Oct 10, 2024
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When Joan Van Kuren of Modesto got a notice from her insurance company stating they would not renew her home insurance policy, she was shocked to learn why. California insurance provider CSAA — part AAA’s insurance company — stated they discovered a “substantial increase in hazards” piling around her home. But they allegedly used aerial images from a drone to find it.
“She said they [CSAA] flew a drone over the home,” Van Kuren told CBS Sacramento of her call with a customer service representative. “It almost feels like someone’s looking in your windows, you know, when they tell you that they flew a drone over your home and looked at it. It’s like, whoa.”
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When contacted by CBS Sacramento, CSAA denied they used drones to survey covered homeowners, and instead claimed they use “proprietary aerial imagery” of homes to make risk decisions.
Is digital home inspections the wave of the future? If your home insurance company says they want to cut your insurance over concerns, here’s what you need to know.
Are insurance companies spying on your home with drones?
In an increasing number of cases, insurance companies are using eyes in the skies to not only determine the condition of insured homes, but to assess damages once a natural disaster comes through.
Since then, drones are becoming increasingly popular for insurance applications. Information technology consultant Cognizant says drones can improve efficiency and create additional accuracy, lead to closing claims faster, and improve safety for their employees.
Using a drone for an insurance inspection is not illegal in the State of California. ABC 7 San Francisco notes that unless you are using a drone to be a “Peeping Tom,” it’s legal to fly over homes and take videos. Other city and state laws may vary depending on where you live.
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What can I do if my insurance company drops me over aerial photos?
Insurance non-renewal differs from cancellation. Companies can cancel policies for non-payment or fraud, but non-renewal is a business decision.
No matter where you live, your insurance company must provide you with advance notice of their intention to not renew your homeowners insurance policy and provide a reason why. If you disagree, appeal by contacting their consumer affairs division or filing a complaint with the state regulator.
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In any case, now is an important time to start shopping and comparing insurance policies. Working directly with insurance providers and insurance agents can almost always help you find new coverage at either a similar price or coverage level, preventing a gap in coverage which could cost even more due to insurance penalties.
Normally, shopping around for insurance quotes is a hassle. Thanks to BestMoney, you can compare home insurance rates for home insurance in under two minutes.
All you need to do is answer a few quick questions about yourself and your home, and you’ll see a list of quotes for you to compare. So, in just a few clicks, you can find the best policy, for your needs.
While the odds of your car insurer sending out drones to capture the dent in your bumper are slim to none, you may consider trading up your auto coverage so you can get all your bargain hunting done in one shot.
If that’s the case, you can use OfficialCarInsurance to make sure you find the coverage you need to protect your car — and your finances — for less.
Just answer a few quick questions about yourself and your vehicle, and in a few minutes, you’ll have a list of the most affordable car insurance rates in your area.
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