Methods for grid-based rating insurance products using a programmed computer system

1. A method for rating insurance products using a programmed computer system comprising:

receiving a coordinate pair comprising a longitude and a latitude of a location associated with an insurance product;

determining a target coordinate grid block bounded by latitude and longitude lines, which rectangular grid block contains the location;

querying a database for a first set of existing data associated with the target coordinate grid block, wherein the existing data was associated with the target coordinate grid block prior to receiving the coordinate pair;

automatically determining that the quantity of the first set of existing data associated with the target coordinate grid block is below a threshold level;

in response to determining that the quantity of existing data associated with the coordinate grid block is below the threshold level, defining a current ring of coordinate grid blocks surrounding the coordinate grid block;

querying the database for a supplemental set of existing data associated with the current ring of coordinate grid blocks;

querying a database for a second set of existing data associated with a regulator, which regulates insurance policies in a geographic area comprising the location;

calculating a rating for the insurance product based at least in part on the data in the first set of existing data, the supplemental set of existing data, and the second set of existing data; and

transmitting the calculated rating to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of querying the database for the first set of existing data further comprises:

setting a longitude query value by truncating the longitude of the coordinate pair based on a desired target cell size;

setting a latitude query value by truncating the latitude of the coordinate pair based on the desired target cell size; and

transmitting the longitude query value and latitude query value to the database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of querying the database for the second set of existing data further comprises:

setting a longitude query value by truncating the longitude of the coordinate pair;

setting a latitude query value by truncating the latitude of the coordinate pair; and

transmitting the longitude query value and latitude query value to the database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of calculating the rating for an insurance product includes using a rate making formula associated with a geographical area having regulations related to insurance products wherein the sole source of variable input to the rate making formula is a set of data elements, each of which is associated with one specific coordinate grid block.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a grid block size based at least in part on one of:

a peril type,

a quantity of historical loss data associated with the target coordinate grid block,

a population density associated with the coordinate pair, and

a political subdivision associated with the coordinate pair.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an attribute representative of a property at the location indicated by the coordinate pair;

selecting a data filter associated with the representative attribute; and

applying the data filter to the first set of existing data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, each occurring prior to receiving the coordinate pair:

receiving a data value that applies to both a first coordinate grid block and a second coordinate grid block;

storing in the database a first record including information relating to the data value and associated with the first grid block; and

storing in the database a second record including information relating to the data value and associated with the second grid block.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of existing data includes a data element that is associated with at least two coordinate grid blocks.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of existing data includes a data element that is associated with at least two coordinate grid blocks.