Over the past decade, insurance companies such as Allstate, Nationwide and Liberty Mutual have been using satellite imagery to gather data on their policy holders with homeowner’s insurance.
Why are insurers using these technologies?
Opting to use satellite imagery or drones saves an adjuster, or a person who investigates an insurance claim, from having to travel and perhaps climb onto an insurance holder’s roof in person.
Deploying remotely operated technology provides companies with better data and allows for more proactive risk monitoring. The technology is equipped with infrared cameras that are effective at detecting water and air leaks, liabilities that would take an adjuster much longer to find.
A number of home owners in Massachusetts as well as home owners around the country are receiving letters that say: “Based on aerial imagery of your home” the company is “unable to continue to insure you.” The reason for canceling their policy: “heavy wear to your roof.”
With more and more insurance companies using drones, satellites, and planes to inspect properties, a growing number of Massachusetts homeowners are getting similar letters. Your insurance company could be checking out your house from above and if they don’t like what they see, they may cancel or decide not to renew your policy with no option to allow you to correct the situation.
Unfair or not, it’s perfectly legal
Using aerial technology to assess the roofs of homes and surrounding property is faster and cheaper. Your policy documents clearly state that your home insurer can inspect your property and they could inspect not only the roof, they may capture imagery of your backyard where you may have a swimming pool, a trampoline, a shed, a gazebo, even solar panels and if you have not disclosed those additional items as part of your insurance coverage, you could get flagged on this.
In defending its decisions to cancel policies using this technology, their reasoning: “to continue offering industry-leading insurance coverage, we must periodically evaluate our exposure to risk … using data from many sources to assess the condition of properties we insure, including third-party proprietary aerial imagery captured by fixed-wing aircraft and satellites.”
This story has been reported on locally by WCVB, Channel 5 and WHDH, Channel 7 as well as many other news stations around the country.
Commercial drone Laws in Massachusetts:
https://drone-laws.com/drone-laws-in-massachusetts/
For more than 20 years, David Snell’s Tech Talk has been a regular spot on The South Shore’s Morning News on 95.9 WATD fm. At 8:11, David chats with show host Rob Hakala about what’s happening in IT today. The subjects range from computer viruses, scams and cybercriminals to what Amazon, Apple or Microsoft are planning next.
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