The following is based on an article that was first published by the CII, April 2025.
Martin Cornes, Director of Quadrassist, the building repair network for Woodgate & Clark talks about the benefits of using virtual survey technology on property claims.
The use of virtual site surveys using a mobile phone app to assess low value property claims is nothing new but, while this technology has been around for a few years, it is still relatively underutilised by the insurance sector. We believe that this is a big, missed opportunity. With the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and record-breaking property insurance claims , insurance providers and their claims partners need to grasp the opportunity to cut costs, cut emissions and cut the time it can take to settle relatively straightforward claims.
Virtual surveys work best when the individual at the claims end knows exactly what they’re looking at and understands precisely what repair work is needed to resolve the claim.
We’re not just talking about the repair itself, but the type, availability and current cost of materials required; any site access issues for the repair work to be done; the possible need for scaffolding and for how long; the health and safety considerations.
This is the kind of detail a qualified surveyor or builder with insurance claims expertise would identify immediately by looking at a site and asking the right questions about the claim during a virtual survey. This is exactly the approach we take at Quadrassist. We guide the customer to ensure all salient information about the claim is recorded there and then, enabling the swift creation of a schedule of works and costs. In many cases this can all be done within a day of first notification of loss.
Claims handlers within insurance companies tend not to be ex- builders and surveyors. This is not their skillset, and not all loss adjusters have such an intimate understanding of building techniques and the associated material costs. Insurance providers therefore need to ensure that virtual surveys are conducted by experienced surveyors with a background in building and construction and, aside from our team at Quadrassist, we know that this expertise is not necessarily easy to come by. When was the last time you tried to find a good builder?
In addition to the crucial time saving benefits within the claim lifecycle, virtual surveys are a great way for insurers to proactively reduce travel and CO2 emissions - an area of continuous focus and scrutiny for all claims operations. Convenience and the claimant experience also reap the benefits of the tech solution, as a virtual survey can be done at any time to suit the customer – whether that’s before work at 7am, or 8.30pm once all the daily chores have been done.
But to realise all of these service enhancements, we need to boost our use of virtual surveys across the industry. Virtual survey technology can expedite claims for the benefit of the customer, the insurer and the environment, as long as there is building expertise behind it.
For more information about our complete claims solutions, contact us now at Woodgate & Clark
