Drones Are Changing Home Insurance. Here’s How.
Imagine this. You get a notice from your insurer saying your homeowners’ policy won’t be renewed. The reason? A drone spotted something… off about your property. A drained pool? Too much clutter in the yard? Maybe a roof that looks older than it actually is.
Sound frustrating? Welcome to the growing trend of aerial property inspections.
Insurers across the country are turning to drones and satellite imagery to inspect homes quickly and efficiently. The tech helps companies identify potential risks, minimize claims, and streamline underwriting decisions. But while this might sound like a win-win, it’s stirred up some serious concerns about fairness, transparency, and errors.
Why Are Insurers Doing This?
First off, drones make inspections faster, safer, and less intrusive. Instead of sending someone out to climb up on your roof, companies can snap detailed images from above. They can assess storm damage, spot maintenance issues, or even catch that unreported gazebo in the backyard. For homeowners, this can mean quicker claims and fewer interruptions.
After disasters like wildfires or hurricanes, aerial imagery has been a game-changer, speeding up the damage assessment process. Take California as an example, where fires often leave widespread destruction. Drones enable insurers to take a closer look at hard-to-reach areas, helping families rebuild faster.
But drones aren’t just for disaster zones. Insurers are also using them for routine property assessments in regular neighborhoods, flagging anything they see as a risk. And that’s where things get tricky.
The Other Side of the Coin
Not every drone inspection gets it right. Mistakes happen. Garry Herceg, a homeowner in California, learned this the hard way. His policy was canceled after a drone mistook his neighbor’s property for his. Picture this: dying trees, a broken shed, even junk cars… none of it his. Though he ultimately sorted it out, it took weeks of back-and-forth, including providing details about his home’s deed.
Then there’s Jean Willard, also in California. She was non-renewed after a drone caught “pooling water” on her roof following a storm. She didn’t dispute the water was there—it had just rained, after all—but argued it wasn’t a roof maintenance issue. The insurer wasn’t convinced, even after she sent proof from her roofer verifying the roof’s condition.
The tech works… until it doesn’t.
State Rules Change the Game
Drone use isn’t the same everywhere. Delaware, for example, has some of the nation’s strictest protections for homeowners. Insurance companies aren’t allowed to cancel policies for purely cosmetic or minor issues seen in drone images. They need solid evidence of significant wear-and-tear to take action. On top of that, homeowners must be given 30 days’ notice, plus access to the drone images used in any decisions.
Compare that to California, where companies only need to notify homeowners before flying drones over. No specific recourse rules. No required explanation of findings. For some, it feels like the deck is stacked against them.
What About the Benefits?
That said, it’s not all bad news. Many insurers argue aerial tech improves accuracy and efficiency. Inspections are faster and less invasive, and mistakes (though they do happen) are far less common than they used to be.
Take roof repairs as an example. Drones can provide detailed photographs of missing shingles or blocked gutters that a homeowner might miss. By catching these problems early, insurers help prevent bigger, costlier issues down the road.
The key, however, lies in balance. Transparency. Communication.
What Can You Do?
Homeowners aren’t powerless. If a drone inspection flags an issue, try these steps:
- Keep records. Evidence of roof replacements, invoices for repairs, and even photos of a tidy backyard can help you appeal decisions.
- Address maintenance concerns early. Keeping up with visible problems like clearing debris or fixing minor roof issues can keep you off an insurer’s radar.
And if the decision feels unfair? Push back. Many homeowners, like George Nadeau in California, have managed to get canceled policies reinstated after fighting for a review.
The Bigger Picture
There’s no doubt drones are here to stay. They’re revolutionizing how insurance companies assess risk and process claims. But as the technology advances, so do the growing pains. What does fairness look like in a world where “eyes in the sky” are watching?
For now, the industry seems to be walking a fine line between innovation and accountability. Homeowners want better communication. Insurers want better risk management. Can the two sides meet somewhere in the middle?
One thing’s for sure. Drones are changing insurance. And they’re not going anywhere.