Earlier this year, the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) granted clearance to several of the major American insurance
agencies, such as Allstate Corp. and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Co., to develop unmanned aircraft for use in processing insurance claims. The
drones have the potential to radically change the way insurance companies
conduct investigations.
Instead of sending an agent who can only assess
one property at a time and requires a significant amount of travel time,
especially in dangerous conditions or during peak hours, the insurance agencies
argue several drones could be operated at once, dramatically increasing
response time in the wake of an accident or natural disaster. Additionally, the
drones’ aerial coverage would potentially provide views of areas that are
dangerous or cannot physically be reached by the claims adjuster.
However, several problems, particularly
pertaining to privacy rights, remain unaddressed. It is still unclear just what
the drone is allowed to capture with its camera. The FAA does state that the
drone can only be flown on private property with the permission of the owner.
Yet, the reasoning some of the insurance officials use, claiming, for instance,
that privacy rights, to a large extent, have already been given away to small planes and helicopters, is
somewhat concerning. The insurance companies undoubtedly want to spy on people
who make claims.
Insurance companies already secretly videotape
claimants, spy on their social network sites, and call their friends to dig up
dirt on them—even though it very rarely produces useful information. We believe
regulations should be enacted prohibiting insurance companies from using drones
to videotape the insurees and claimants on private property without their
consent. The regulations should further require that insurance companies make
any videos or data gathered available to any claimant. While it is unlikely
that drones will replace humans anytime soon, don’t be surprised if you see
them zipping around taking photos with a large State Farm or Geico logo on the
side. And if you do, call your lawyer!
No comments:
Post a Comment