Systems and methods for early identification of a total loss vehicle
AssigneeAllstate Insurance Company
InventorsMichael Sinclair Kane, Alan D. Galant, Angela K. Woirol
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and methods implement a rules-based decision engine that identifies vehicle with a high total loss potential based on vehicle details and damage information. This can be done by applying weights to the various criteria and comparing a sum of the applied weights to a threshold. An update mode allows for the subsequent update of the determination of whether the vehicle is a likely total loss based on additionally acquired information.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing non-transitory computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- select, from a predetermined plurality of preliminary questions for evaluating the status of vehicles involved in accidents, one or more preliminary questions associated with a status of a vehicle that has been in an accident;
- display, via a graphical user interface of a web browser application executing on a computing device, at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- receive, based on one or more user selections received via the graphical user interface, one or more preliminary answers to the at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- determine, by a decision engine and based on the one or more preliminary answers, whether additional information is required about the status of the vehicle;
- based on determining that additional information is required about the status of the vehicle, query, using information identifying an insured individual associated with the vehicle and via a network, a database to determine identity data corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the identity data comprises:
- a make of the vehicle;
- a model of the vehicle;
- and
- a year associated with the vehicle;
- determine, based on the identity data, a representation of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface of the web browser application executing on the computing device, the representation of the vehicle, wherein the displayed representation is configured to permit a user to select one or more portions of the vehicle to indicate a status of the selected one or more portions of the vehicle;
- receive, via the graphical user interface, accident data by:
- receiving, via a pointing device, first input corresponding to one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- and
- receiving second input indicating a degree of damage to one or more portions of the vehicle corresponding to the one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- determine, using the decision engine and based on the accident data and the one or more preliminary answers, a follow-up question, wherein the follow-up question is configured to elicit third input indicating a condition of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface, the follow-up question;
- receive, via the graphical user interface, the third input;
- and
- automatically determining, using the decision engine and based on the accident data, whether a type of the accident belongs to a plurality of predetermined accident types to be excluded from automatic processing;
- in response to determining that the type of the accident does not belong to the plurality of predetermined accident types:
- determine, based on the identity data, a damage threshold for the vehicle, wherein the damage threshold corresponds to a total loss of the vehicle;
- identify weights based on a history of damage reports, wherein the weights are periodically revised based on historical claims decisions;
- receive repair estimate data comprising one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data;
- generate modified weights by modifying, based on the one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data, the weights;
- weight, based on the identity data, the modified weights, and one or more past accident reports, the accident data;
- send, based on comparing the weighted accident data to the damage threshold, a first notification to a user associated with the vehicle, wherein the first notification comprises inspection instructions for a method of inspection;
- receive, after sending the first notification and from a computing device associated with the method of inspection, inspection data corresponding to the vehicle;
- and
- send, based on comparing the weighted accident data to the damage threshold, without intervention by a claims adjuster, and based on the inspection data, a second notification to the user associated with the vehicle.
One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to:
- select, from a predetermined plurality of preliminary questions for evaluating the status of vehicles involved in accidents, one or more preliminary questions associated with a status of a vehicle that has been in an accident;
- display, via a graphical user interface of a web browser application executing on a computing device, at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- receive, based on one or more user selections received via the graphical user interface, one or more preliminary answers to the at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- determine, by a decision engine and based on the one or more preliminary answers, whether additional information is required about the status of the vehicle;
- based on determining that additional information is required about the status of the vehicle, query, using information identifying an insured individual associated with the vehicle and via a network, a database to determine identity data corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the identity data comprises:
- a make of the vehicle;
- a model of the vehicle;
- and
- a year associated with the vehicle;
- determine, based on the identity data, a representation of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface of the web browser application executing on the computing device, the representation of the vehicle, wherein the displayed representation is configured to permit a user to select one or more portions of the vehicle to indicate a status of the selected one or more portions of the vehicle;
- receive, by the graphical user interface, accident data by:
- receiving, via a pointing device, first input corresponding to one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- and
- receiving second input indicating a degree of damage to one or more portions of the vehicle corresponding to the one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- determine, using the decision engine and based on the accident data and the one or more preliminary answers, a follow-up question, wherein the follow-up question is configured to elicit third input indicating a condition of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface, the follow-up question;
- receive, via the graphical user interface, the third input;
- and
- automatically determining, using the decision engine and based on the accident data, whether a type of the accident belongs to a plurality of predetermined accident types to be excluded from automatic processing;
- in response to determining that the type of the accident does not belong to the plurality of predetermined accident types:
- determine, based on the identity data, a damage threshold for the vehicle, wherein the damage threshold corresponds to a total loss of the vehicle;
- identify weights based on a history of damage reports, wherein the weights are periodically revised based on historical claims decisions;
- receive repair estimate data comprising one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data;
- generate modified weights by modifying, based on the one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data, the weights;
- weight, based on the identity data, the modified weights, and one or more past accident reports, the accident data;
- send, based on comparing the weighted accident data to the damage threshold, a first notification to a user associated with the vehicle, wherein the first notification comprises inspection instructions for a method of inspection;
- receive, after sending the first notification and from a second computing device associated with the method of inspection, inspection data corresponding to the vehicle;
- and
- send, based on comparing the weighted accident data to the damage threshold, without intervention by a claims adjuster, and based on the inspection data, a second notification to the user associated with the vehicle.
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing non-transitory computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- select, from a predetermined plurality of preliminary questions for evaluating the status of vehicles involved in accidents, one or more preliminary questions associated with a status of a vehicle that has been in an accident;
- display, via a graphical user interface of a web browser application executing on a computing device, at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- receive, based on one or more user selections received via the graphical user interface, one or more preliminary answers to the at least one of the one or more preliminary questions;
- determine, by a decision engine and based on the one or more preliminary answers, whether additional information is required about the status of the vehicle;
- based on determining that additional information is required about the status of the vehicle, query, using information identifying an insured individual associated with a vehicle and via a network, a database to determine identity data corresponding to a vehicle, wherein the identity data comprises:
- a make of the vehicle;
- a model of the vehicle;
- and
- a year associated with the vehicle;
- determine, based on the identity data, a representation of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface of the web browser application executing on the computing device, the representation of the vehicle, wherein the displayed representation is configured to permit a user to select one or more portions of the vehicle to indicate a status of the selected one or more portions of the vehicle;
- receive, via the graphical user interface, damage data corresponding to the vehicle by:
- receiving, via a pointing device, first input corresponding to one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- receiving second input indicating a degree of damage to one or more portions of the vehicle corresponding to the one or more portions of the representation of the vehicle;
- and
- receiving third input indicating a status of one or more occupants of the vehicle;
- determine, using the decision engine and based on the accident data and the one or more preliminary answers, a follow-up question, wherein the follow-up question is configured to elicit fourth input indicating a condition of the vehicle;
- display, by the graphical user interface, the follow-up question;
- receive, via the graphical user interface, the fourth input;
- and
- automatically determining, using the decision engine and based on the accident data, whether a type of the accident belongs to a plurality of predetermined accident types to be excluded from automatic processing;
- in response to determining that the type of the accident does not belong to the plurality of predetermined accident types:
- determine, based on the identity data, a damage threshold for the vehicle, wherein the damage threshold corresponds to a total loss of the vehicle;
- identify weights based on a history of damage reports, wherein the weights are periodically revised based on historical claims decisions;
- receive repair estimate data comprising one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data;
- generate modified weights by modifying, based on the one or more estimated costs of repair corresponding to the accident data, the weights;
- weight, based on the identity data, the modified weights, and one or more past accident reports, the damage data;
- send, based on comparing the weighted damage data to the damage threshold, a first notification to a user associated with the vehicle, wherein the first notification comprises inspection instructions for a method of inspection;
- receive, after sending the first notification and from a computing device associated with the method of inspection, inspection data corresponding to the vehicle;
- and
- send, based on comparing the weighted accident data to the damage threshold, without intervention by a claims adjuster, and based on the inspection data, a second notification to the user associated with the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.