CONTEXT-AWARE BLOCKCHAIN INSURANCE

1 . A method for automatically engaging insurance coverage only when needed, the method comprising, repeatedly:

automatically sensing at least one environmental condition;

automatically determining whether the sensed at least one environmental condition satisfies at least one specified condition;

when the sensed environmental condition satisfies the at least one specified condition, automatically engaging insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition; and

when the sensed environmental condition fails to satisfy the at least one specified condition, automatically disengaging insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically engaging the insurance coverage comprises:

automatically initiating access of a blockchain ledger; and

automatically writing an engagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the engagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is engaged.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein automatically disengaging the insurance coverage comprises:

automatically initiating access of the blockchain ledger; and

automatically writing a disengagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the disengagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is disengaged.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one environmental condition is automatically sensed by a smart phone; and

the smart phone is further configured to automatically determining whether the sensed at least one environmental condition satisfies the at least one specified condition.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the insurance coverage is vehicle insurance coverage;

the at least one environmental condition comprises a location of a vehicle; and

satisfying the specified condition comprises determining that the vehicle is located outside of a garage.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the location of the vehicle is automatically sensed by a mobile device owned or operated by an owner or operator of the vehicle; and

determining whether the vehicle is located outside of the garage is performed by the mobile device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the mobile device is a smart phone owned or operated by the owner or operator of the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the location of the vehicle is automatically sensed by a wireless location sensor attached to the vehicle; and

determining whether the vehicle is located outside of the garage is performed by a processor based on a location provided by the wireless location sensor.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the insurance coverage is vehicle insurance coverage;

the at least one environmental condition comprises a speed of a vehicle; and

satisfying the specified condition comprises determining that the vehicle is moving or has been stationary for less than a specified duration.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the speed of the vehicle is automatically sensed by a wireless velocity sensor attached to the vehicle; and

determining whether the vehicle is moving or has been stationary for less than the specified duration is performed by a processor based on data provided by the wireless velocity sensor.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the insurance coverage is pet insurance coverage;

the at least one environmental condition comprises a location of a pet; and

satisfying the specified condition comprises determining that the pet is located outside a house.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the location of the pet is automatically sensed by a wireless location sensor attached to the pet; and

determining whether the pet is located outside the house is performed by a processor based on data provided by the wireless location sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the location of the pet is automatically sensed by a sensor attached to a pet door on an exterior of the house; and

determining whether the pet is located outside the house is performed by a processor based on data provided by the sensor.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the insurance coverage is homeowner's coverage of a house;

the at least one environmental condition comprises a weather condition at the house; and

satisfying the specified condition comprises determining that the weather proximate the house is stormy.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the weather condition is automatically determined from an internet-based weather service; and

determining that the weather proximate the house is stormy is performed by a processor based on data provided by the internet-based weather service.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the weather condition is automatically determined from a wireless weather sensor mounted outside at or near the house; and

determining that the weather proximate the house is stormy is performed by a processor based on data provided by the wireless weather sensor.

17 . A system for automatically engaging insurance coverage only when needed, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to automatically sense at least one environmental condition; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to automatically determine whether the sensed at least one environmental condition satisfies at least one specified condition;

wherein when the sensed environmental condition satisfies the at least one specified condition, the processor is configured to automatically engage insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition by automatically initiating access of a blockchain ledger and automatically writing an engagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the engagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is engaged; and

wherein when the sensed environmental condition fails to satisfy the at least one specified condition, the processor is configured to automatically disengage insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition by automatically initiating access of the blockchain ledger and automatically writing a disengagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the disengagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is disengaged.

18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising a smart phone that includes the sensor and the processor.

19 . A method for automatically engaging insurance coverage only when needed, the method comprising:

automatically sensing at least one environmental condition;

automatically determining whether the sensed at least one environmental condition satisfies at least one specified condition;

when the sensed environmental condition satisfies the at least one specified condition, automatically engaging insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition by automatically initiating access of a blockchain ledger and automatically writing an engagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the engagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is engaged; and

when the sensed environmental condition fails to satisfy the at least one specified condition, automatically disengaging insurance coverage corresponding to the specified condition by automatically initiating access of the blockchain ledger and automatically writing a disengagement entry to the blockchain ledger, the disengagement entry representing a date and time at which the insurance coverage is disengaged.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the at least one environmental condition is automatically sensed by a smart phone; and

the smart phone is further configured to automatically determining whether the sensed at least one environmental condition satisfies the at least one specified condition.