How drone technology is impacting the insurance industry
22/10/2019
Given the bird’s eye view drones provide, and the ease with which they can reach remote locations, it’s not surprising that insurance companies are making use of them to improve the way they assess risks and claims.
Drones allow for a faster, safer and more accurate assessment of many risks and claims. For instance, after a natural disaster, getting human assessors on the ground is often fraught with difficulty, drones are now helping insured homeowners and businesses to return back to their everyday life more quickly.
Key ways drones are benefiting the Insurance Industry today
- The insurance claims process – Drones improve the speed with which customers receive settlements. A claims assessor equipped with a drone can fly it around multiple insured locations to evaluate a property’s risk or damages with little to no personal risk – there is no longer a need to climb ladders or get on top of rooftops to assess damage as the drone can do it all so easily.
- Better and more accurate data – Aerial imagery taken by drones provides accurate, to the minute visual data which can help quantify any potential risk.
- More precise risk management and pricing – In some instances, drones are now being used to capture images of a property before a policy is even issued. The specific images that drones can provide, particularly images that make it less exposed (fencing, storm shutters etc) is helping to measure risk and accurately price it.
- Lower losses from fraud – After an extreme event, insurance companies often receive numerous claims for damages that actually existed before the event occurred. By using drones prior to an extreme event, insurers are able to capture images of insured properties and be better placed to detect any fraudulent claims.
- Drones and artificial intelligence working together – Artificial Intelligence (AI) integrated with drones, like IBM’s system called ‘Watson’, can not only process aerial imagery, it can also assess hail damage and calculate damage extent¹.
In this era of rapid technological advancement, we are only just starting to realise the full potential of drones. With so much more to come, it is an exciting time for the industry and insureds alike.
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The information provided in this article is of a general nature only and has been prepared without considering your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. If you require advice that is tailored to your specific business or individual circumstances, please contact Resilium directly.
References
- Drone Technology – the future of insurance claims, Manning Insurance Services
- https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2019/08/22/using-emerging-technology-to-enhance-todays-claims-for-tomorrows-weather/?slreturn=20190812014606
- https://enterprise.dji.com/news/detail/drones-in-insurance-a-discussion-with-converge-s-david-pitman
- https://www.air-worldwide.com/Blog/5-Ways-Drones-Are-Transforming-the-Insurance-Industry/
