How IMGING and Home Rescue Team Responded to Utah’s Most Damaging Windstorm

The Problem

The state of Utah is home to diverse geography and climates. With a record high of 117, a record low of –69, annual snow, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and once even a tornado, Utahns are accustomed to natural disasters and extreme weather events. On September 8, 2020, Northern Utah awoke to overturned trees and debris after a record windstorm smashed the area. With winds recorded as high as 146 miles per hour just 15 miles north of Salt Lake City, the damage was extensive. Home Rescue Team needed to respond fast.

The Challenge

The windstorm hit hardest in the towns north of Salt Lake City, yet in Utah’s capital city alone over 1,000 trees were knocked down. The Home Rescue Team crew was in the most heavily affected areas in Davis County as soon as they could be, responding to the damaged areas with free drone inspections powered by IMGING.

The Solution

Many homes were visibly damaged by falling trees and debris, but many more suffered roof damage not visible from the ground. For these homes, Home Rescue Team offered free drone inspections with IMGING. IMGING provides artificial intelligence-powered damage detection to photos of the roof taken by the automated drone. IMGING’s AI is specifically trained to detect missing and creased shingles along with impact from hail or small debris that are difficult for the untrained eye to detect. Photos were annotated and added to custom inspection reports and then shared with homeowners as a free assessment of their damage. This technology created transparency and trust for the homeowner during a time of uncertainty and stress.

If hired as their contractor, Home Rescue Team then used the same inspection reports with insurance claims adjusters to more quickly have their customers’ claims resolved. By leveraging a tool accepted by insurance carriers nationally, many claims adjusters accepted IMGING inspection reports for the homeowners’ roof claim in mere hours.

The Results

IMGING has enabled Home Rescue Team to respond to a historic windstorm with accurate inspection reports. AI-powered damage detection acts as a neutral arbiter between the insurance adjuster, homeowner, and roofing contractor. Carriers were quick to accept IMGING reports, leading to faster claims cycles for their policyholders, peace of mind for the homeowner, and strong customer relationships for Home Rescue Team.