A key component of Crawford’s value to clients is its commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to the challenges they face. From our Alexa-enabled Escape of Water solution to our self-service app, YouGoLook, Crawford is investing in technology to streamline the claims management process and provide better value to clients. When a client engaged Kim Bethea, vice president and managing director, for assistance with a 120 year-old church with exterior water intrusion in its sanctuary, Kim learned just how helpful technology can be when a drone swept in to save the day.
Crawford was engaged by a long-term client to inspect the sanctuary of an insured risk following reported exterior water intrusion. After a preliminary inspection of the sanctuary, Crawford adjusters discovered that the point of origin of the water intrusion was likely the steeple, necessitating an exterior inspection to verify and document. Given the construction of this historic edifice, which included a steeple that was roughly 70 feet high, Kim was faced with limited exterior inspection options.
Historically, Crawford’s only option would have been to employ a boom truck with a lift to the loss site, providing our adjuster access to the steeple area to verify the origin of the loss and obtain photographic evidence to support the damage evaluation. Coordinating a lift comes with inherent risks, not only for the personal safety of our adjuster but also for having a large boom navigate around any overhead utility wires in the area. Of note, we faced challenges associated with simply locating a vendor that had the required equipment, along with finding an operator who was qualified to operate the lift. This vendor sourcing challenge involved numerous calls and a lot of labor hours. Not only was this process burdened with front end delays, but on the back end, there would likely be delays in scheduling and getting the boom truck on site. All of these coordination issues would prolong the resolution of the claim considerably. It should also be noted that this option came at a significant cost to our client, with the vendor requiring payment upfront.
Kim connected with Crawford’s WeGoLook (WGL) partners and discussed their drone capabilities, inquiring whether or not it was feasible to engage one of their drone pilots for this inspection. Following a brief call with WGL, a detailed schema was instantly set up, and within 24-hours, a drone pilot was dispatched to the scene. The drone pilot met with our claim professional and secured phenomenal photos of the steeple, which allowed us to quickly resolve the claim. This solution came with little to no risk to person or property and at 1/2 the cost of the boom.
The drone provided superior accessibility, versatility, and precision, producing high-resolution photos and irrefutable verification of the origin of loss. Additionally, Crawford was able to identify possible unrelated damages, likely due to wear and tear, which would not have been easily visible without the aid of the drone.
This cutting edge technology not only allowed Crawford to safeguard our claim professional, but it also provided exceptional service to our clients at a significantly lower price point, a win-win indeed. At Crawford, we are leveraging the latest technology in our industry to achieve better outcomes and value for our clients. These efforts support our mission to restore and enhance lives, businesses and communities across the globe.
