Using images and voice recordings to facilitate underwriting life insurance

Abstract

A system and method for evaluating an insurance applicant as part of an underwriting process to determine one or more appropriate terms of life or other insurance coverage, such as premiums. A processing element employing a neural network is trained to correlate aspects of appearance and/or voice with personal and/or health-related characteristic. A database of images and/or voice recordings of individuals with known personal and/or health-related characteristics is provided for this purpose. The processing element is then provided with an image and/or voice recording of the insurance applicant. The image may be an otherwise non-diagnostic image, such as an ordinary “selfie.” The trained processing element analyzes the image of the insurance applicant, with their permission or affirmative consent, to determine the personal and/or health-related characteristic for the insurance applicant, and then, based upon that analysis, facilitates the underwriting process and/or suggests the one or more appropriate terms of insurance coverage.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for evaluating an applicant to determine one or more terms of insurance coverage, comprising:
 a data receiving circuit configured to receive image data of the applicant; and   a processor trained to correlate aspects of appearance with a personal and/or health-related characteristic by being provided with image data of individuals having known personal and/or health-related characteristics;   wherein the processor analyzes the image data of the applicant to determine a personal and/or health-related characteristic of the applicant, and to suggest a term of insurance coverage based at least in part upon the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic.   
     
     
         22 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the insurance coverage is health insurance. 
     
     
         23 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the term of insurance coverage includes an insurance premium or discount. 
     
     
         24 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the image data of the applicant includes a digital image. 
     
     
         25 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the image data of the applicant includes a selfie. 
     
     
         26 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the processor employs a convolutional neural network including a plurality of receptive fields which are tiled to overlap. 
     
     
         27 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the processor employs a deep learning neural network. 
     
     
         28 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the image data of the applicant includes a video of the applicant, the processor being configured to determine at least one of a pulse, drug use, or a glucose level of the applicant by analyzing the video. 
     
     
         29 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the personal and/or health-related characteristic is at least one of age, sex, weight, height, ethnicity, lifespan, cause of death, tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, diet, existing medical conditions, or risk factors for future medical conditions. 
     
     
         30 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to use the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic to verify information provided by the applicant. 
     
     
         31 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to use the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic to substantially automatically determine the term of insurance coverage. 
     
     
         32 . A system for evaluating an applicant to determine a life insurance premium, comprising:
 a data receiving circuit configured to receive otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of the applicant; and   a processor employing a neural network and trained to correlate one or more aspects of appearance with a personal and/or health-related characteristic by being provided with otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of individuals having known personal and/or health-related characteristics;   wherein the processor analyzes the otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of the applicant to determine a personal and/or health-related characteristic of the applicant, to use the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic to verify information provided by the applicant, and to substantially automatically determine the life insurance premium based at least in part upon the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic.   
     
     
         33 . The system as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of the applicant includes a digital image. 
     
     
         34 . The system as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of the applicant includes a selfie. 
     
     
         35 . The system as set forth in  claim 32  wherein the neural network is a convolutional neural network including a plurality of receptive fields which are tiled to overlap. 
     
     
         36 . The system as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the neural network is a deep learning neural network. 
     
     
         37 . The system as set forth in  claim 32  wherein the otherwise non-diagnostic conventional image data of the applicant includes a video of the applicant, the processor being configured to determine at least one of a pulse, drug use, or a glucose level of the applicant by analyzing the video. 
     
     
         38 . The system as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the personal and/or health-related characteristic is at least one of age, sex, weight, height, ethnicity, lifespan, cause of death, tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, diet, existing medical conditions, or risk factors for future medical conditions. 
     
     
         39 . A method for evaluating an applicant to determine one or more terms of insurance coverage, comprising:
 receiving, by a data receiving circuit, image data of the applicant;   training a processor to correlate aspects of appearance with a personal and/or health-related characteristic by providing the processor with image data of individuals having known personal and/or health-related characteristics;   analyzing, by the processor, the image data of the applicant to determine a personal and/or health-related characteristic of the applicant; and   suggesting, by the processor, a term of insurance coverage based at least in part upon the determined personal and/or health-related characteristic.   
     
     
         40 . The method as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein the term of insurance coverage includes an insurance premium or discount.