Allstate Insurance plans to use a fleet of drones to help assess property damage claims across four states during the spring storm season. A fleet of drones will be at the ready in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. If the progress is successful, it will be considered for a wider rollout.
The multi-state launch is the company's largest use of drones to date and represents a major step forward in the use of aerial imagery for property damage assessment among insurers, according to Allstate.
"Allstate has been at the forefront of drone research for more than two years now," says Allstate's Chief Claims Officer Glenn Shapiro.
The company will use drones along with aircraft and satellite imagry.
Adjusters will make in-person visits on the ground to take pictures in situations where aerial imagery cannot be captured.
Allstate will determine if an aerial inspection is appropriate for each wind or hail damage claim and says it will get permission from the customer to use a drone for assessment. The images and data will then be submitted to a special group of adjusters that will rely on the footage.
"In tests leading up to this deployment, our customers have embraced the technology and have been pleased with the speed and accuracy of the process," Shapiro says.