Method and apparatus for rating geographical areas using meteorological conditions

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the cumulative rating factor is a summation of the individual rating factors for each meteorological condition.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein when the severity and/or frequency of the meteorological condition is zero, in the geographical area, the individual rating factor for the geographical area for the meteorological condition is zero.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the meteorological conditions are selected from the group of wind, tornado, lightning, hurricane, earthquake, freeze days, temperature and precipitation.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the meteorological conditions is wind.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the individual rating factor for wind in between -0.056 to +6.002.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein the severity and/or frequency of wind in the geographical area is determined based on peak winds over the past ten years in the geographical area.

Claim 9

The method of claim 8 wherein the ranges of severity and/or frequency of the wind are 0 to 70 MPH; 71 to 75 MPH; 76 to 80 MPH; 81 to 85 MPH; 86 to 90 MPH; 91 to 95 MPH; 96 to 100 MPH; 101 to 105 MPH; 106 to 110 MPH; 111 to 115 MPH; 116 to 120 MPH; 121 to 125 MPH; 126 to 130 MPH; 131 to 135 MPH; and 136 to 140 MPH and greater than 140 MPH.

Claim 10

The method of claim 9 wherein the individual rating factors for each range of severity and/or frequency of wind are: ______________________________________ 0 to 70 MPH = -0.056 71 to 75 MPH = 0.000 76 to 80 MPH = 0.056 81 to 85 MPH = 0.069 86 to 90 MPH = 0.083 91 to 95 MPH = 0.166 96 to 100 MPH = 0.332 101 to 105 MPH = 0.664 106 to 110 MPH = 1.328 111 to 115 MPH = 1.994 116 to 120 MPH = 2.660 121 to 125 MPH = 3.316 126 to 130 MPH = 3.982 131 to 135 MPH = 4.648 136 to 140 MPH = 5.314 >140 MPH = 6.002 ______________________________________

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the meteorological conditions is tornadoes.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein the individual rating factor for tornadoes is between -0.056 to 2.656.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein the severity and/or frequency of tornadoes in the geographical area is determined based on the number of tornadoes in the geographical area per 10,000 square miles averaged over the past ten years.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 wherein the ranges of severity and/or frequency of the tornadoes are: ______________________________________ 0.000-0.499 0.500-0.999 1.000-1.999 2.000-2.999 3.000-3.999 4.000-4.999 5.000-5.999 6.000-6.999 7.000-7.999 8.000-8.999 9.000-9.999 ≧10.000 ______________________________________

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 wherein the individual rating factors for each range of severity and/or frequency of tornadoes are: ______________________________________ 0.000-0.499 = -0.056 0.500-0.999 = -0.028 1.000-1.999 = 0.000 2.000-2.999 = 0.056 3.000-3.999 = 0.069 4.000-4.999 = 0.083 5.000-5.999 = 0.166 6.000-6.999 = 0.332 7.000-7.999 = 0.644 8.000-8.999 = 1.328 9.000-9.999 = 1.992 ≧10.000 = 2.656 ______________________________________

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the meteorological conditions is lightning.

Claim 17

The method of claim 15 wherein the individual rating factor for lightning is between -0.056 to 1.157.

Claim 18

The method of claim 15 wherein the severity and/or frequency of lightning of the geographical area is determined based on the number of thunderstorm days per year in the geographical area.

Claim 19

The method of claim 17 wherein the ranges of severity and/or frequency of lightning are: ______________________________________ 0.000-0.999 = 0-10 Thunderstorm days per year 1.000-1.999 = 11-20 Thunderstorm days per year 2.000-2.999 = 21-30 Thunderstorm days per year 3.000-3.999 = 31-40 Thunderstorm days per year 4.000-4.999 = 41-50 Thunderstorm days per year 5.000-5.999 = 51-60 Thunderstorm days per year 6.000-6.999 = 61-70 Thunderstorm days per year 7.000-7.999 = 71-80 Thunderstorm days per year 8.000-8.999 = 81-90 Thunderstorm days per year 9.000-9.999 = 91-100 Thunderstorm days per year 10.000+ = 101-110 Thunderstorm days per year ______________________________________

Claim 20

The method of claim 18 wherein the individual rating factors for each range of severity and/or frequency of lightning are: ______________________________________ 0.000-0.999 = -0.056 1.000-1.999 = -0.028 2.000-2.999 = -0.028 3.000-3.999 = 0.000 4.000-4.999 = 0.056 5.000-5.999 = 0.069 6.000-6.999 = 0.083 7.000-7.999 = 0.097 8.000-8.999 = 0.111 9.000-9.999 = 1.139 10.000+ = 1.157 ______________________________________

Claim 21

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the meteorological conditions is earthquakes.

Claim 22

The method of claim 20 wherein the individual rating factor for earthquakes is between 0.010 to 2.000.

Claim 23

The method of claim 20 wherein the ranges of severity and/or frequency of earthquakes are: ______________________________________ 0.000-0.999 1.000-1.999 2.000-2.999 3.000+ ______________________________________

Claim 24

The method of claim 22 wherein the individual rating factors for each range of severity and/or frequency of earthquakes are: ______________________________________ >0.000 = 0.010 >1.000 = 0.025 >2.000 = 1.000 >3.000 = 2.000 ______________________________________

Claim 25

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the meterological conditions is hurricanes.

Claim 26

The method of claim 24 wherein there are five ranges of severity and/or frequency for hurricanes.

Claim 27

The method of claim 25 wherein the five ranges of severity and/or frequency for hurricanes are: ______________________________________ 74-95 MPH 96-110 MPH 111-130 MPH 131-155 MPH >156MPH ______________________________________

Claim 28

The method of claim 26 wherein the rating factors for each of the ranges of severities and/or frequencies for hurricanes are: ______________________________________ 74-95 MPH = 0.500 96-110 MPH = 1.000 111-130 MPH = 1.500 131-155 MPH = 2.000 >156MPH = 2.500 ______________________________________

Claim 29

The method of claim 27 wherein the individual rating factor for each of the geographical areas for hurricanes is determined by multiplying the number of hurricanes in each range of severity and/or frequency by the rating factors for that range and then adding the results for all the ranges together.

Claim 30

The method of claim 1 wherein a weight associated with each of the individual rating factors for each meteorological condition is adjustable.

Claim 31

The method of claim 1 wherein the ranges of the severities and/or frequencies are selected such that the geographical areas are evenly distributed throughout the range.

Claim 32

The method of claim 3 wherein the cumulative rating factor for each of the geographical area is calculated using the equation R.sub.N =X.sub.W F.sub.N (W)+X.sub.T F.sub.N (T)+X.sub.L F.sub.N (L)+X.sub.E F.sub.N (E)+X.sub.H F.sub.N (H) wherein N is the geographical area R N is the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area, F N (W) is a wind rating factor for the geographical area, F N (T) is a tornado rating factor for the geographical area, F N (L) is a lightning rating factor for the geographical area, F N (E) is the earthquake rating factor for the geographical area, F N (H) is a hurricane rating factor for the geographical area and wherein X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are weighting factors for each of the meteorological conditions.

Claim 33

The method of claim 1 wherein the geographical areas are counties in all 50 states of the United States.

Claim 34

The method of claim 1 wherein the lower the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area the lower the risk of damage in the geographical area as a result of the meteorological conditions.

Claim 35

The method of claim 1 wherein a chart having terrain characteristics of the geographical areas is provided and wherein a terrain factor is determined from the chart for the geographical area and wherein the terrain factor is used with the cumulative rating factor in ranking the geographical areas.

Claim 36

The method of claim 31 wherein X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are equal.

Claim 39

The method of claim 36 wherein X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are equal to 1.

Claim 40

The method of claim 36 wherein X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are different values in the equation.

Claim 41

The method of claim 36 wherein a client database can be generated in the computer to provide a list of clients associated with the geographical areas.

Claim 42

The method of claim 39 wherein the rating database is accessed using the client database to determine the insurability of a structure owned by a client in the geographical area.

Claim 43

The method of claim 36 wherein a liability database can be generated having a gross liability factor and a net liability factor for the geographical areas wherein the gross liability factor and the limited liability factor are considered with the cumulative rating factor to determine the insurability of the structure in the geographical area.

Claim 44

The method of claim 36 wherein the database is formed using a method for ranking geographical areas based on a plurality of meteorological conditions, which includes: providing a meteorological chart, information of the geographical areas for each of the meteorological conditions to be ranked, each showing a severity and/or frequency of the meteorological condition in each of the geographical areas; selecting ranges of the severities and/or frequencies of the meteorological condition for all of the geographical areas; calculating individual rating factors for each of the ranges of severities and/or frequencies of the meteorological condition; determining the individual rating factor for each of the geographical areas for each of the meteorological conditions; and calculating a cumulative rating factor for each of the geographical areas using the equation.

Claim 45

The method of claim 36 wherein the lower the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area the greater the insurability.

Claim 48

A media operational for use in storing a database for use in a method for determining the insurability of a physical structure located in a geographical area, which comprises: providing a database on the media having a cumulative rating factor for a plurality of geographical areas wherein the cumulative rating factor is calculated using the equation R.sub.N =X.sub.W F.sub.N (W)+X.sub.T F.sub.N (T)+X.sub.L F.sub.N (L)+X.sub.E F.sub.N (E)+X.sub.H F.sub.N (H) wherein N is the geographical area R N is the rating factor for the geographical area, F N (W) is a wind rating factor for the geographical area, F N (T) is a tornado rating factor for the geographical area, F N (L) is a lightning rating factor for the geographical area, F N (E) is the earthquake rating factor for the geographical area, F N (H) is a hurricane rating factor for the geographical area and X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are weighting factors for each of the meteorological conditions; accessing the database to retrieve the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area; providing a rating chart showing the insurability for the cumulative rating factors; and comparing the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area with the rating chart to determine the insurability of the structure located in the geographical area.

Claim 49

A media operational for use in storing a database for use in a method for determining the insurability of a physical structure located in a geographical area, which comprises: providing a database on the media having a cumulative rating factor for a plurality of geographical areas wherein the cumulative rating factor is calculated using the equation R.sub.N =X.sub.W F.sub.N (W)+X.sub.T F.sub.N (T)+X.sub.L F.sub.N (L)+X.sub.E F.sub.N (E)+X.sub.H F.sub.N (H) wherein N is the geographical area R N is the rating factor for the geographical area, F N (W) is a wind rating factor for the geographical area, F N (T) is a tornado rating factor for the geographical area, F N (L) is a lightning rating factor for the geographical area, F N (E) is the earthquake rating factor for the geographical area, F N (H) is a hurricane rating factor for the geographical area and X W , X T , X L , X E and X H are weighting factors for each of the meteorological conditions; accessing the database to retrieve the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area; providing a rating chart showing the insurability for the cumulative rating factors; and comparing the cumulative rating factor for the geographical area with the rating chart to determine the insurability of the structure located in the geographical area.