BLOCKCHAIN SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE COVERAGE TO AFFINITY GROUPS

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at one or more hardware servers of an intermediary entity, insurance policy preferences for a customer;

storing the insurance policy preferences in a customer profile database;

using, by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity, the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain for the customer a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider of a plurality of insurance providers, wherein the first insurance policy has (i) first policy features, and (ii) a first premium corresponding to a first policy term, including:

receiving, at the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity and from each of a plurality of insurance provider computer systems associated with the plurality of respective insurance providers, a quote indicating one or more policy features corresponding to a policy term; and

selecting, by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity, one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers based on the one or more policy features for the quote and the insurance policy preferences for the customer; and

notifying, via a communication interface of the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity, the customer of the first insurance provider and the first premium.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the first policy term is nearing expiration, using, by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediate entity, the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain for the customer a second insurance policy from a second insurance provider, the second insurance policy having (i) second policy features, and (ii) a second premium corresponding to a second policy term subsequent to the first policy term; and

notifying, via the communication interface of the one or more hardware servers of the intermediate entity, the customer of the second insurance provider and the second premium.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

storing policy term data for a plurality of insurance policies, including the first insurance policy, in a term schedule database; and

automatically determining, by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity accessing the term schedule database, that the first policy term is nearing expiration.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity and from each of the plurality of insurance provider computer systems associated with the plurality of respective insurance providers, a respective set of bidding rules, wherein the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity are remote from each of the plurality of insurance provider computer systems, and wherein each set of bidding rules includes rules specifying (i) when to offer a bid and (ii) an amount of the bid,

wherein automatically obtaining for the customer a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider of a plurality of insurance providers includes using the respective sets of bidding rules to conduct an auction, such that bidding decisions of the plurality of insurance providers for the auction are made by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein conducting the auction includes selecting a bid from one of the plurality of respective insurance providers closest to the insurance policy preferences for the customer.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving insurance policy preferences includes receiving one or more of:

one or more coverage types required or preferred by the customer;

one or more deductibles required or preferred by the customer;

one or more coverage limits required or preferred by the customer;

an insurer rating required or preferred by the customer; or

a premium range required or preferred by the customer.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein using the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider includes:

using the insurance policy preferences to assign the customer to an affinity group with one or more other customers;

providing affinity group information associated with the affinity group to a plurality of insurance providers;

receiving one or more bids from each of one or more of the plurality of insurance providers, including a bid from the first insurance provider, and

selecting the bid from the first insurance provider as a first best bid, the first best bid corresponding to the first policy features and the first premium.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein selecting one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers based on the one or more policy features for the quote and the insurance policy preferences for the customer includes:

comparing the one or more policy features in each quote to the insurance policy preferences for the customer; and

selecting one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers having policy features closest to the insurance policy preferences for the customer.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving insurance policy preferences for the customer includes receiving insurance policy preferences entered by the customer at a client device using an on-line form.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

notifying the customer of the first insurance provider and the first premium includes automatically generating a first email and sending the first email to a client device of the customer.

11 . A system comprising:

a data storage storing a customer profile database;

a communication interface configured to communicate with remote devices via a network;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive insurance policy preferences for a customer;

store the insurance policy preferences in the customer profile database;

use the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain for the customer a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider of a plurality of insurance providers, wherein the first insurance policy has (i) first policy features, and (ii) a first premium corresponding to a first policy term, including:

receiving, from each of a plurality of insurance provider computer systems associated with the plurality of respective insurance providers, a quote indicating one or more policy features corresponding to a policy term; and

selecting one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers based on the one or more policy features for the quote and the insurance policy preferences for the customer; and

notify, via the communication interface, the customer of the first insurance provider and the first premium.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

in response to determining that the first policy term is nearing expiration, use the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain for the customer a second insurance policy from a second insurance provider, the second insurance policy having (i) second policy features, and (ii) a second premium corresponding to a second policy term subsequent to the first policy term; and

notify, via the communication interface, the customer of the second insurance provider and the second premium.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

store policy term data for a plurality of insurance policies, including the first insurance policy, in a term schedule database; and

automatically determine, by accessing the term schedule database, that the first policy term is nearing expiration.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from each of the plurality of insurance provider computer systems associated with the plurality of respective insurance providers, a respective set of bidding rules, wherein each set of bidding rules includes rules specifying (i) when to offer a bid and (ii) an amount of the bid,

wherein to automatically obtain for the customer a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider of a plurality of insurance providers, the instructions cause the processors to use the respective sets of bidding rules to conduct an auction, such that bidding decisions of the plurality of insurance providers for the auction are made by the one or more hardware servers of the intermediary entity.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein to conduct the auction, the instructions cause the one or more processors to select a bid from one of the plurality of respective insurance providers closest to the insurance policy preferences for the customer.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the insurance policy preferences includes one or more of:

one or more coverage types required or preferred by the customer;

one or more deductibles required or preferred by the customer;

one or more coverage limits required or preferred by the customer;

an insurer rating required or preferred by the customer; or

a premium range required or preferred by the customer.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein to use the insurance policy preferences stored in the customer profile database to automatically obtain a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider, the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

use the insurance policy preferences to assign the customer to an affinity group with one or more other customers;

provide affinity group information associated with the affinity group to a plurality of insurance providers;

receive one or more bids from each of one or more of the plurality of insurance providers, including a bid from the first insurance provider, and

select the bid from the first insurance provider as a first best bid, the first best bid corresponding to the first policy features and the first premium.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein to select one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers based on the one or more policy features for the quote and the insurance policy preferences for the customer, the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

compare the one or more policy features in each quote to the insurance policy preferences for the customer; and

select one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers having policy features closest to the insurance policy preferences for the customer.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the insurance policy preferences are entered by the customer at a client device using an on-line form.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the customer is notified of the first insurance provider and the first premium by automatically generating a first email and sending the first email to a client device of the customer.