Systems and methods for providing insurance and non-insurance products

Abstract

A method of providing insurance to a customer that comprises the steps of: (1) selling a service contract to the customer that provides protection against the mechanical breakdown or other failure of an item (and in some cases, accidental damage); and (2) in response to the customer purchasing the service contract, providing, at no cost to the customer, third-party-paid insurance coverage that protects the customer against damage to the item, which, in some cases, includes accidental damage. In one embodiment of the invention, the step of providing the third-party-paid insurance coverage is done in order to permit the provision of insurance without the use of a licensed insurance agent.

1 . A method of providing insurance to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:
 selling, by a first party, a particular article of personal property to said customer;   selling, by said first party, a service contract to said customer, said service contract providing protection against the mechanical breakdown or other failure of said article of personal property; and   in response to said customer purchasing said service contract, providing, at no cost to said customer, insurance coverage that protects said customer against one or more events selected from a group consisting of: (A) loss of said article of personal property, (B) theft of said article of personal property, and (C) other named perils associated with said article of personal property, wherein:
 said service contract is provided by a first provider and said insurance coverage is provided by a second provider, said first and second providers being different entities, and 
 said insurance coverage is provided at no cost to said customer due to the fact that said insurance coverage is paid for by said first party. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said service contract provides protection against accidental damage to said particular article of personal property. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing said insurance coverage is done in order to permit the provision of said insurance coverage without its sale by an insurance agent. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said insurance coverage is paid for by a retailer selling said particular article of personal property to said customer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said insurance coverage is paid for by a manufacturer of said particular article of personal property. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said insurance coverage is paid for by a service provider that provides service or functionality for said particular article of personal property. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing said service contract and said insurance coverage to said customer within a product protection program. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said product protection program is referred to by a single identification indicia. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first party is a wireless carrier. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said particular article of personal property is a cellular phone. 
   
   
       11 . A unified property protection program comprising:
 a service contract that is paid for by a first entity, said service contract providing protection against the mechanical breakdown or other failure of a particular article of personal property; and   insurance coverage that is paid for by a second entity, said insurance coverage providing protection against one or more events selected from a group consisting of: (A) loss of said article of personal property, (B) theft of said article of personal property, and (C) other named perils associated with said article of personal property, wherein:
 said property protection program is referenced by a single identification indicia, and 
 said service contract and said insurance coverage are provided by two separate providers. 
   
   
   
       12 . The property protection program of  claim 11 , wherein said service contract protects against the mechanical breakdown of one or more items. 
   
   
       13 . The property protection program of  claim 11 , wherein said insurance coverage protects against accidental damage to said one or more items. 
   
   
       14 . The property protection program of  claim 12 , wherein said insurance coverage protects against a loss other than accidental damage to said one or more items. 
   
   
       15 . The personal protection program of  claim 12 , wherein said insurance coverage protects against the accidental damage to, or loss of, said one or more items. 
   
   
       16 . The property protection program of  claim 11 , wherein said first entity is a customer who has purchased said article of personal property. 
   
   
       17 . The property protection program of  claim 16 , wherein said second entity is an entity that has sold said article of personal property to said customer. 
   
   
       18 . The property protection plan of  claim 16 , wherein said second entity is a service provider that is to provide service or functionality for said article of personal property. 
   
   
       19 . The property protection plan of  claim 16 , wherein said second entity is a wireless carrier that provides wireless service for said article of personal property. 
   
   
       20 . The unified property protection program of  claim 19 , wherein said particular article of personal property is a cellular phone. 
   
   
       21 . The property protection program of  claim 11 , wherein said property protection program provides that: (1) in response to said second entity failing to submit timely payment for said insurance coverage, said insurance coverage will be interrupted; and (2) said service contract will not be interrupted in response to said second entity failing to submit timely payment for said insurance coverage. 
   
   
       22 . The property protection program of  claim 21 , wherein said product protection program provides that: (1) in response to said first entity failing to submit timely payment for said service contract, said first property coverage will be interrupted; and (2) said insurance coverage will be interrupted in response to said first entity failing to submit timely payment for said service contract. 
   
   
       23 . A method of providing insurance coverage for a wireless device, said method comprising:
 in response to an individual purchasing both said wireless device and a service contract covering said wireless device, providing said insurance coverage to said individual at no cost to said individual, wherein:
 said step of providing said insurance coverage is performed by a wireless carrier associated with said wireless device. 
   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said method further comprises a step of, in response to said wireless device being lost, replacing said wireless device.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said method further comprises a step of, in response to said wireless device being stolen, replacing said wireless device.