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How Matterport Technology Helps Protect You After a Loss
2/25/2021 (Permalink)
Insurance estimators were able to capture a hurricane-damaged hospital's ground floor in 3D while crews were able to mitigate damage (Matterport)
As we've all seen this month in the historic winter freeze heavily impacting many states across America, property owners' assets are always at risk in the hands of the unpredictable. Regardless of whether you run a mom-and-pop shop or an industrial empire, property damage can deal a devastating blow to your business, especially if your insurance doesn't cover it. Recovering property from a disaster is a long and complicated process.
Depending on size, claims can take anywhere from two to six months at minimum, and may involve numerous visits to a site by an appraisal professional who must detail the extent of damage in order for you to receive full compensation. The larger the claim, the larger the hassle one faces throughout the insurance process. The finite details matter when taking inventory of damages, but reporting on minor elements (like water damaged walls after a flood, for example) can be a daunting task even for the most experienced claims adjuster. Using a 3D camera to create a virtual model can dramatically increase the comprehensiveness of documentation, providing a level of dimensionality and detail that matters when it comes to insurance claims.
For the past 50 years, pen, pencil, and ruler have been the standard of appraisal professionals across the industry. Photographs and videos are used as well, but they are often incomplete and lack context and depth. The invention of 3D technology makes it easier to respond to natural disasters, allowing quick deployment of repair crews and restoration of livelihoods. This equipment lets property owners sleep better at night knowing they're protected against loss. We have adopted 3D scans performed by Matterport, a fully immersive end-to-end VR platform, to capture the entirety of properties.
WHAT IS MATTERPORT?
Matterport is a 4K camera system made to create schematic floor plans and 3D virtual environments of any physical space, both interior and exterior.
Matterport makes SERVPRO even more efficient, allowing us to estimate repairs and inspect for loss prevention faster, better and more accurately.
Auditing precisely what a business has lost in a disaster could mean the difference between immediate financial failure or recovery, so being able to present an accurate and complete record is key to speeding the claims process and recouping costs on damages. 3D scans freeze a property owner's most valuable assets in time so that property owners can get back on their feet again – often before their insurance claim is finalized. Without this documentation, any move to repair a property could protract a claims process by "disturbing" the scene of damage meaning that if/when appraisers return, they won't see the property in the state it was in after the initial damage occurred.
The Matterport system allows 99% accurate measurements with the ability to share walk-throughs of the property with carriers and owners that aren't physically present. This technology is transforming our industry.
PROPERTY OWNER BENEFITS
Having a loss is costly, time-consuming, and stressful. Understanding how to navigate the insurance claim process, selecting restoration professionals, and how to manage life while your home or business is completely disrupted is made difficult when you are not the expert. Matterport allows SERVPRO to help you become more involved and informed in all those processes. Our goal is to empower the property owner with information and ease the process. We assist in communication with your adjuster and insurance company, and this technology allows you to see exactly what we are working with.
When an adjuster misses a piece of damage in the home, our estimator is able to pull up the 3D imaging and point to every bit of information needed to get approvals for repair without any additional costs to the property owner.
Another great benefit to Matterport is Cortex, the artificial intelligence software otherwise that blocks all personal information from images. For example, if you have a photo of your children on the fridge that you would prefer to remain private, Cortex blocks out faces automatically so no one will see images of anyone in your home during the photo taking process.
The ability to share the virtual tour is very easy as well. Once your images have been completed, you can ask SERVPRO to share the link for your viewing. This is a wonderful tool if you don't live in the same area as the property damaged. Many owners have properties that are damaged while on vacation, or it may be your seasonal home. Perhaps you manage a business from another city. This allows you to understand the extent of damages in detail, which also provides a better path of communication between you and your insurance carrier.
When You Choose a Restoration Company That Uses Matterport Technology, Such As SERVPRO
You get an accurate and comprehensive way to document your home or business and any assets within them, and expedite your claim should you have to file one.
Get a complete record of your property's condition.
Accurate inventory of personal items and other assets within your home or building.
Reduce discrepancies and disputes with insurance carriers.
Expedite the entire claims process, reducing the need to provide documentation or receipts in some instances.
Using Matterport technology, SERVPRO is able to digitally capture the entirety of your damaged property in 3D immediately, allowing extraction and drying crews to get to work on mitigation as soon as possible which will not only allow your business to get back up and running sooner, but also prevent further damage such as mold growth from water damaged materials. In as little as one day, we can give a detailed and much more accurate estimate of damages, allowing you to recoup your repair costs and us to start work right away.