As farmers continuously work to minimize risk in their operation, crop insurance adjustors at COUNTRY Financial took aim with a similar approach in 2017 by using drones to scout fields for clients with potential damage. Nearly five years after initial testing began, COUNTRY’s claims teams are now using unmanned aircraft systems technology to respond following catastrophes and storms, most typically roofs of clients’ homes.
Before using drones, teams of crop adjusters would have to meticulously comb through fields for hours to discover any problem areas. Similarly, claims adjustors would often need to delay adjusting a home’s damage until snow and ice melted or weather stabilized to reduce safety risks for the adjuster. Today, a claims representative can determine if a field or home has been damaged within a matter of minutes.
See more: Why So Many Farmers Are Using Drones
Drone use is growing in the insurance industry as costs for equipment go down, they become easier to use and the regulations become easier to comply with. As more software and camera technologies develop, use is anticipated to grow even more. The availability of drones in the insurance field not only assists the client in assessing damage, but it also provides a safer work environment for claims adjusters, in addition to weather conditions, through the following advantages:
- Identify areas of damage more efficiently (wind, water, fire, chemical, vandalism, livestock)
- Superior aerial perspective
- Pinpoint exact areas to inspect
- Increase claim accuracy
- Comfort and sense of security for customer
- Customers can view damage on an iPad
- Customer then knows we have accounted for all damage
- Roadside visibility the crop stand may not reflect the entire field
- Able to identify debris
As a COUNTRY Financial representative, my clients have peace of mind with the help of our insurance policy and our claims staff, knowing that their field, home and property have been fully scouted and accounted for when disaster strikes.
Fun facts about drone usage at COUNTRY Financial®
- Each drone kit at COUNTRY Financial includes the drone, four batteries, a tablet computer for video review and drone software utilization, a 20-megapixel camera capable of 4K video and the capability to charge batteries and view video in their mobile offices.
- In addition to passing a required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exam, each COUNTRY Financial staff member participates in hands-on training at corporate headquarters before using their drone.
- COUNTRY Financial continues to work with the FAA to obtain safety clearances for airports in its field of service.
- Approximately 170 COUNTRY Financial claims representatives (including the Catastrophe Response Team) currently use drones to assess most property claims.
- In addition to COUNTRY Financial’s claims representatives, approximately 20 crop adjusters are also currently using drones at COUNTRY Financial to inspect fields for different types of claims, streamlining claim proficiency and enhancing customer experience.
About COUNTRY Financial®
COUNTRY Financial is a marketing name for COUNTRY Life Insurance Company®, COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company® and their respective subsidiaries, located in Bloomington, Illinois. COUNTRY Financial serves about 1 million households and businesses throughout the United States and offers a wide range of insurance and financial products and services.
See more: 3 Myths About Life Insurance
