Getting dropped by your home insurance company because of photos taken by a drone? That’s what happened to one customer in Oakley, East Bay. As wildfire season ramps up in the San Francisco Bay Area, homeowner insurance is becoming scarce, with companies refusing new policies and dropping loyal customers.
In this case, the customer, CJ Sveen, received a termination notice stating that his longtime insurer, California State Automobile Association (CSAA) Insurance Group, found hazards in his yard based on photos taken over his property.
Sveen was surprised to receive the notice from CSAA, especially since his house is not in a fire zone and he had never filed a claim in 15 years. According to the notice, the insurer discovered “debris, hazardous conditions, tires or a dilapidated car” in his yard. Sveen couldn’t understand how they would have such photos.
He had seen drones fly over his property before but never paid much attention to them.
Curious, Sveen called CSAA to find out more. Although the company wouldn’t show him the pictures directly, they admitted to using a drone to capture the images.
This revelation shocked Sveen and made him feel that his privacy had been invaded. He hoped to see the photos and clear his yard to reinstate his policy but was denied both requests by CSAA.
Later, CSAA backtracked on their statement and claimed that they did not use a drone for surveillance. Instead, they mentioned reviewing “proprietary aerial imagery,” which could be captured by a fixed-wing airplane or satellite.
However, CSAA still refused to show the images to either Sveen or ABC7 News Bay Area.
Insurers are increasingly using aerial photography tools to assess the risk of insuring a home. CSAA stated that online services like Google Earth provide insights into this risk assessment process.