Insurance for a Safe Deposit Box

Abstract

A system and method for insuring a safe deposit box is disclosed as is a technique for processing claims made against such safe deposit box insurance. According to a disclosed embodiment, a safe deposit box insurance policy insures content within a safe deposit box against an insurable event for a monetary amount and entitles the policyholder to receive the monetary amount in response to a proven claim that the insurable event has occurred without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box, and wherein the safe deposit box insurance policy was obtained by the policyholder without the policyholder disclosing specific content for storage in the safe deposit box. Payments for claims against the safe deposit box insurance policy can also be made without requiring an appraisal of any content that may have been stored in the safe deposit box.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing a claim against a safe deposit box insurance policy, the method comprising:
 receiving a claim from a policyholder against a safe deposit box insurance policy, wherein the safe deposit box insurance policy insures content within a safe deposit box against an insurable event for a monetary amount and entitles the policyholder to receive the monetary amount in response to a proven claim that the insurable event has occurred without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box, and wherein the safe deposit box insurance policy was obtained by the policyholder without the policyholder disclosing specific content for storage in the safe deposit box;   determining whether the insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box;   determining, by a computer system, whether the policyholder has paid the all premiums due under the safe deposit box insurance policy; and   in response to a determination that (1) an insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box, and (2) the policyholder has paid the all premiums due under the safe deposit box insurance policy, the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as a claim payment in accordance with the safe deposit box insurance policy, wherein the payment determining step is performed without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein all of the method steps are performed by the computer system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the insurable event comprises at least one member of the group consisting of a fire, a flood, and an earthquake, and wherein the payment determining step is further performed without requiring the policyholder to itemize or disclose any content stored in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the insurable event comprises a theft, and wherein the payment determining step is further performed without requiring the policyholder to itemize or disclose any content stored in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the theft comprises a burglary or robbery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the computer system receiving proof corresponding to the insurable event, and wherein the computer system performs the step of determining whether the insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box based on the received proof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the proof comprises a declaration from a bank in which the safe deposit box is located. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if gold was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if coins were stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if jewelry was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if silverware was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a painting was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a stock certificate was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a legal document was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the payment determining step comprises the computer system determining that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if the policyholder had removed the content from the safe deposit box prior to the insurable event occurrence. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for processing a claim against a safe deposit box insurance policy, the apparatus comprising:
 a processor, the processor configured to (1) receive a claim from a policyholder against a safe deposit box insurance policy, wherein the safe deposit box insurance policy insures content within a safe deposit box against an insurable event for a monetary amount and entitles the policyholder to receive the monetary amount in response to a proven claim that the insurable event has occurred without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box, and wherein the safe deposit box insurance policy was obtained by the policyholder without the policyholder disclosing specific content for storage in the safe deposit box, (2) determine whether the insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box, (3) determine whether the policyholder has paid the all premiums due under the safe deposit box insurance policy, and (4) in response to a determination that (i) an insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box, and (ii) the policyholder has paid the all premiums due under the safe deposit box insurance policy, determine that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as a claim payment in accordance with the safe deposit box insurance policy, and wherein the payment determination is performed without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the insurable event comprises at least one member of the group consisting of a fire, a flood, and an earthquake, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination without requiring the policyholder to itemize or disclose any content stored in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the insurable event comprises a theft, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination without requiring the policyholder to itemize or disclose any content stored in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the theft comprises a burglary or robbery. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to (1) receive proof corresponding to the insurable event, and (2) determine whether the insurable event under the safe deposit box insurance policy has occurred with respect to the safe deposit box based on the received proof. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the proof comprises a declaration from a bank in which the safe deposit box is located. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if gold was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if coins were stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if jewelry was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if silverware was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a painting was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a stock certificate was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if a legal document was stored by the policyholder in the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to perform the payment determination such that the policyholder is to receive the monetary amount as the claim payment even if the policyholder had removed the content from the safe deposit box prior to the insurable event occurrence. 
     
     
         30 . A method for insuring a safe deposit box comprising the steps of renting a safe deposit box and purchasing insurance for insuring the safe deposit box. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the purchased insurance insures content within a safe deposit box against an insurable event for a monetary amount and entitles a policyholder to receive the monetary amount in response to a proven claim that the insurable event has occurred without requiring an appraisal of any content stored in the safe deposit box, and wherein purchasing step comprises purchasing the insurance without the policyholder disclosing specific content for storage in the safe deposit box.