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SANTA ANA, Calif. () — More insurance companies are using drones to help decide whether to renew policies. One Orange County woman says she believes her home insurance company did this before telling her she needed to make some pricey repairs to her roof.
Linda Bennett, who has lived in her Santa Ana home for decades, said she had never experienced issues with her insurance until she received a letter warning that her roof must be fixed or she risked losing coverage.
“My initial thought was it’s a mistake. They’ve got the wrong house because there’s nothing wrong with my roof,” Bennett said.
The notice from State Farm said the roof had to be replaced using eligible materials – a project Bennett said would cost her at least $20,000.
“There’s no water damage to my house, inside or out. My roof has not leaked at all,” she said.
Bennett said no one knocked on her door and no inspector climbed onto her roof. She believes her insurance company looked at her roof from the sky.
It’s happening more frequently. Insurance companies are now using drones – flying over homes, taking images and then using artificial intelligence to help decide whether to renew policies.
“A lot of the technology is being sold to insurers with this promise, that if you use our tool, if you use our drone images, you’re going to do a better job at picking the good risks and getting rid of the bad risks. That’s what insurers are doing,” said Amy Bach with United Policyholders.
Bach said the technology can be flawed.
“We’re still finding some situations where the drone and the AI makes a conclusion that’s wrong about what it sees,” she said.
State Farm issued a statement that said:
“To assess roof condition, we may use a mix of tools, including aerial images (from manned fixed-wing aircraft or satellites) and, in some cases, an on-site inspection.”
Insurance companies have used satellite images for years. Now they’re turning to newer technology – faster, more detailed and in some cases, controversial.
Bennett said it feels like an invasion of privacy.
“For them not to tell me that they were going to do that,” she said.
Industry experts say after the devastating fires, insurance companies are looking for any legal way possible to reduce their risk – and they say this is an easy way to do it.
But consumer advocates argue the technology may be going too far.
“We’re seeing an overreaction by insurance companies to data that they’re now getting through new technology,” Bach said. “We’re seeing them drop homes that they’ve been insuring for decades – and nothing’s changed on the homeowner’s part.”
Bach advised homeowners who receive a notice to respond immediately and be ready to defend your home.
“You don’t have a whole lot of artillery, but you can push back and say, ‘Hey, my roof’s not leaking,’ or, ‘It’s still under warranty.’ Give them any proof that you can that you are a homeowner who is taking good care of your home,” she said.
State Farm provided a statement that said:
“If customers believe a review doesn’t match the roof’s current condition, or repairs have already been completed, customers should contact their local State Farm agent. Recent photos, a roofing invoice, or an inspection report are helpful in these conversations.”
For Bennett, time is ticking. She said she has contacted other companies but has not found one willing to insure her home. She is also consulting with roofers as she weighs her options ahead of a May 1 deadline.
“You have to decide what kind of roof you want, this or that, or what’s in compliance with them,” she said. “As they say, they need certain kind of paperwork. Just kind of stuck.”
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