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Insurance Abstract
A method of evidencing loss or damage an under a policy of insurance
provided by an insurer to an insurance policy holder is disclosed.
The policy provides insurance against loss of or damage to one or
more insured properties. The method includes providing an insurance
policy holder with a claim verification package, the package including
a camera and information identifying an insurance policy. A database
is maintained by an information management facility which keeps
database records identifying the insurance policy, image records
of the insured property or properties which may be provided both
after and/or prior to and after loss or damage to the property or
properties. Authorized users have access to the database records.
Insurance Claims
1. A method of evidencing loss or damage under a policy of insurance
provided by an insurer to an insurance policy holder, said policy
providing insurance against loss of or damage to an insured property,
said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an insurance
policy holder with a claim verification package, said package comprising
a camera and information identifying an insurance policy; (b) recording
with said camera one or more image records of a property insured
under said policy; (c) delivering said one or more image records
and said information identifying said insurance policy to an information
management facility, said facility including a computer programmed
with a database, said computer including means cooperative with
said database for receiving and storing data in said database and
means for permitting data so stored to be read from said database;
(d) storing in said database data corresponding to said information
identifying said insurance policy; (e) storing in said database
data corresponding to said one or more image records; (f) relating
in said database said stored data corresponding to said information
identifying said insurance policy with said stored data corresponding
to said one or more image records; (g) linking a viewing terminal
located remote from said computer to said computer over a data communication
path; and, (h) permitting authorized users utilizing said viewing
terminal to access and read said stored data corresponding to said
information identifying said insurance policy and said stored data
corresponding to said one or more image records.
2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said data communication
path comprises the Internet.
3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said one or more image
records comprise one or more image records created subsequent to
damage to said property.
4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said insured property
comprises a vehicle and wherein said claim verification package
comprises a report form for reporting on the circumstances of any
damage to said vehicle, said method further comprising: (a) in the
event of damage to said vehicle, completing said report form with
information reporting on the circumstances of such damage and delivering
said report form when completed to said information management facility;
(b) storing in said database data corresponding to information provided
in said report form; (c) relating in said database said stored data
corresponding to said information identifying said insurance policy
with said stored data corresponding to said information provided
in said report form; and, (d) permitting authorized users utilizing
said viewing terminal to access and read said stored data corresponding
to said information provided in said report form.
5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said one or more image
records comprise one or more image records created prior to any
loss of or damage to said property.
6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said one or more image
records further comprise one or more image records created subsequent
to damage to said property.
Insurance Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. provisional application
No. 60/591,093 filed Jul. 27, 2004, entitled "Method of Identifying
Insurance Claims", naming Donovan Roy Larsen as the inventor.
The contents of the provisional application are incorporated here
by reference in their entirety, and the benefit of the filing date
of the provisional application is hereby claimed for all purposes
that are legally served by such claim for the benefit of the filing
date.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the motor vehicle insurance industry, the reliable verification
of accident claims and the reliable verification of responsibility
for accidents can be problematic. Not infrequently, insurance assessors
and others who may be concerned (e.g. the police) are required to
rely on the verbal recollection of those who were directly involved
in the accident and on accounts from third party witnesses. In many
cases, recollection can be inaccurate. As well, memory can quickly
fade.
[0003] Of course, it is not uncommon to take photographs of an
insured item either before or after loss or damage occurs. However,
there is generally no systematic way to motivate insured people
to take pictures or to reliably and independently manage the handling
and subsequent use of such pictures if they are taken. As a result,
the verification of insurance claims often can be unnecessarily
inefficient and unreliable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a method of evidencing loss or damage under a policy of insurance
provided by an insurer to an insurance policy holder, the policy
providing insurance against loss of or damage to one or more insured
properties. Insured properties may be any insurable items. For example,
they may include a vehicle such as an automobile, truck, motorcycle,
boat, aircraft, etc., or a vehicle accessory such as a trailer.
Or, they may include buildings such as a house, a barn, a commercial
building, or other structure built on land. Or, they may include
personal chattels or other effects such as the contents of a home
or other building, valuables such as jewelry, paintings and so forth.
The method comprises the steps of: [0005] (a) providing an insurance
policy holder with a claim verification package, the package including
a camera and information identifying an insurance policy; [0006]
(b) recording with the camera one or more image records of an item
insured under the policy; [0007] (c) delivering the one or more
image records and the information identifying the insurance policy
to an information management facility, the facility including a
computer programmed with a database, the computer including means
cooperative with the database for receiving and storing data in
the database and means for permitting data so stored to be read
from the database; [0008] (d) storing in the database data corresponding
to the information identifying the insurance policy; [0009] (e)
storing in the database data corresponding to the one or more image
records; [0010] (f) relating in the database the stored data corresponding
to the information identifying the insurance policy with the stored
data corresponding to the one or more image records; [0011] (g)
linking a viewing terminal located remote from the computer to the
computer over a data communication path; and, [0012] (h) permitting
authorized users utilizing the viewing terminal to access and read
the stored data corresponding to the information identifying the
insurance policy and the stored data corresponding to the one or
more image records.
[0013] Advantageously, the information management facility and
the insurer are not one and the same. An insurer while wanting the
benefit of information managed in the above manner may not want
to be burdened by the task. Further, an insurer may be considered
to have a real or potential conflict of interest if responsible
not only for providing compensation in the event of loss or damage
but also for processing and managing evidence of such loss or damage.
[0014] To further advantage, the data communication path noted
above may comprise the Internet thereby enabling authorized users
to connect with the database over the Internet utilizing a personal
computer and its associated display (viz. viewing terminal). Authorized
users may include not only the insured, but also the insurer and
others (e.g. the police) who may be approved to have access.
[0015] Of course, a given policy of insurance may cover many insured
items. Accordingly, having stored data in the above database for
one item, the method may further comprise storing data for one or
more additional items.
[0016] The invention will now be described in more detail with
reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is the first page of an exemplary four page accident
report form forming part of a claim verification package for the
case where the insured property is a motor vehicle.
[0018] FIG. 2 is the second page of the accident report form.
[0019] FIG. 3 is the third page of the accident report form.
[0020] FIG. 4 is the fourth page of the accident report form.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Typically, a given policy of insurance will have a unique
policy number. Thus, in the method steps described above, it is
generally contemplated that the database should be a relational
database in which all records are operatively linked to the same
policy number. For any one insured item which has more than one
image record, or for any one policy of insurance which covers more
than one item each of which may have one or more image records,
this avoids having to repetitively store the same data (e.g. name
and address of the insured, name and address of the insurer, insurance
policy number etc.) for each image record. The design and structure
of relational databases to manage, receive and store data, and to
permit authorized persons to access, view and/or print such data
utilizing a suitably connected computer or other communication terminal,
is well known to those skilled in the art.
[0022] In the case of an insured vehicle, it is generally contemplated
that the claim verification package referred to above will be carried
in the vehicle itself--to be used in the event that an accident
occurs. Advantageously, the package includes an accident report
form as shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 to 4. This form is in
addition to a camera and information identifying the related insurance
policy. It is illustrated in a generic manner but may be customized
to identify a particular insurer.
[0023] It is to be understood that the content and wording of the
form illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 is exemplary. In any given case,
a particular insurer may elect to adopt an accident report form
which is substantially different in format, content and wording.
[0024] FIG. 1, (the first page of the form) basically comprises
a set of instructions which indicate seven "Critical"
steps "On the scene" (viz. of an accident) and three "Critical"
steps "Within 24 hours in the city or 48 hours in rural areas".
The word "critical" does not mean "essential".
It is word chosen to capture and focus the attention of the policy
holder on those matters which should systematically receive attention
in circumstances where he/she may be highly agitated. While preferred,
it is to be understood that the choice of the word "critical"
is optional, as are the particular ten steps and timelines which
are set out in FIG. 1.
[0025] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 (the second, third and fourth pages of
the form) enable an insured to report on the circumstances of damage
that has occurred, including date, time and location; vehicle(s)
involved; particulars of insurance; witnesses; instructions on reporting
to the police and to the insurer; etc. In FIG. 3, a graphic is provided
for use in the event that an accident occurred at an intersection.
Normally, it is contemplated that the numeric labeling and lead
lines shown in FIG. 3 would not appear in an actual accident report.
However, for purposes of illustration, FIG. 3 illustrates an intersection
generally designated 100 between a street 102 and a cross-street
or avenue 104, each of which have lanes divided by center lines
106.
[0026] In accordance with the present invention, the pictures taken
under instruction 5 in FIG. 1 are delivered to the information management
facility. The completed accident report form (FIGS. 2 to 4) or a
copy thereof may be delivered concurrently, all for example in a
prepaid courier envelope addressed to the information management
facility. In cases where a completed accident report form is included,
the method of the present invention preferably further includes
scanning and storing a copy of the accident report form in the database
and relating the stored copy to the stored data identifying the
insurance policy. Alternately, information from the accident report
form may be extracted and entered into the database.
[0027] Apart from vehicle accident insurance, the method of the
present invention generally contemplates that the camera provided
with the verification package will be used to take pictures of insured
items before any loss or damage occurs. This will serve not only
to help verify the condition of the item before the onset of loss
or damage but also the existence of the item--thereby mitigating
against insurance fraud. By storing image records of insured items
with an information management facility in accordance with the present
invention, the records are conveniently maintained in a central
location that may be accessed by both the insured and the insurer.
They can serve as a convenient and reliable remote backup to other
records that may exist.
[0028] Elements of the present invention may be embodied in hardware
and/or software as a computer program code that may include firmware,
resident software, or the like. Additionally, elements of the present
invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable
or computer-executable storage medium.
[0029] A variety of modifications, changes and variations to the
invention are possible within the spirit and scope of the following
claims, and will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art.
The invention should not be considered as restricted to the specific
embodiments that have been described and illustrated with reference
to the drawings. |