Patent Issued for Systems and methods for predictively generating an insurance claim (USPTO 11657459): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 JUN 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventors Binion, Todd (Bloomington, IL, US), Bryant, Ronny S. (Bloomington, IL, US), Call, Shawn M. (Bloomington, IL, US), Criswell Kellett, Jennifer (Lincoln, IL, US), Donovan, John (Bloomington, IL, US), Hakimi-Boushehri, Daryoush (Bloomington, IL, US), Jordan, II, Jackie O. (Bloomington, IL, US), McDermeit, Elisabeth (Bloomington, IL, US), Weekes, John H. (Bloomington, IL, US), filed on June 22, 2020, was published online on May 23, 2023.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 11657459 is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Homeowner and personal property insurance exists to provide financial protection against damage to the home and personal property owner by the policyholder, respectively. These insurance products may provide different levels of coverage depending on the source of damage. For instance, some insurance products may fully cover wind damage but only allows the insured to recover half the loss for water damage. After an insurance-related event causes damage, it may be difficult, using hindsight, to determine the actual source of the damage. As an example, in some insurance-related events, a window may be broken due to an unknown cause, such as by either violent winds or debris in the winds, or by a water swell.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The present embodiments may, inter alia, relate to interconnected or smart homes. The interconnected or smart homes may have a smart home controller and/or smart devices interconnected (or in wired or wireless communication) with the smart home controller for gathering data. The data gathered may be analyzed by the smart home controller or a remote processor associated with an insurance provider to determine the actual cause of loss (such as water, wind, fire, hail, or other causes) associated with an insurance-related event. After which, insurance policies or claims may be adjusted or handled by the insurance provider remote processor based upon the analysis of the data gathered.

“In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of predicting insurance claim filings related to damage to a property may be provided. The property may be populated with a controller in communication with a plurality of devices in the property. Each of the plurality of devices may be configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property. The method may include (1) receiving, via a first communication network (or via wired or wireless communication or data transmission), a first set of sensor data from the plurality of devices. The method may include (2) based upon at least the first set of sensor data, detecting, by one or more processors (such as one or more local or remote processors associated with a smart home controller and/or an insurance provider, respectively), that an insurance-related event is imminent, and/or (3) determining, by the one or more processors, a likelihood that an insurance claim will be filed in response to the imminent insurance-related event. The method may also include (4) when the likelihood is greater than a threshold, receiving, by the one or more processors via the first wired or wireless communication network, a second set of sensor data, and/or (5) analyzing, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event. The method may further include (6) generating, by the one or more processors, a proposed insurance claim for the total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event, and/or (7) transmitting, to a mobile device (or other computing or communications device) of an individual associated with the property via a second communication network (and/or via wired or wireless communication or data transmission), the proposed insurance claim for review, approval, and/or modification by the individual. The method may include additional, fewer, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a system for predicting insurance claim filings related to damage to a property may be provided. The property may be populated with a controller in communication with a plurality of devices in the property. Each of the plurality of devices may be configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property. The system may include a communication module adapted to communicate data; a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions; and/or one or more processors adapted to interface with the communication module. The one or more processors may be configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to (1) receive, via the communication module, a first set of sensor data from the plurality of devices. The one or more processors may be further configured to, (2) based upon at least the first set of sensor data, detect, by one or more processors, that an insurance-related event is imminent, and/or (3) determine, by the one or more processors, a likelihood that an insurance claim will be filed in response to the imminent insurance-related event. The one or more processors may also be configured to, (4) when the likelihood is greater than a threshold, receive, via the communication module, a second set of sensor data after the insurance-related event occurs, and/or (5) analyze, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event. The one or more processors may be also be configured to (6) generate a proposed insurance claim for the total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event, and/or (7) transmit, to a mobile device or other communications device of an individual associated with the property via the communication module, the proposed insurance claim for presentation on a display screen of the mobile or communications device of the individual. The system may include additional, fewer, or alternate components, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions may be provided. The instructions, when executed, may cause one or more processors to (1) receive, via a first communication network (and/or via wired or wireless communication or data transmission), a first set of sensor data from the plurality of devices. The instructions may cause the one or more processors to, (2) based upon at least the first set of sensor data, detect, by one or more processors, that an insurance-related event is imminent, and/or (3) determine, by the one or more processors, a likelihood that an insurance claim will be filed in response to the imminent insurance-related event. The instructions may also cause the one or more processors to, (4) when the likelihood is greater than a threshold, receive, via the first wired or wireless communication network, a second set of sensor data, and/or (5) analyze, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event. The instructions may further cause the one or more processors to (6) generate a proposed insurance claim for the total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event, and/or (7) transmit, to a mobile device of an individual associated with the property via a second communication network (and/or via wired or wireless communication or data transmission), the proposed insurance claim for review, approval, or modification by the individual. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may store additional, fewer, or alternate processor-executable instructions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method of predicting insurance claim filings related to damage to a property that is populated with a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property, the method comprising: receiving, at a smart controller or a server and via a first wired or wireless communication network, a first set of sensor data from the plurality of devices; based upon at least the first set of sensor data, detecting, by one or more processors of the smart controller or the server, that an insurance-related event is imminent; determining, by the one or more processors, a likelihood that an insurance claim will be filed in response to the imminent insurance-related event; when the likelihood is greater than a threshold, activating, by the one or more processors via the first wired or wireless communication network, the plurality of devices to transmit a second set of sensor data, wherein the second set of data includes supporting data captured while the insurance-related event is occurring; analyzing, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event; automatically generating, by the one or more processors, a proposed insurance claim for the total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event; and transmitting, to a mobile device or other communications device of an individual associated with the property via a second wired or wireless communication or data transmission network, the proposed insurance claim to facilitate review, approval, or modification of the proposed insurance claim by the individual.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the insurance-related event is related to at least one of: a storm system, a fire or wildfire, an equipment failure, a national or local emergency, an earthquake or aftershock, a tsunami, an oil spill, or a volcano eruption.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the total amount of damage comprises: identifying, by the one or more processors, (i) a first cause of loss for damage to the property, and (ii) a second cause of loss for the damage to the property; determining, by the one or more processors, (i) a first portion of the total amount of damage associated with the first cause of loss and (ii) a second portion of the total amount of damage associated with the second cause of loss; assigning, by the one or more processors, a percentage of the total amount of damage attributed to each of the first and second causes of loss; and calculating, by the one or more processors, a first amount of damage attributed to the first cause of loss and a second amount of damage attributed to the second cause of loss.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein assigning the percentage of the total amount of damage comprises: determining, by the one or more processors, that the second set of data indicates that the first cause of loss enabled the second cause of loss to occur; and assigning, by the one or more processors, a higher percentage to the first cause of loss and a smaller percentage to the second cause of loss.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein generating the proposed insurance claim comprises: prepopulating, by the one or more processors, the proposed insurance claim with the overall amount of damage, the first and second causes of loss, and the amount of damage associated with each of the first and second causes of loss.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the individual via the second communication network, an acceptance of or modification to the proposed insurance claim; transmitting, to an insurance provider associated with the property via the second communication network, the accepted or modified insurance claim; and receiving, from the insurance provider, a response to the accepted or modified insurance claim.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein receiving the response to the accepted or modified insurance claim comprises: receiving at least one of: a confirmation that the accepted or modified insurance claim has been processed, a recommendation for replacement equipment to protect against future insurance-related events, or an evaluation of how equipment associated with the property withstood the insurance-related event.

“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the insurance-related event is imminent comprises at least one of: analyzing, by the one or more processors, the first set of data to determine if at least one of the plurality of devices is about to fail, or receiving, via a second communication network or wireless communication, an alert from an insurance provider associated with the property indicating that the insurance-related event is imminent.

“9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data recorded by the plurality of devices comprises at least one of: time-stamped audio data, status data, visual data captured on the property, or visual data captured above the property.

“10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second set of sensor data comprises: receiving, via the first communication network, at least one of: sensor data recorded before the insurance-related event occurred, sensor data recorded during the insurance-related event, or sensor data record after the insurance-related event.

“11. A system for predicting insurance claim filings related to damage to a property that is populated with a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property, the system comprising a smart controller or a server that comprises: a communication module adapted to communicate data; a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions; and one or more processors adapted to interface with the communication module, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to: receive, via the communication module, a first set of sensor data from the plurality of devices; based upon at least the first set of sensor data, detect, by one or more processors, that an insurance-related event is imminent; determine, by the one or more processors, a likelihood that an insurance claim will be filed in response to the imminent insurance-related event; when the likelihood is greater than a threshold, activate, via the communication module, the plurality of devices to transmit a second set of sensor data after the insurance-related event occurs, wherein the second set of data includes supporting data captured while the insurance-related event is occurring; analyze, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event; automatically generate, by the one or more processors, a proposed insurance claim for the total amount of damage caused by the insurance-related event; and transmit, to a mobile device of an individual associated with the property via the communication module, the proposed insurance claim for review, approval, or modification by the individual.

“12. The system of claim 11, wherein the insurance-related event is related to at least one of: a storm system, a fire or wildfire, an equipment failure, a national or local emergency, an earthquake or aftershock, a tsunami, an oil spill, or a volcano eruption.

“13. The system of claim 11, wherein to determine the total amount of damage, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to: identify, by the one or more processors, (i) a first cause of loss for damage to the property, and (ii) a second cause of loss for the damage to the property; determine, by the one or more processors, (i) a first portion of the total amount of damage associated with the first cause of loss and (ii) a second portion of the total amount of damage associated with the second cause of loss; assign, by the one or more processors, a percentage of the total amount of damage attributed to each of the first and second causes of loss; and calculate, by the one or more processors, a first amount of damage attributed to the first cause of loss and a second amount of damage attributed to the second cause of loss.

“14. The system of claim 13, wherein to assign the percentage of the total amount of damage, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to: determine, by the one or more processors, that the second set of data indicates that the first cause of loss enabled the second cause of loss to occur; and assign, by the one or more processors, a higher percentage to the first cause of loss and a smaller percentage to the second cause of loss.

“15. The system of claim 13, wherein to generate the proposed insurance claim, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to: prepopulate, by the one or more processors, the proposed insurance claim with the overall amount of damage, the first and second causes of loss, and the amount of damage associated with each of the first and second causes of loss.

“16. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication module is further configured to: receive, from the individual, an acceptance of or modification to the proposed insurance claim; and transmit, to an insurance provider associated with the property, the accepted or modified insurance claim.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For additional information on this patent, see: Binion, Todd. Systems and methods for predictively generating an insurance claim. U.S. Patent Number 11657459, filed June 22, 2020, and published online on May 23, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11657459)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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