Automation can reduce the size of payouts, too. “The faster you can settle a claim, typically the less you can settle it for, so there is a direct financial incentive,” said Matthew Josefowicz, chief executive of insurance-technology consulting firm Novarica. Claims like water damage can get worse if they aren’t addressed quickly, he said. Speed can have drawbacks. Some auto-repair shop industry groups have argued that photo-based appraisals can overlook significant damage and actually slow the claims process. “It’s great to speed up certain parts of the process, [but] to think that one photograph, one piece of code or one algorithm is the Holy Grail, I think is a bit of a misnomer,” said Andrew Newman, president of reinsurance broker Willis Re.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/that-drone-hovering-over-your-home-its-the-insurance-inspector-1501839002