The Travelers Companies has deployed a team of claim professionals who will use drones, to assist with residential and commercial property damage inspection in South Carolina, Georgia and other states affected by Hurricane Matthew.
The Travelers drone operators have been trained to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone regulations and have been fully certified by the FAA as sUAS operators.
Travelers senior vice president Patrick Gee said: “Hurricane Matthew’s strong winds and heavy rain caused property damage in a number of communities.
“Our use of drones will help customers recover from losses more quickly because it expedites inspections, payments and repairs. The drones also help protect our claim professionals by eliminating the need to climb ladders to inspect roofs and other elevated structures.”
Travelers launched its drone training program last spring in anticipation of the FAA’s commercial drone regulations, which took effect in August.
To date, Travelers has trained 60 FAA-certified claim professionals to operate drones, and will train hundreds more during the next several months.
The company also dispatched members of its Catastrophe Response Team to assist local claim professionals in responding to customers in the affected areas.