Homeowner blindsided with $20k bill after State Farm secretly inspected roof by drone
A HOMEOWNER attacked her insurance company after she was told her roof needed costly repairs or risked losing cover altogether.
The shocking notice came after State Farm allegedly spotted the problem using an AI-powered drone, without the owner’s knowledge.
Now, experts say the company got it wrong in its satellite imagery update.
Linda Bennett, who has lived in Santa Ana, Calif., for decades, was told she would lose her coverage if she didn’t pay $20,000 for repairs she wasn’t sure she needed.
Before the incident, Bennett had never had a problem with his insurance company.
She received a letter from her company saying her roof was leaking and needed repairs.
GOLD DIGGER
Widow hired two men to kill her husband after taking out life insurance
ALL THE BARK
New ‘bite’ law leashes dog owners with mandatory $100,000 insurance
Bennett recalled the initial surprise of receiving the letter.
“My first thought was that it was a mistake,” she said.
“They got the wrong house because there’s nothing wrong with my roof.
“There is no water damage to my house, inside or out. My roof has not leaked at all.”
Bennett added that no one knocked on his door and no inspector went up to his roof, which led to his drone theory.
She now has to scramble to find another company to insure her home.
DRONE ERROR?
Companies are using drone technology and taking photos of homes to decide whether to renew their policies, industry experts say.
Amy Bach of United Policyholders said that technology can draw erroneous conclusions.
“A lot of technology is sold to insurers with the promise that if you use our tool, if you use our drone imagery, you will do a better job of selecting the right risks and getting rid of the bad risks. That’s what insurers do,” she said.
State Farm Response
“To assess the condition of the roof, we can use a combination of tools, including aerial images (from manned aircraft or satellites) and, in some cases, an on-site inspection.
“If customers believe a notice does not reflect the current condition of the roof or that repairs have already been made, customers should contact their local State Farm agent.
“Recent photos, a roof invoice or an inspection report are helpful in these conversations. »
Source: ABC7 Eyewitness News
“We still encounter situations where the drone and AI draw incorrect conclusions about what they see.
“We are seeing an overreaction from insurance companies to the data they are now receiving through new technology.
“We see them fall houses which they have been providing for decades – and nothing has changed on the owner’s side.
Bach urged homeowners who receive similar notices to contact their insurance company immediately.
