Allstate Elevates Use of Aerial Imagery to Enhance Customer Service

NORTHBROOK, Illinois, Dec. 18 -- Allstate, a publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurance company, issued the following news release:

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- Insurer makes claims and underwriting more efficient by working with innovative new team spearheaded by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Allstate customers who leave town ahead of a hurricane or wildfire may now have access to images of their homes shortly after the disaster. And when a consumer buys a new home insurance policy, an inspection could take only a few minutes. These innovations are made possible through a new collaboration between Allstate and the Geospatial Intelligence Center (GIC) created by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Allstate will have access to industry-leading aerial images and data that can help price insurance for new customers and help existing customers in their time of need.

"This relationship allows us to better serve our customers through innovative tools and technology, along with the wealth of experience and data we already have in-house," said Allstate Chief Data and Analytics Officer Eric Huls. "Ultimately, we'll be able to write a policy for consumers faster, look at initial damage to their homes after a loss quicker and mobilize our catastrophe resources more efficiently with the GIC. This is a game-changer for our customers."

The GIC captures high-resolution aerial images of every corner of the United States each year, including images that can be used to create 3-D pictures of homes. This could shave days - not just minutes or hours - off a traditional in-person property inspection used to underwrite a homeowners policy.

"We continue to see growth in the membership of the GIC, which now has seven major companies on board," said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. "Adding a company like Allstate, which is known for outstanding customer service, further solidifies the consortium and shows that the GIC has proven its value."

After a catastrophe, GIC aircraft can reach affected areas in hours to capture high-resolution images and assess damage. To enhance emergency operations and fight potentially fraudulent claims, GIC will share the images with local, state, and federal agencies. Insurers can compare before and after images to support claims, while members of the public will have access to the pictures to see the damage for themselves. Knowing there will be photos of their home shortly after a disaster hits could encourage people to evacuate before it arrives.

Overall, the GIC is well positioned to help advance how underwriters and claim adjusters see a customer's property, saving the customer time and making doing business with Allstate faster and easier.