“Virtual Simulation For Insurance” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20220164894): Allstate Insurance Company

2022 JUN 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent application by the inventors Carbery, Andrew L. (Bartlett, IL, US); Koza, Daniel (Hinsdale, IL, US); Plachta, Christopher G. (Glenview, IL, US); Ramirez, Philip Peter (Arlington Heights, IL, US), filed on November 24, 2021, was made available online on May 26, 2022, according to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx correspondents.

This patent application is assigned to Allstate Insurance Company (Northbrook, Illinois, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Selecting an appropriate level of insurance is a challenge for most insurance customers. It can be difficult to gauge what kinds of liability coverage, deductible levels, and other options a particular user may wish to have, and many users end up selecting coverage that is either too much coverage or not enough coverage. There remains an ever-present need to help insurance customers make better-informed decisions when selecting their insurance.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “In light of the foregoing background, the following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the features described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of all of the features described herein. The following summary merely presents some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.

“In some embodiments, a user may undertake a driving simulator on a computing device, and when a simulated accident occurs, the computing device may evaluate the estimated damages from the simulated accident. The computing device may then calculate a plurality of liability estimates for the user corresponding to different insurance coverage options, indicating how much the user would have paid for the simulated accident had the user purchased the different insurance coverage options, and present these liability estimates to the user. The user may then use these liability estimates to determine a level of coverage to select, and the computing device may initiate the establishment of insurance coverage for the user under the selected insurance options.

“In some embodiments, the driving simulator need not result in a simulated accident. The computing device may simply observe the user’s driving habits, and use those habits to determine an insurance premium rate, or level of risk and driving skill, for the user. The computing device may then offer the user a plurality of insurance coverage options with corresponding premium rates based on the user’s evaluated level of risk and driving skill. In some embodiments, the mere fact that the user subjected himself/herself to the driving simulator may earn the user a premium discount on insurance coverage.

“In some embodiments, the driving simulator may present the user with a variety of driving impairments to test the user’s ability to handle driving under adverse conditions.

“In some alternative embodiments, the computing device may offer simulations for activities other than driving. For example, a home simulation may be performed to observe and/or simulate a user’s home living conditions, and to assess the user’s risk for home accidents or crimes that would be covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. The computing device may then offer the user a plurality of homeowner’s insurance coverage options, with information identifying different liability estimates under the different options.

“In some embodiments, the simulations described herein may be used to train insurance adjusters in estimating costs of repair. The computing device may determine an actual cost estimate for damages incurred in an accident, and may then allow the adjuster to provide his/her own estimate of the damages. The adjuster’s performance may then be evaluated by comparing the adjuster’s estimate with the estimate generated by the computing device.

“In some instances, the simulated accident may use data from actual accidents (e.g., providing photographs from an actual accident, and using the actual cost of repair).

“The methods and systems of the above-referenced embodiments may also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readable data structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed and claimed herein as well. The details of these and other embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A home insurance simulation system, comprising: a first computing device, wherein the first computing device comprises: an input device; a display device configured to display a simulated home comprising a simulated window and a simulated door; an input/output module communicatively coupled with the input device and the display device; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the input/output module; and a first memory storing first computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive, from the input device, via the input/output module, and based on a user interaction with at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window displayed on the display device, characteristic information identifying characteristics of one or more structures, in a home of a user, corresponding to the at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window; perform, based on the received characteristic information, a simulation of living conditions of the home to generate simulation information, wherein the simulation comprises simulating operation of the at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window over a predetermined period of time and in accordance with the received characteristic information; estimate, based on the simulation information generated by the simulation of the living conditions of the home, a risk of incurring damages in a simulated home insurance event; and generate, based on the risk of incurring damages in the simulated home insurance event, a liability estimate corresponding to a coverage under an insurance policy option.

“2. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, further comprising: a second computing device, wherein the second computing device comprises: at least one results processor; and a second memory storing second computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one results processor, cause the second computing device to: receive, from the first computing device, information relating to the estimated risk of incurring damages in the simulated home insurance event; select, based on the information relating to the estimated risk of incurring damages in the simulated home insurance event, the insurance policy option; and determine the liability estimate using the insurance policy option.

“3. The home insurance simulation system of claim 2, wherein the first computing device further comprises: a wireless network interface configured to communicate wirelessly with the second computing device and with a smartphone of the user to receive and transmit information relating to the simulation of the living conditions of the home.

“4. The home insurance simulation system of claim 3, wherein the first computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to: transmit, via the wireless network interface and to the smartphone, the liability estimate and instructions for the smartphone to display, on a display of the smartphone, the liability estimate.

“5. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic information comprises information identifying window usage habits of the user, and wherein the first computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the first computing device to use the information identifying window usage habits of the user in estimating the risk of incurring damages in the simulated home insurance event.

“6. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the simulated home further comprises a simulated household appliance and a simulated home security system, and wherein the first computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the first computing device to: receive, from the input device, via the input/output module, and based on a user interaction with at least one of the simulated household appliance and the simulated home security system, information identifying usage habits, of the user, of one or more structures in the home corresponding to the at least one of the simulated household appliance and the simulated home security system; and use the information identifying usage habits of the user in estimating the risk of incurring damages in the simulated home insurance event.

“7. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the first computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to output, to the display device and via the input/output module, information identifying a discount to be awarded the user in response to the user using the home insurance simulation system.

“8. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the first computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to output, to the display device and via the input/output module, information identifying premiums corresponding to the coverage under the insurance policy option.

“9. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the home insurance simulation system is implemented in a kiosk.

“10. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the first computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to: receive, via a wireless network interface, and from one or more devices associated with one or more structures in the home, sensor data indicating usage of the corresponding structure; and perform, further based on the sensor data, the simulation of the living conditions of the home.

“11. The home insurance simulation system of claim 1, wherein the first computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor further cause the at least one processor to initiate the coverage under the insurance policy option.

“12. An insurance simulation system, comprising: a computing device, including: an input device; a display device configured to display a simulated home comprising a simulated door and a simulated window; and an input/output module communicatively coupled to the input device and the display device; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the input/output module; and a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive, from the input device, via the input/output module, and based on a user interaction with at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window displayed on the display device, characteristic information identifying characteristics of one or more structures, in a home of a user, corresponding to the at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window; perform, based on the received characteristic information, a simulation of living conditions of the home to generate simulation information, wherein the simulation of the living conditions of the home comprises simulating operation of the at least one of the simulated door and the simulated window over a predetermined period of time and in accordance with the received characteristic information; estimate, based on the simulation information generated by the simulation of the living conditions of the home, damages in a simulated home insurance event; and determine, based on the estimated damages in the simulated home insurance event, a user liability for the damages under an insurance option.

“13. The insurance simulation system of claim 12, wherein the computing device further comprises: a wireless network interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a smartphone of the user to receive and transmit information relating to the simulation of the living conditions of the home.

“14. The insurance simulation system of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to transmit, via the wireless network interface and to the smartphone, the user liability.

“15. The insurance simulation system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic information comprises information identifying window usage habits of the user, and wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to use the information identifying window usage habits of the user in estimating the damages.

“16. The insurance simulation system of claim 12, wherein the simulated home further comprises a simulated household appliance and a simulated home security system, and wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to: receive, from the input device, via the input/output module, and based on a user interaction with at least one of the simulated household appliance and the simulated home security system, information identifying usage habits, of the user, of one or more structures in the home corresponding to the at least one of the simulated household appliance and the simulated home security system; and use the information identifying usage habits of the user in estimating the damages.”

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

URL and more information on this patent application, see: Carbery, Andrew L.; Koza, Daniel; Plachta, Christopher G.; Ramirez, Philip Peter. Virtual Simulation For Insurance. Filed November 24, 2021 and posted May 26, 2022. Patent URL: https://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220220164894%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220164894&RS=DN/20220164894

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