Network-based identification of uninsured vehicles

1. An insurance monitoring system comprising:

a network interface operable to receive a message over a mobile network from a mobile device embedded in a vehicle, wherein the message from the mobile device includes a vehicle identification for the vehicle; and

a control system operable to query an insurance database based on the vehicle identification to determine whether the vehicle is uninsured, and to send a notification message to a law enforcement entity responsive to a determination that the vehicle is uninsured.

2. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to query the mobile network for a location of the mobile device, to query a map database based on the location of the mobile device to identify a map corresponding with the location of the mobile device, and to include the map in the notification message sent to the law enforcement entity.

3. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to identify a home address registered for the vehicle, to determine whether the vehicle is remote from the home address, and to send the notification message to the law enforcement entity responsive to a determination that the vehicle is remote from the home address.

4. The insurance monitoring system of claim 3 wherein:

the control system is further operable to query the mobile network for a location of the mobile device, to identify a location of the vehicle based on the location of the mobile device, to compare the location of the vehicle with the home address, and to determine that the vehicle is remote from the home address if the location of the vehicle is distant from the home address by a threshold.

5. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to generate a vehicle control message instructing the mobile device to disable the vehicle; and

the network interface is further operable to send the vehicle control message to the mobile device over the mobile network.

6. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the law enforcement entity in a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

7. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the law enforcement entity in an email message.

8. The insurance monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the law enforcement entity in an Instant Message (IM).

9. A method of insurance monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving a message over a mobile network from a mobile device embedded in a vehicle, wherein the message from the mobile device includes a vehicle identification for the vehicle;

querying an insurance database based on the vehicle identification to determine whether the vehicle is uninsured; and

sending a notification message to a law enforcement entity responsive to a determination by a controller that the vehicle is uninsured.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

querying the mobile network for a location of the mobile device;

querying a map database based on the location of the mobile device to identify a map corresponding with the location of the mobile device; and

including the map in the notification message sent to the law enforcement entity.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

identifying a home address registered for the vehicle;

determining whether the vehicle is remote from the home address; and

sending the notification message to the law enforcement entity responsive to a determination that the vehicle is remote from the home address.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein determining whether the vehicle is remote from the home address comprises:

querying the mobile network for a location of the mobile device;

identifying a location of the vehicle based on the location of the mobile device;

comparing the location of the vehicle with the home address; and

determining that the vehicle is remote from the home address if the location of the vehicle is distant from the home address by a threshold.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating a vehicle control message instructing the mobile device to disable the vehicle; and

sending the vehicle control message to the mobile device over the mobile network.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein sending a notification message to a law enforcement entity comprises:

sending the notification message to the law enforcement entity in a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein sending a notification message to a law enforcement entity comprises:

sending the notification message to the law enforcement entity in an email message.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein sending a notification message to a law enforcement entity comprises:

sending the notification message to the law enforcement entity in an Instant Message (IM).

17. An insurance monitoring system comprising:

a network interface operable to receive a message over a mobile network from a mobile device embedded in a vehicle, wherein the message from the mobile device includes a vehicle identification for the vehicle; and

a control system operable to query an insurance database based on the vehicle identification to determine whether the vehicle is uninsured, to identify a home address registered for the vehicle, to determine whether the vehicle is remote from the home address, and to send a notification message to a law enforcement entity responsive to a determination that the vehicle is uninsured and that the vehicle is remote from the home address.

18. The insurance monitoring system of claim 17 wherein:

the control system is further operable to query the mobile network for a location of the mobile device, to identify a location of the vehicle based on the location of the mobile device, to compare the location of the vehicle with the home address, and to determine that the vehicle is remote from the home address if the location of the vehicle is distant from the home address by a threshold.

19. The insurance monitoring system of claim 17 wherein:

the control system is further operable to query the mobile network for a location of the mobile device, to query a map database based on the location of the mobile device to identify a map corresponding with the location of the mobile device, and to include the map in the notification message sent to the law enforcement entity.

20. The insurance monitoring system of claim 17 wherein:

the control system is further operable to generate a vehicle control message instructing the mobile device to disable the vehicle; and

the network interface is further operable to send the vehicle control message to the mobile device over the mobile network.