The Commissioner of California, Ricardo Lara, announced last Friday his support for new legislation designed to safeguard homeowner privacy and improve transparency regarding how insurance companies use aerial imagery.
The proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 75 (AB 75), was introduced by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon. If passed, it would require insurance companies to notify homeowners at least 30 days before capturing or obtaining aerial images of their property. Additionally, the bill would give homeowners the right to request and receive copies of any aerial imagery used in insurance decisions.
“No homeowner should be unaware that their property is being photographed or have no way to access the images insurers use to make coverage decisions,” Commissioner Lara stated. “AB 75 will increase transparency, protect privacy, and give consumers a fair chance to dispute inaccurate or outdated images that could wrongly impact their insurance coverage.”
Recent reports and consumer feedback have raised concerns about the growing use of aerial imagery and artificial intelligence by insurers. According to the Wall Street Journal in a 2024 article, insurers are now photographing nearly every building in the U.S., often without the owner’s knowledge, and using this data in automated risk assessments. These AI-driven models can result in nonrenewals or cancellations of policies based on outdated or inaccurate imagery.
The California Department of Insurance has documented multiple instances in which such images led to incorrect evaluations of properties, including misidentified roof conditions that resulted in wrongful policy cancellations.
AB 75 seeks to address these concerns through the following provisions:
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Requiring insurance companies to provide a minimum 30-day notice before conducting aerial inspections;
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Allowing homeowners to obtain copies of aerial images used in underwriting or renewal decisions;
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Promoting greater transparency and accountability in how insurers assess property risk.
“This bill is about fairness,” Commissioner Lara added. “Homeowners deserve to know when their property is being photographed and have the ability to challenge inaccurate or misleading images that could unfairly cost them.”
The bill will move through the California legislative process in the coming months. If enacted, it would mark a significant step in protecting consumer rights in an increasingly digital insurance landscape.
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