Shapiro Administration Urges Insurers to Properly Use Aerial Imagery and Verify Damages on Consumer Homes

​PID reminds insurers that use of technology and innovation needs to be reasonable to deliver a better service to Pennsylvanians

Harrisburg, PA - Consistent with Governor Josh Shapiro's commitment to protect consumers, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) today reminds insurers of the Department's expectations and their obligations to conduct a physical inspection to confirm the type and extent of damage to a roof supposedly evidenced by aerial imagery.

PID has received consumer complaints regarding insurers using aerial imagery canceling or not renewing policies due to the condition of their roofs. The Department found that the aerial images in question often did not clearly demonstrate significant roofing degradation or damage, but merely showed discoloration, streaking, or other cosmetic issues that should not be the sole basis for canceling or nonrenewing insurance policies.

PID does not seek to broadly restrict the use of aerial imagery but urges insurers, in a notice Opens In A New Window published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 25, to provide consumers an opportunity to challenge the results or fix any confirmed problems before their policies are canceled or not renewed.

"This notice reminds insurers of their responsibilities in administering homeowners' policies consistent with state law. The Department supports and encourages innovative ways to identify risk and deliver a better insurance product to Pennsylvanians. That said, such innovation needs to be reasonable," said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. "Some of the aerial images that we've seen used to take adverse actions against policyholders barely identify the structure of the home, much less the detailed condition of the roof and whether it needs to be repaired or replaced."

Additionally, PID received complaints that insurers are not providing consumers the proper notice of cancellation or nonrenewal, including the specific reasons for these actions. Insurers must clearly communicate the specific reasons for seeking policy cancellation or nonrenewal, enabling consumers to take necessary remedial actions or to seek alternative coverage if the policy is terminated due to unresolved issues.

Under the Unfair Insurance Practices ActOpens In A New Window, insurers:

• Must state specific reasons: Insurers must provide both the legal and factual reasons, as allowed by law, for the termination of policies in force for 60 days or more;
• May cancel or nonrenew where there is a substantial change or increase in hazard: Insurers may cancel or nonrenew a policy in force for 60 days or more if there has been a significant change or increase in hazard after the policy was issued, or a substantial increase in hazard due to willful or negligent acts or omissions by the consumer;
• Must prove the risk has increased and has been substantial: Simply characterizing a condition of a property as unacceptable fails to establish an increase in risk required for policy termination;
• May not cancel or nonrenew policy on suspicion: Mere suspicion or question of a change is not a sufficient reason for policy nonrenewal or cancellation; and
• Must provide prior notice and an opportunity to cure: Insurers must give consumers prior notice and a chance to remedy any hazardous conditions to their home, especially if the hazard is not immediately obvious to the consumer.
  

More information about homeowners insuranceOpens In A New Window can be found on PID's websiteOpens In A New Window.

Consumers with questions on homeowners insurance or wishing to file a complaint with the Department can contact PID's Consumer Services Bureau onlineOpens In A New Window or by calling 1-877-881-6388.

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