apply the total loss rules selected to the vehicle state data received and determine whether the loss is a total loss based on the total loss rules applied. A total loss handler may obtain an estimated value of the vehicle and generate a settlement amount based on the estimated value. The total loss handler may then initiate a payment corresponding to the settlement amount to an individual associated with the insured vehicle as settlement for the total loss.

“A second aspect described herein provides a total loss evaluation and handling system. The total loss evaluation and handling system may include at least one processor and a vehicle state data store that stores vehicle state data associated with an insured vehicle. A total loss evaluator may determine that a loss involving the insured vehicle has occurred and select a set of total loss rules configured to determine whether the loss is a total loss. The total loss evaluator may apply the total loss rules selected to the vehicle state data received and determine that the loss is a total loss based on the total loss rules applied. A total loss handler may be configured to obtain an estimated value of the insured vehicle and generate a settlement amount based on the estimated value. The total loss handler may then initiate a payment corresponding to the settlement amount to an individual associated with the insured vehicle as settlement for the total loss.

“A third aspect described herein provides an apparatus for handling a loss involving an insured vehicle. A total loss evaluation and handling system may receive vehicle state data associated with an insured vehicle and determine that a loss involving the vehicle has occurred. A total loss evaluator may select a set of total loss rules configured to determine whether the loss is a total loss and apply the total loss rules selected to the vehicle state data received. The total loss evaluator may determine that the loss is a total loss based on the total loss rules applied. A total loss handler may obtain an estimated value of the vehicle, generate a settlement amount based on the estimated value, and initiate a payment corresponding to the settlement amount to the individual as settlement for the total loss.

“The details of these and other embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and description below. Other features and advantages of aspects of the disclosure will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A method of detecting and processing a loss involving an insured vehicle comprising: receiving, by a total loss evaluation and handling system, vehicle state information from a claimant computing device, the vehicle state information comprising information corresponding to at least one component of the insured vehicle; determining, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, that a loss corresponding to the insured vehicle has occurred based on the vehicle state information received; applying, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, a total loss rule of a set of total loss rules to at least a portion of the vehicle state data; determining, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold; based on determining that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold, determine, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, that the loss is a total loss; and generating, by the total loss evaluation and handling system and based on determining that the loss is a total loss, a settlement amount.

“2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information describing the state of the insured vehicle and the insured vehicle’s components and sub-systems.

“3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information describing the state of the vehicle comprises an identification of which of the insured vehicle’s components and sub-systems have been damaged and an indication of the extent of the damage.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state data is received from an individual associated with the insured vehicle.

“5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information derived from vehicle telematics data.

“6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the insured vehicle comprises at least one of seats, tires, windows, air conditioning, navigation system, and entertainment system.

“7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information related to at least one of a make of the insured vehicle, a model of the insured vehicle, a year of the insured vehicle, a current vehicle mileage, a state of vehicle components before and after the loss, and options the insured vehicle includes.

“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information corresponding to damage of a first component, a second component, and a third component, each of the at least one component of the insured vehicle.

“9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, prior vehicle state information corresponding to percentage of total loss of vehicles substantially similar to the insured vehicle; analyzing, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, the prior vehicle state information; and determining, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, the predetermined threshold corresponding to the vehicle state data.

“10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: establishing, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, a wireless data connection with one or more weather systems; receiving, by the total loss evaluation and handling system while the wireless data connection is established and from the one more weather systems, weather information corresponding to a geographic location of where the loss occurred; and applying, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, a second total loss rule of the set of total loss rules to a portion of the weather information received.

“11. A total detection and processing system comprising: at least one processor; a vehicle state data store; and a total loss evaluator configured to: receive vehicle state data from a claimant computing device, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information corresponding to the damage of at least one component of the vehicle, and store the vehicle state data in the vehicle state data store; determine that a loss of the vehicle has occurred based on the vehicle state data received; apply a first total loss rule of a set of total loss rules to a portion of the vehicle state data; determine that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold; based on determining that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold, determine that the loss is a total loss; and generate based on determining that the loss is a total loss, a settlement amount.

“12. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the total loss evaluator is further configured to: receive, by the total loss evaluator, prior vehicle state information corresponding to percentage of total loss of vehicles substantially similar to the vehicle; analyze, total loss evaluator, the prior vehicle state information; and determine, total loss evaluator, the predetermined threshold corresponding to the vehicle state data.

“13. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the total loss evaluator is further configured to: establish, by total loss evaluator, a wireless data connection with one or more weather systems; receive, by the total loss evaluator while the wireless data connection is established and from the one more weather systems, weather information corresponding to a geographic location of where the loss occurred; and apply, by the total loss evaluator, a second total loss rule of the set of total loss rules to a portion of the weather information received.

“14. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information related to at least one of a make of the insured vehicle, a model of the insured vehicle, a year of the insured vehicle, a current vehicle mileage, a state of vehicle components before and after the loss, and options the insured vehicle includes.

“15. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle comprises at least one of seats, tires, windows, air conditioning, navigation system, and entertainment system.

“16. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information received from an individual associated with the insured vehicle or information derived from vehicle telematics data.

“17. The total detection and processing system of claim 11, wherein the first total loss rule is configured to determine whether the loss is a total loss based on an angle of impact experienced by the vehicle.

“18. A total detection and processing apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive vehicle state data from a claimant computing device, wherein the vehicle state data comprises information corresponding to the damage of at least one component of the vehicle, and store the vehicle state data on a vehicle state data store; determine that a loss of the vehicle has occurred based on the vehicle state data; apply a first total loss rule of a set of total loss rules to a portion of the vehicle state data; determine that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold; based on determining that the portion of the vehicle state data exceeds a predetermined threshold, determine that the loss is a total loss; and generate, based on determining that the loss is a total loss, a settlement amount.

“19. The total detection and processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to: receive prior vehicle state information corresponding to percentage of total loss of vehicles substantially similar to the vehicle; analyze, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, the prior vehicle state information; and determine, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, the predetermined threshold corresponding to the vehicle state data.

“20. The total detection and processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to: establish, by the total loss evaluation and handling system, a wireless data connection with one or more weather systems; receive while the wireless data connection is established and from the one more weather systems, weather information corresponding to a geographic location of where the loss occurred; and apply a second total loss rule of the set of total loss rules to a portion of the weather information received.”

For more information, see this patent application: DeWall, Joel; Ejupi, Jamin; Hanson, Randall M. Total Loss Evaluation And Handling System And Method. U.S. Patent Application Number 20230334571, filed June 16, 2023 and posted October 19, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(20230334571)&db=US-PGPUB&type=ids

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