Many people master the art of trickery as if it were something innate. Insurance companies are aware of this and justify their often abusive practices with it. Some are even going to the extreme of using drones and satellites to spy on their clients.
This is what is happening in the United States. According to what we can read on Interesting Engineering, some insurance companies are already using surveillance drones to decide whether or not to insure a home. The simple fact of detecting flaws in a roof has already allowed companies to reject customer applications.
As expected, this new tactic has managed to irritate both customers and employees of insurance companies excessively. As of today, almost 99% of buildings and houses located in the United States have been classified within the Geospatial Insurance Consortium. Computer models are also being used to identify any structural problems that a home may have and that may affect policies (damaged tiles, undeclared pools, etc.).
To further investigate, insurance companies hire private companies to capture this type of images without the owner’s consent. Drones and high-altitude balloons are some of the means used to thoroughly “analyze” the insured.
Amy Bach, executive director of the consumer association United Policyholders, stated through Wall Street Journal that there has been an “alarming increase nationwide in consumer complaints of insurers canceling policies based on aerial imagery.”
Insurance companies, on the other hand, clarify that customers consent to such “inspections” when accepting policies. Consumer groups have expressed their great concern about these unfair actions and the violation of privacy. Currently, no legal actions of any kind have been taken, although it is expected that if this continues, it will eventually happen at some point.
