Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data collection and claim pre-generation for insured approval

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10163164-B1
Application number	US-201514858073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2014
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for using data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to generate insurance claim estimates that an insured individual may quickly review, approve, or modify. When an insurance-related event occurs, such as a vehicle collision, crash, or disaster, one or more UAVs are dispatched to the scene of the event to collect various data, including data related to vehicle or real property (insured asset) damage. With the insured's permission or consent, the data collected by the UAVs may then be analyzed to generate an estimated insurance claim for the insured. The estimated insurance claim may be sent to the insured individual, such as to their mobile device via wireless communication or data transmission, for subsequent review and approval. As a result, insurance claim handling and/or the online customer experience may be enhanced.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method of using drone data to pre-generate insurance claims, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a report of an insurance-related event including a location of an insured asset;
directing, by the one or more processors, a plurality of drones to the location of the insured asset to collect drone data in response to receiving the report, including directing a mothership drone to the location of the insured asset which directs one or more other drones to the location;
receiving, via a network, the drone data from the plurality of drones, the drone data including one or more of image data, video data, or audio data associated with the insurance-related event in which damage is incurred on the insured asset;
analyzing, by one or more processors, the drone data to estimate an extent of damage incurred on the insured asset;
generating, by one or more processors, an estimated insurance claim for the insured asset based upon the estimated extent of damage incurred on the insured asset; and
transmitting, via a network, the estimated insurance claim to a mobile device of an owner of the insured asset for their review and approval of the estimated insurance claim.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via a network, approval of or modification to the estimated insurance claim from the owner of the insured asset; and
adjusting, by one or more processors, one or more of a premium, a rate, a reward, or a discount for an insurance policy associated with the insured asset based upon the estimated insurance claim.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the insured asset is a vehicle and the insurance-related event is a vehicle collision or crash in which damage is incurred on the vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein analyzing the drone data to estimate the extent of damage includes estimating damages to the vehicle or injuries to vehicle occupants as a result of the vehicle collision or crash.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein generating the estimated insurance claim includes generating an estimated insurance claim for the vehicle based upon the estimated damages to the vehicle or injuries to vehicle occupants.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the insured asset is one or more of a vehicle, home, real property, or other property.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the insurance-related event is a severe weather condition including one or more of a hurricane, tornado, thunderstorm, windstorm, or hailstorm that causes damage to one or more of the vehicle, home, real property, or other property.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the insurance-related event is an incident in which one or more of wind damage, water damage, fire damage, theft damage, hail damage, or earthquake damage is incurred on one or more of the vehicle, home, real property, or other property.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a system for using drone data to pre-generate insurance claims, the instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to:
receive, via a network, a report of an insurance-related event including a location of an insured asset;
direct a plurality of drones to the location of the insured asset to collect drone data in response to receiving the report, including direct a mothership drone to the location of the insured asset which directs one or more other drones to the location;
receive, via the network, the drone data from the plurality of drones, the drone data including one or more of image data, video data, or audio data associated with the insurance-related event in which damage is incurred on the insured asset;
analyze the drone data to estimate an extent of damage incurred on the insured asset;
generate an estimated insurance claim for the insured asset based upon the estimated extent of damage incurred on the insured asset; and
transmit, via a network, the estimated insurance claim to a mobile device of an owner of the insured asset for their review and approval of the estimated insurance claim.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, via a network, approval of or modification to the estimated insurance claim from the owner of the insured asset; and
adjust one or more of a premium, a rate, a reward, or a discount for an insurance policy associated with the insured asset based upon the estimated insurance claim.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the insured asset is a vehicle and the insurance-related event is a vehicle collision or crash in which damage is incurred on the vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions to analyze the drone data to estimate the extent of damage include estimating damages to the vehicle or injuries to vehicle occupants as a result of the vehicle collision or crash.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions to generate the estimated insurance claim include generating an estimated insurance claim for the vehicle based upon the estimated damages to the vehicle or injuries to vehicle occupants.

14. A computer system for using drone data to pre-generate insurance claims, the system comprising:
a data repository; and
a server, including a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:
receive, via a network, a report of an insurance-related event including a location of an insured asset;
direct a plurality of drones to the location of the insured asset to collect drone data in response to receiving the report, including direct a mothership drone to the location of the insured asset which directs one or more other drones to the location;
receive, via the network, the drone data from the plurality of drones, the drone data including one or more of image data, video data, or audio data associated with the insurance-related event in which damage is incurred on the insured asset;
store the drone data in the data repository;
analyze the drone data in the data repository to estimate an extent of damage incurred on the insured asset;
generate an estimated insurance claim for the insured asset based upon the estimated extent of damage incurred on the insured asset; and
transmit, via a network, the estimated insurance claim to a mobile device of an owner of the insured asset for their review and approval of the estimated insurance claim.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions of the server, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the server to:
receive, via a network, approval of or modification to the estimated insurance claim from the owner of the insured asset; and
adjust one or more of a premium, a rate, a reward, or a discount for an insurance policy associated with the insured asset based upon the estimated insurance claim.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the insured asset is a vehicle and the insurance-related event is a vehicle collision or crash in which damage is incurred on the vehicle.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions of th

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Tofte Nathan L
• Ryan Timothy W
• Baumann Nathan W
• Jacob Michael Shawn
• Lillie Joshua David
• Harvey Brian N
• Lyons Roxane
• Grant Rosemarie Geier

Classifications

• G06T7/75

  involving models · CPC title

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06T2207/10032

  Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing · CPC title

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title