Another reason to hate on drones

[dennisj]

Insurance company uses drone footage to deny coverage.

One more reason for the Kens and Karen’s to pitch a fit at the sight of a drone.

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[GFields]

There are more and more uses of drones today than ever before and so long as the drone is being used legally, there is nothing anyone can do - so people need to get used to them. Complain? Yes, perhaps. But it's perfectly legal. I would argue that the same outcome would have occurred if the insurance company sent an agent to investigate instead of using a drone.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Very odd . . . can you imagine insurance companies would do this for all their 'customers' ?
I mean he's not had a claim with them for (was it) 15 years, so why'd they do this flight over, or use google maps / find other aerial imaging to check his property out ?

It just makes no economic sense they could / would do this for every client, even on a random basis.

It might make more sense to check out peoples greater acreage type properties, more isolated, not visible from the road, high fire risk areas etc, to assess risk.

I did read in the comments that some had insurance companies ask the client (householder) to take pics of various spots around their home FOR THEM !!
To be used to assess risk . . . if they didn't they'd not renew.

So the US forum member base is huge, anyone there ever had such a thing happen to them ?
Might be the next insurance profit maximising brainstorm idea, even if it makes little sense.

 

[GFields]

Very odd . . . can you imagine insurance companies would do this for all their 'customers' ?
I mean he's not had a claim with them for (was it) 15 years, so why'd they do this flight over, or use google maps / find other aerial imaging to check his property out ?

It just makes no economic sense they could / would do this for every client, even on a random basis.

It might make more sense to check out peoples greater acreage type properties, more isolated, not visible from the road, high fire risk areas etc, to assess risk.

I did read in the comments that some had insurance companies ask the client (householder) to take pics of various spots around their home FOR THEM !!
To be used to assess risk . . . if they didn't they'd not renew.

So the US forum member base is huge, anyone there ever had such a thing happen to them ?
Might be the next insurance profit maximising brainstorm idea, even if it makes little sense.

No way of knowing really but most likely someone reported the situation to the insurance company or there was something else going on that has not been revealed. I know back in the day when I sold insurance, the only time we would do this type of investigation is if we received a report (this was pre-drone days lol).

It just makes no economic sense they could / would do this for every client, even on a random basis.

Very true! There is not enough time in the day or resources. So, as I said most likely a result of being reported

 

[Meta4]

Very odd . . . can you imagine insurance companies would do this for all their 'customers' ?
...
It just makes no economic sense they could / would do this for every client, even on a random basis.

The initial mention of a drone was probably an error on the part of a low-level employee, who automatically assumed that aerial photography came from a drone.
No company is going to send out drone operators to individually check all policy renewals.
The company is likely to be subscribing to a service like www.nearmap.com
With their integration of GIS, it would be a simple matter to pull detailed, recent imagery for all policy renewals and possibly even have AI analyse imagery to find the things the insurance company might be concerned about.

 

[CadrePilot]

The insurance company always has the right to inspect the insured property.

 

[MAVE (Little bird)]

The initial mention of a drone was probably an error on the part of a low-level employee, who automatically assumed that aerial photography came from a drone.
No company is going to send out drone operators to individually check all policy renewals.
The company is likely to be subscribing to a service like www.nearmap.com
With their integration of GIS, it would be a simple matter to pull detailed, recent imagery for all policy renewals and possibly even have AI analyse imagery to find the things the insurance company might be concerned about.

Don't give any city's the idea of checking for ordnance violations with a drone.

 

[mavic3usa]

What next, GEICO will send a drone to follow your commute to work to see how you drive? Unlike putting a tracker on your car to record your driving habits, they don't need your consent to spy on you using a drone. States cannot stop the flights but they can impact the policy terms with new state laws. Unfortunately there will be a few early "victims" before this gets sorted.

 

[Meta4]

Don't give any city's the idea of checking for ordnance violations with a drone.

Cities have been doing this for years.

 

[Meta4]

What next, GEICO will send a drone to follow your commute to work to see how you drive? Unlike putting a tracker on your car to record your driving habits, they don't need your consent to spy on you using a drone. States cannot stop the flights but they can impact the policy terms with new state laws. Unfortunately there will be a few early "victims" before this gets sorted.

No insurance company is sending drones to investigate individual customers.

 

[Chip]

I am not sure why anyone would take such personal offense at the cancellation of a homeowners insurance policy. It happens every day. The insurance company has the right to renew or cancel every year. Its in the contract. These insurance companys have vast databases that allow them to quantify risks. I bet that the amount and kind of that backyard debris is statistically relevant to their risk calculation and underwriting guidelines. I am not saying its not unfortunate or an inconvenience but its a business decision and there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The initial mention of a drone was probably an error on the part of a low-level employee, who automatically assumed that aerial photography came from a drone.
No company is going to send out drone operators to individually check all policy renewals.
The company is likely to be subscribing to a service like www.nearmap.com
With their integration of GIS, it would be a simple matter to pull detailed, recent imagery for all policy renewals and possibly even have AI analyse imagery to find the things the insurance company might be concerned about.

Reading replies, it is possible someone reported this fellow, it's just too hard to see insurance companies going to this length without any basis to investigate . . . though that is murky too as how would neighbours or whatever know who he's insured with.

Nearmap type service is possible, but how recent do pics have to be, possibly years out of date ?
And again, why would they do that for specific or random policy holders ?

The whole thing sounds very dubious in basis at this point, at least from what I can see of it.

 

[Meta4]

Nearmap type service is possible, but how recent do pics have to be, possibly years out of date ?
And again, why would they do that for specific or random policy holders ?

Nearmap fly monthly and have a comprehensive archive.
See their website for details of how they work.
It would be a simple matter for an insurance company client to see aerial imagery of any or all properties up for renewal to check them.

 

[Ralph thompson]

I support the grumpy neighbour syndrome. Who wants a garden next door in a fairly tight suburban district piled high with tires, old cars etc.

 

[jeff Voigt]

Insurance company uses drone footage to deny coverage.

One more reason for the Kens and Karen’s to pitch a fit at the sight of a drone.

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Most TV viewers (unless they watched the entire news report) will think an unruly drone pilot was the source of the photos; not a manned aircraft.

 

[Meta4]

But I do agree, someone (neighbor) complained and that's what got him in trouble.

Most unlikely.
If you were the neighbour, would you think to report him to his insurance company?
And how would you know whic company?

 

[Cafguy]

No insurance company is sending drones to investigate individual customers.

Boy wouldn't that be a huge boom in the drone pilot industry if they did.lol
I bet they are selling the property next to them, and thats who complained to somebody, who then somehow got the pictures taken.

 

[RodPad]

Wow, this is going to go far awhile. I bet complaints probably started it, yeah it looks junky, but isn't the fence blocking it. My best buddy put in a house. Then there where tall trees and deer etc, next to him.

Then a development when in, trees where cut down nice houses put in, the few lots that gets a view of Mt. Hood. They all put in fences on his direction, because of all his clutter.
A LOT!!

Rod ..

 

[IronSky1]

This is one of the reasons I change insurance every 3-5 years. STicking with a company is meaningless,

 

[Melvoid]

Insurance company uses drone footage to deny coverage.

One more reason for the Kens and Karen’s to pitch a fit at the sight of a drone.

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I'm on a photo site, and a few times people said things like "drones are creepy" when I shared aerial photos of abandoned barns or farm houses. Not sure why, but when I asked if, instead, I'd stood on a ladder with a regular camera, would that be less creepy, they usually didn't answer.