Abstract: A method and system, the method including capturing country-specific parameters of a risk-exposed country relating to stored predefined criteria, assigning one or more disaster event types to a disaster history table, capturing and storing mapping parameters for a geographic risk map, assigning each of a plurality of selectable disaster financing types to a definable cost factor capturing the capital cost of the disaster financing type in relation to its application for disaster mitigation, determining expected catastrophe losses by a loss frequency function and the geographic risk map for various scenarios of occurring natural disaster event types, and preparing a forecast of an effect of the disaster financing type to cover the catastrophe losses based on the coverage structure, the assigned cost factors, and the determined expected catastrophe losses

Abstract: An automated, inter-arrival-time-based system and method for automated prediction and exposure-signaling of associated, catastrophic risk-event driven or triggered risk-transfer systems, for low frequency catastrophic or operational risk events and automated risk-transfer. Risk-events are measured and assigned to a historic hazard set comprising event parameters for each assigned risk-event. Risk-exposed units and/or the automated risk-transfer systems are provided with corresponding risk-transfer parameters for automated risk-transfer and/or automated risk-event cover. An event loss set is based on the measured frequencies with associated losses of said risk-events of the hazard set, each of said risk-events creating a set specific loss. Time-stamps, based on an automatically and/or dynamically estimated distribution of corresponding inter-arrival times parameters, capture a waiting time between consecutive events of the period loss set.

Abstract: An automated, inter-arrival-time-based system and method for automated prediction and exposure-signaling of associated, catastrophic risk-event driven or triggered risk-transfer systems, for low frequency catastrophic or operational risk events and automated risk-transfer. Risk-events are measured and assigned to a historic hazard set comprising event parameters for each assigned risk-event. Risk-exposed units and/or the automated risk-transfer systems are provided with corresponding risk-transfer parameters for automated risk-transfer and/or automated risk-event cover. An event loss set is based on the measured frequencies with associated losses of said risk-events of the hazard set, each of said risk-events creating a set specific loss. Time-stamps, based on an automatically and/or dynamically estimated distribution of corresponding inter-arrival times parameters, capture a waiting time between consecutive events of the period loss set.

Abstract: A method and system, the method including capturing country-specific parameters of a risk-exposed country relating to stored predefined criteria, assigning one or more disaster event types to a disaster history table, capturing and storing mapping parameters for a geographic risk map, assigning each of a plurality of selectable disaster financing types to a definable cost factor capturing the capital cost of the disaster financing type in relation to its application for disaster mitigation, determining expected catastrophe losses by a loss frequency function and the geographic risk map for various scenarios of occurring natural disaster event types, and preparing a forecast of an effect of the disaster financing type to cover the catastrophe losses based on the coverage structure, the assigned cost factors, and the determined expected catastrophe losses

Abstract: System and methods for facilitating the settlement of financial accounts across different entities utilize a host computer system that tracks financial transactions made at each merchant location or store and uses this information to reconcile accounts across different entities. In one embodiment, for redemption transactions that occurred within one of the entities other than where the associated account was activated, the host computer system is configured to prepare a request to transfer a redemption amount to a central account from an entity account associated with where the account was activated, and to prepare a request to transfer less than the redemption amount from the central account to an entity account associated with where the redemption transaction occurred.

Abstract: System and methods for facilitating the settlement of financial accounts across different entities utilize a host computer system that tracks financial transactions made at each merchant location or store and uses this information to reconcile accounts across different entities. In one embodiment, the host computer periodically performs a net settlement analysis of the transactional data received from each entity's stores. A request is prepared to transfer funds from each entity's bank account having a positive net settlement amount into a central entity bank account. A request is also prepared to transfer funds into each entity's bank account having a negative net settlement amount from the central entity bank account.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for coordinating a change in status of a stored-value card for a customer. Transaction information is received at a host system from a point-of-sale terminal. The transaction information includes stored-value-card information identifying the stored-value card and payment-instrument information identifying a payment instrument to be used for financing the change in status of the stored-value card. The host system receives a payment authorization from a payment authority in response to a transmission of the payment-instrument information to the payment authority. The host system also receives a confirmation of the change in status of the stored-value card from a stored-value-card authority in response to a transmission of the stored-value-card information to the stored-value-card authority. The host system transmits an approval for effecting the change in status of the stored-value card to the point-of-sale terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for executing such a bilateral action. A communication is received at a host system. A determination is made that the communication identifies a physical instrument that identifies an account of stored value. A request is transmitted to another host system to debit the account by an amount identified in the communication to support the bilateral action. A confirmation is received from the other host system that the account of stored value has been debited. An approval for the bilateral action is transmitted to an originating communications device.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for coordinating a change in status of a stored-value card for a customer. Transaction information is received at a host system from a point-of-sale terminal. The transaction information includes stored-value-card information identifying the stored-value card and payment-instrument information identifying a payment instrument to be used for financing the change in status of the stored-value card. The host system receives a payment authorization from a payment authority in response to a transmission of the payment-instrument information to the payment authority. The host system also receives a confirmation of the change in status of the stored-value card from a stored-value-card authority in response to a transmission of the stored-value-card information to the stored-value-card authority. The host system transmits an approval for effecting the change in status of the stored-value card to the point-of-sale terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for coordinating a change in status of a stored-value card for a customer. Transaction information is received at a host system from a point-of-sale terminal. The transaction information includes stored-value-card information identifying the stored-value card and payment-instrument information identifying a payment instrument to be used for financing the change in status of the stored-value card. The host system receives a payment authorization from a payment authority in response to a transmission of the payment-instrument information to the payment authority. The host system also receives a confirmation of the change in status of the stored-value card from a stored-value-card authority in response to a transmission of the stored-value-card information to the stored-value-card authority. The host system transmits an approval for effecting the change in status of the stored-value card to the point-of-sale terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to apply a discount to a transaction. An identifier is extracted from a discount instrument and is transmitted to a host system. A validation is received from the host system for the discount instrument and a cost of the transaction is reduced in accordance with a discount arrangement associated with the discount instrument.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing a stored-value instrument. An unrestricted value associated with the stored-value instrument is authenticated at an instrument-authority system in response to an authentication request received from a merchant point-of-sale terminal. An allocation request is received at the instrument-authority system for a restricted allocation of at least a portion of the authenticated value associated with the stored-value instrument. The authenticated value is allocated in accordance with the allocation request.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to apply a discount to a transaction. An identifier is extracted from a discount instrument and is transmitted to a host system. A validation is received from the host system for the discount instrument and a cost of the transaction is reduced in accordance with a discount arrangement associated with the discount instrument.

Abstract: System and methods for facilitating the settlement of financial accounts across different entities utilize a host computer system that tracks financial transactions made at each merchant location or store and uses this information to reconcile accounts across different entities. In one embodiment, for redemption transactions that occurred within one of the entities other than where the associated account was activated, the host computer system is configured to prepare a request to transfer a redemption amount to a central account from an entity account associated with where the redemption transaction occurred, and to prepare a request to transfer less than the redemption amount from the central account to an entity account associated with where the account was activated.

Abstract: A method for issuing tickets proceeds by selecting an inactive ticket that includes an identifier. Payment is provided for the ticket, and the identifier and a payment amount is entered into a payment processing device. The identifier is transmitted to a host computer system having a record of the identifier and a status of the ticket. The status of the ticket is then changed to an active status in the host computer system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for executing such a bilateral action. A communication is received at a host system. A determination is made that the communication identifies a physical instrument that identifies an account of stored value. A request is transmitted to another host system to debit the account by an amount identified in the communication to support the bilateral action. A confirmation is received from the other host system that the account of stored value has been debited. An approval for the bilateral action is transmitted to an originating communications device.

Abstract: A method of transporting electronic data in a distributed computer network, where the method includes receiving, at a first network node, a first data packet that includes a network event identifier, a user account identifier, and network event data, where the user account identifier points to a location on the first network node where the user account is stored, and the network event data define an operation between a user and a network operator. The method also includes processing the network event parameters with a loyalty algorithm to generate a loyalty value parameter; and calculating an updated account value parameter for the user account using the loyalty value parameter.

Abstract: A method for tracking status of an inventory shipment sent to a recipient includes monitoring whether the recipient has transmitted an electronic acknowledgment of the status of the shipment; and automatically transmitting a message to the recipient requesting acknowledgment of receipt of inventory if the electronic acknowledgment is not transmitted by the recipient within a first predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for distributing and/or calculating elective account balances. Various of the systems include one or more microprocessor based devices that are coupled to a communication network. A computer readable medium is associated with at least one of the microprocessor based devices, and includes instructions executable by the microprocessor based device to serve interfaces and receive information via the interfaces. In addition, the information received via the interfaces can be used to allocate at least a portion of an elective balance to a redemption category, and to calculate a redemption amount. Various of the methods include receiving one or both of a bid premium and a allocation amount. This information can be used to calculate a redemption amount.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing a stored-value instrument. An unrestricted value associated with the stored-value instrument is authenticated at an instrument-authority system in response to an authentication request received from a merchant point-of-sale terminal. An allocation request is received at the instrument-authority system for a restricted allocation of at least a portion of the authenticated value associated with the stored-value instrument. The authenticated value is allocated in accordance with the allocation request.