Real-Time Windspeed Exposure Mapping for Catastrophe Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Insurers face challenges in determining how varying windspeed levels and storm surge levels affect insured customers and overall actuarial risk, lacking the ability to assess weather-related catastrophes in real-time, which impedes effective resource deployment and service provision during and after catastrophic events.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for visualizing weather data using a graphical user interface that allows users to filter and analyze wind speed probabilities and policy holder information, enabling real-time catastrophe analysis and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assess insured assets before and after catastrophic events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If insurers manually map and analyze large volumes of storm data, then they can assess catastrophic risk, but the process is inefficient and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatastrophe risk assessment accuracyVSAvoiddata analysis time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis methods with automated computer-based systems that process storm data, wind speed probabilities, and policy holder information electronically, dramatically reducing analysis time while maintaining or improving assessment accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates visual map layer representations of complex storm data and policy distributions, allowing analysts to quickly assess catastrophic risk through graphical copies of the data rather than analyzing raw numbers manually

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If insurers retrieve storm information intermittently, then they can obtain storm data, but they lack real-time catastrophe assessment capability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatastrophe assessment reliabilityVSAvoidreal-time assessment capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables continuous real-time processing and visualization of storm data, wind speed probabilities, and policy holder information, allowing insurers to maintain continuous catastrophe assessment capability rather than intermittent updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The visual map layers provide immediate feedback on catastrophe exposure by displaying policy holder concentrations in areas with high wind speed probabilities, enabling rapid decision-making about resource deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If human analysts manually analyze large volumes of storm data, then they can identify high-risk areas, but the process lacks efficiency and cannot maximize preventative action

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh-risk area identification accuracyVSAvoidpreventative action efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual analyst processes with automated computer-based visualization that quickly processes storm data and policy holder information to identify high-risk areas, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining identification accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The visual map layers use color coding to represent different levels of wind speed probability and policy holder concentration, allowing rapid visual identification of high-risk areas without manual analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If insurers lack real-time weather catastrophe assessment, then they cannot effectively stage resources, but manual methods are inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource deployment flexibilityVSAvoidresource staging time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The real-time visualization system provides continuous updates on storm progression and exposure, enabling dynamic and flexible resource deployment decisions based on current conditions rather than static historical data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The visual map layers serve as an intermediary between raw storm data and resource deployment decisions, translating complex data into actionable intelligence that guides efficient resource staging

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12406494B2Catastrophe analysis via realtime windspeed and exposure visualization

Publication Date: 2025.09.02 STATE FARM MUTAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for allowing a user to visualize exposure data to facilitate catastrophe analysis includes receiving a wind speed probabilities data set; selecting a count of policies; generating an exposure map layer; and transmitting the map layer to a client device. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions that when executed, cause a computer to: receive one or more map layers; display a set of filter criteria; receive an input of a user; and update the map graphical user interface.