Inspections are an important part of the home insurance process. They allow underwriters to base policies on the needs of their customers while providing accurate estimates and detailed assessments after an incident.
Insurance companies have different coverage options and requirements when it comes to insuring a home, but there is one constant: roofs. The vast majority of home insurance policies will include roof inspections as part of covering a property’s structural integrity.
Typically, these inspections are carried out manually. A single inspector or team will access the roof to check on its condition. Wear and tear, missing shingles, holes, cracks, chimneys - all are given a once over to ascertain suitable coverage options and the next steps in case there’s a claim against the policy.
Why should insurers use drones to perform residential inspections?
Roof inspections are a matter of when, not if. The challenge for insurers is to carry them out as efficiently as possible. In recent years, drone technology has developed to the point where it’s now a viable (and in many cases, preferable) alternative to manual inspections.
Drone inspection services are relatively cheap, highly capable and incredibly precise. Drones are also easy to fly and quick to deploy - for beginners and experienced pilots alike.
All of which leads to a range of operational benefits for insurers aiming to inspect multiple properties per day and complete inspections with greater speed and accuracy.
Claims adjustments
By definition, a claims adjustment happens when time is of the essence. An inspector could be investigating a claim following a natural disaster, fire or serious accident.
Every hour counts and it’s a race to restore normality for the homeowner. Roof inspections can be carried out from above with a drone, saving the time needed to safely scale the building and providing precise imagery to a team on the ground in a matter of minutes.
With this information, a claims adjuster can determine the extent of any damage and estimate repair costs, fast.
Operational efficiency
On top of speeding up inspections on an individual basis, the benefit of using drones is felt when the technology is adopted at scale.
With smarter hardware comes smarter software. Drones and the data they gather are being supported by analytics platforms such as DroneBase Insights, an aerial property inspection solution helping insurers cut operating costs and shorten inspection times.
The adoption of drone technology is a huge step towards more efficient workflows.
Enhancing inspector safety
Last but not least are the safety benefits that come with using drones. Roof inspections are inherently dangerous. Inspectors are working at height, in an unfamiliar environment and, in many cases, in the wake of an incident that has led to structural damage to the property.
At the touch of a button, a drone can carry out an external sweep and capture high-quality images, expediting data collection or, in some cases, completely removing the need to put humans in harm’s way.
It’s a no-brainer for insurance companies eager to improve the health and safety of their employees.
For more insights into the benefits of using drones for insurance inspections, take a look at our Insurance page.
