- Across the United States, homeowners have reported that their policies were suddenly canceled.
- They claim that drones without prior notice have captured debris or moss growing on roofs
Home insurance companies can fly drones over customers’ homes without warning to detect any defects and refuse to renew policies.
Across the country, homeowners have reported that their policies were suddenly canceled after insurers captured aerial footage with drones and noticed problems.
Insurance expert Karl Susman he told CBS8 that the tactic “is nothing new,” but it can seem invasive, “uncomfortable and a little strange” because “you don’t know when it’s happening.”
Homeowners have claimed that unannounced drones captured debris, drained swimming pools, or moss growing on roofs, all of which led to the policies being abandoned.
Malden resident John D’Entremont said Boston 25 News His insurer caught him by surprise and suddenly demanded that he make expensive repairs and then told him that his policy had been cancelled.
Malden resident John D’Entremont told Boston 25 News that his insurer caught him off guard and suddenly demanded he make expensive repairs.
D’Entremont has owned his Malden home for more than 40 years and has had the same insurance the entire time without problems.
Then, last August, he said he received a letter from his insurer detailing the costly repairs he had to make.
He said they told him ‘remove the moss from the roof, prune the tree that had branches hanging over the house and get some, in his case, they said get shingles.’
He did the tree work and began getting estimates for the rest of the work, which soon came together.
But then in November, he said, “I get a notice that they’ve decided to cancel my homeowner’s policy.”
Her daughter suspected that the company had used a drone to take photographs of her house without telling her, allowing them to find “defects” they had never had before.
Emily Rogan of the consumer advocacy organization United Policyholders told Boston 25 News that the tactic is becoming more common.
She said: ‘There were a lot of big changes during COVID where there were more satellite inspections, in different ways.
‘And you know, a lot of industries really leaned into technology.
‘And what we’re seeing now is that it’s becoming more common, whether it’s a drone image or a satellite image.
‘They have more access to data about you as an insured and about your property. And they are using it to choose their clients.”
He has owned his home in Malden for over 40 years and has had the same insurance the entire time with no problems.
Then, last August, he said he received a letter from his insurer detailing the costly repairs he had to make. Then they told him that they would not renew his policy.
Rogan said, “It’s more important than ever for homeowners to stay on top of home maintenance because you never know when the insurance company will take that photo.”
Last month The Wall Street Journal reported a “dramatic” increase in “reports of consumers being ruled out by their insurers based on an aerial image.”
According to The Journal, insurance companies have drones, manned aircraft and high-altitude balloons at their disposal for aerial surveillance.
The Geospatial Insurance Consortium, which conducts aerial surveillance, said it has photographed 99 percent of homes in the United States.
But the technology is imperfect, according to The Journal, which said companies have lost customers over outdated or misrepresented images.