What’s Going On Here:
- From Satellites to Non-Renewals: Liberty Mutual drops a long-time Fairfield couple over roof “damage” spotted in space photos.
- Solar Panels or Moss? Homeowners argue the satellite image misinterpreted their solar panels as roof damage.
- The Growing Trend: Insurers increasingly use drones, satellite images, and AI for home inspections, often without homeowners’ knowledge or consent.
By Samuel A. Lopez, USA Herald
[Fairfield, California] – When you’ve been with an insurance company for 20 years, you expect a little loyalty. Unfortunately for Janice and Anthony Coleman of Fairfield, California, that loyalty wasn’t reciprocated. Instead, Liberty Mutual sent them an abrupt non-renewal notice.
The kicker? Liberty Mutual made this call based on an aerial photograph taken from space. That’s right, the company relied solely on satellite imagery to assess the condition of the Colemans’ home.
Naturally, the Colemans were stunned. After all, the “moss” Liberty Mutual claimed was covering their roof was, in fact, their solar panels.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Janice Coleman. “We’ve had solar panels on our roof for years, and now all of a sudden, it’s being called damage? It’s completely absurd.”
Her husband, Anthony, added, “After being with Liberty Mutual for two decades, it feels like we’ve been thrown aside without a second thought. They’re clearly looking for any excuse to drop policyholders in California.”
This isn’t just a one-off situation, though. What happened to the Colemans is part of a growing trend among insurers who are turning to advanced technologies like drones and satellite imagery to assess risk and, apparently, drop customers they no longer find profitable.
