Touchless drone inspections are a key competitive differentiator
The touchless inspection approach is both valuable and critical for business continuity.
We’re all aware of the importance of social distancing and hygiene during this challenging era.
However, property inspections after severe weather events remain a critical necessity for insurers, third-party administrators (TPAs) and property owners alike.
Drone inspections gain popularity
The trend towards “touchless” drone-based roof inspections is of great benefit for everyone involved in the inspection process. Many of the leading insurers and TPAs were already using drone-based analytics to reduce the time spent on property inspections while improving accuracy and customer transparency.
Insurers and TPAs are now taking those technologies and integrating them into a fully-touchless model. This means the inspector can simply arrive at a property, fly a drone over it and leave without having to directly engage with the property owner or occupant. This enables everyone across the chain to fully adhere to COVID-19 social distancing and shelter-in-place guidelines instituted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as states and municipalities, while still getting the job done.
The way this new model works is a representative from an insurer or TPA contacts the property owner or occupant by phone or email to arrange for an inspection. The agreement is signed off on using one of the many electronic document signature services available, and a time for the inspection is arranged.
Upon arriving at the property, the inspector sends a text message to the property owner or resident. The inspector sets up and flies the drone, captures the data, and then notifies the owner or occupant with another text letting them know the inspection is complete and leaves the premises.
Timely solution
The drone data is then uploaded to one of today’s modern cloud-based drone analytics platforms, where it’s analyzed using artificial intelligence and machine learning to determine the scope of damage that may need to be addressed. The platforms typically create 3-D models, property-wide views, in addition to the standard sectional photographs captured. The inspector packages those visuals, along with an assessment, and sends it all electronically to the owner or occupant.
From there, dialog continues by email, text, video meeting, or phone call and a claims outcome is determined and communicated. If an invoice is involved, it can also be sent electronically, and the customer can pay it online. From start to finish, no-one has had to actually meet another person face-to-face. The entire spectrum of the inspection from initial outreach to claims decision occurred electronically.
Insurance is a people- and community-oriented business. We all hope that social distancing is a temporary scenario. But until the COVID-19 outbreak subsides, the touchless inspection approach is both valuable and critical for business continuity. Touchless inspections keep operations moving while addressing social distancing requirements. They also help decrease any liability for the insurer or TPA as it relates to customers’ concerns about COVID-19 exposure.
We all have an important role to play in “flattening the curve” and helping business get back to normal. Until that happens, touchless inspections will be a significant customer expectation. It will also be a competitive differentiator for insurers and TPAs moving forward. Business is already being won and lost based on companies’ ability to deliver on a touchless promise.
Making the transition to touchless is seamless and straightforward. Drones, cloud-based analytics, and the suite of electronic communication tools available can be rapidly combined into an approach that makes the inspection experience a worry-free, effective experience for everyone.
George Mathew is CEO, Kespry, a California-based company that provides cloud-based drone surveys and inspections. These opinions are his own. For more information, send an email to hello@kespry.com.
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