The system dictated in the patent creates automated roof estimates with the use of video and photo image analysis, a weighting engine, image analysis rules, and carrier guidelines. The results pass through an automated settlement engine ensuring the estimate is accurately written to carrier requirements.

 “Companies, such as drone operators, are working on performing automated damage analysis on roofs using image recognition software so that desk adjusters can remotely create manual insurance carrier-compliant exterior estimates,” said Zach Labrie, vice president of product at Accurence. “Our patent holistically provides for technology steps that give insurance carriers the ability to calibrate a settlement engine using image recognition data to automatically produce estimates in line with company guidelines.”

Accurence’s three prior granted patents dating back to 2011 are focused on exterior roofing systems and guideline automation. This fourth family, as well as two additional families of intellectual property, provide complementary cross-references to improve insurance claims for the industry.

The applications for the patent are far-reaching in the property loss space and enable new automated workflows for insurance carriers. One such application is analyzing a set of aerial roof images for hail damage in order to automate a repair estimate that accounts for a particular insurance carrier’s guidelines concerning shingle damage severity, repair versus replace decisions, steep charges, ice and water application, etc.

“Insurance carriers have become weary of intellectual property battles within the industry, so Accurence continues to proactively file patent applications to give insurers peace of mind when working with us. And we get the additional benefit of rewarding teammates who invent leading-edge technology,” explained Jake Labrie, president of Accurence.

Accurence said it has historically been forward-thinking in their approach toward intellectual property—and this patent is no exception. By forecasting the future of claim management workflows and technology advances, the company was able to file this invention in 2015.

Accurence currently has eight additional patents pending.