Insurance companies are monitoring homes from the sky, causing headache for some homeowners

YOUR POLICY. THEY'RE WATCHING WITH DRONES, PLANES, AND EVEN SATELLITES. ADRIENNE BROADDUS REPORTS. >> Reporter: FROM DRONES TO AIRPLANES, EVEN SATELLITES, YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY MAY BE WATCHING FROM ABOVE. DID THIS CAUSE SOME SLEEPLESS NIGHTS? IN SAN FRANCISCO -- >> INSTEAD OF GOING HOUSE BY HOUSE -- >> Reporter: JEREMY WAS STUNNED AFTER HE RECEIVED A NOTICE SAFE GO INSURANCE, HIS CARRIER FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, WASN'T RENEWING HIS POLICY. >> I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HOW THEY DECIDED BASED ON A TINY DRONE IMAGE THAT WE WEREN'T INSURING ANYMORE. >> Reporter: WHEN HE PUSHED FOR WHY THEY SENT HIM THIS GRAINY IMAGE. >> THEY'RE TRYING TO SHOW THAT THE PRESENCE OF DIRT INDICATES THAT WATER HAS POOLED AND DRIED OUT. >> Reporter: AND HE'S NOT ALONE. CONSUMER ADVOCATES SAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE DROPPING SOME CUSTOMERS BASED PRIMARILY ON AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS. IN VIRGINIA SHAEFS SHE WAS SENT THIS PHOTO HER INSURANCE COMPANY SHOWED DISCOLORIVATION AND STREAKING ON HER ROOF. >> I WAS FLOORED. >> Reporter: HER OPTIONS REPAIR THE DAMAGE OR REPLACE THE ENTIRE ROOF. SHE FOUND ANOTHER CARRIER. >> SOMETIMES THERE NEEDS TO BE FACTS CHECKED. >> Reporter: SEAN KEVLIN WITH THE INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE SAID INSURERS ARE ALSO SEARCHING FOR ISSUES LIKE UNDECLARED TRAMPOLINES, EXCESSIVE YARD DEBRIS, AND OVERHANGING TREES, WHICH CAN INCREASE RISK OF A LOSS. >> CERTAINLY INSURERS ARE USING TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE VARIABLES POSSIBLE TO BEST UNDERWRITE. >> Reporter: EAGLE VIEW IS ONE OF THE COMPANIES PROVIDING AERIAL IMAGES TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, BUT THEY SAY THEIR DRONES ARE ONLY USED TO CHECK OUT DAMAGE QUICKLY WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A CLAIM. CEO PIERCE DORMEYER SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS THE CONSUMER AND INSURER. >> THIS IMAGERY WHETHER IT'S COMING FROM AN AIRPLANE OR COMING FROM A DRONE IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF A DECISION TO POTENTIALLY CANCEL THE CUSTOMER OR RAISE THEIR POLICIES OR POTENTIALLY LOWER THEM. >> Reporter: IF YOU RECEIVE ONE OF THOSE NONRENEWAL LETTERS, CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY, ASK TO SEE COPIES OF THOSE IMAGES IN TIME TO CORRECT WHATEVER PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED. >> I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE DIRT ON THEIR ROOF. >> Reporter: THAT'S HOW HE FOUGHT BACK, PAYING $500 FOR AN INDEPENDENT ROOF INSPECTION. HE SAID SAFE CO HAS SINCE REVERSED ITS DECISION. COMPANY HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR COMMENT ABOUT THEIR USE OF AERIAL TECHNOLOGY. DO YOU THINK THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS TRYING TO DROP YOU? >> BASED ON WHAT THEY SENT US, YES. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER CONCLUSION. >> Reporter: A NEW

Channel: NBC News

Views: 129,389

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: gB_U6JeSsck

Length: 2min 56sec (176 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 02 2024