Patent ID: 7809587
Filing Date: 2010-10-05
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of assessing damage of an insured property using image analysis for processing an insurance claim and generating an automated incident response message within an incident response system comprising the steps of: receiving at least one digital image of the insured property in a damaged state in the incident response system from at least one remote image taking device; evaluating a quality and quantity of the received at least one digital image of the insured property in the damaged state and determining whether the at least one digital image of the insured property in the damaged state is sufficient to perform damage analysis; if the at least one digital image of the insured property in the damaged state is not sufficient to perform damage analysis, requesting at least one additional image; if the at least one digital image or the at least one additional image of the insured property in the damaged state is sufficient to perform damage analysis, obtaining at least one image of the insured property in an undamaged state before the damage occurred or at least one image of a model property comparable to the insured property in an undamaged state before the damage occurred; retrieving insurance metrics pertaining to the damaged property, wherein the insurance metrics include policy-specific data for a policy relating to the damaged property; digitally processing the images of the insured property in the damaged state and in the undamaged state to facilitate a comparison of the at least one image of the insured property in the damaged state and the at least one image of the insured property in the undamaged state, wherein the processing is performed by a processor of the incident response system; assessing damage based upon the comparison, wherein assessing damage includes determining a damage area or type, assigning a damage level, and estimating an overall damage cost based upon factors including the damage area or type, the damage level, and data relating to repair and/or replacement costs, wherein the assessing is performed by the processor; determining an incident response to the insurance claim based at least in part upon the assessing step and utilizing the retrieved insurance metrics pertaining to the damaged property, wherein the determining is performed by the processor; and generating an automated incident response message based on the determined incident response and conveying the message to appropriate parties relating to the insurance claim.