Do insurance companies accept drone photos of a roof?

There is no single rule. The adjuster documents the loss with the insurer to determine the settlement. Regulators in Tennessee, Rhode Island, and Michigan treat aerial imagery, including drone imagery, as useful when it is clear, accurate, and current.

What makes aerial photos usable in a claim?

Rhode Island says images used to settle a claim must give a clear, accurate, and current view of the property. Tennessee adds that they must show the right structure. Full coverage of the roof and every side, consistent angles, and scale all help.

Can I see the aerial images my insurer used on my claim?

In Tennessee, the Department of Commerce and Insurance says failing to give a policyholder copies of aerial imagery used to deny a claim or make a settlement offer is an unfair claims practice. Rules differ by state, so ask your state insurance department.

Does lossmap work with my insurance company?

lossmap does not claim that any carrier accepts its imagery. The gallery is built to be forwarded: you can send the permalink to your adjuster, and the order form has a field for the claim number. Whether the carrier relies on it is the carrier’s decision.

Do Insurers Accept Drone Roof Photos for Claims?

Will the insurance company look at drone photos of the roof? It depends on the carrier and on the photos. Here is what regulators have written down.

The decision belongs to the carrier

The NAIC, the national association of state insurance regulators, says the adjuster documents the loss with your insurer to determine the settlement. The Texas Department of Insurance tells policyholders to be available for the adjuster’s visit. Photos you supply add to that record. They do not replace the carrier’s investigation.

What regulators say about aerial imagery

Several state insurance departments issued bulletins in 2025 on aerial imagery. Tennessee’s Bulletin 25-03 covers photos, video, and other visual data from satellites, aircraft, or drones, whether collected by the insurer or a third party. It says that, used appropriately, aerial imagery can speed up claims handling and offer a safe way to evaluate property, especially after catastrophic weather.

The same bulletins set limits. Tennessee says aerial imagery should be one tool among many, not the only information in a decision, and that when imagery does not show a property’s condition with certainty, the insurer should get recent, clear information through a physical inspection or otherwise. Rhode Island’s Bulletin 2025-3 says images used to settle a claim must give a clear, accurate, and current view of the property. Michigan’s Bulletin 2025-12-INS warns that unclear or outdated aerial images can be used improperly.

What makes a photo set usable

Read as a checklist, those bulletins name the weak spots in a photo set.

Clear. Rhode Island says low-resolution, out-of-focus, or blurry images cannot alone decide a claim.
Current and dated. Tennessee and Rhode Island both flag outdated images. Keep the date of capture with the set.
The right property. Tennessee lists images that show the wrong structure or property as a misuse.
Complete and consistent. The whole roof from overhead and every side of the structure, shot the same way, so no slope or wall is missing.
Scaled. A reference in the frame, so the size of the damage is not a guess.

The NAIC adds one point about timing: photograph the damage before temporary repairs and before debris is removed.

How a lossmap gallery fits

A vetted pilot, FAA Part 107 certified and carrying at least $1,000,000 in commercial drone liability insurance, flies the property to the shot list for that type of loss. The flight opens with a wide shot framed so the address can be identified, then the roof from straight overhead and four cardinal obliques at the same altitude and angle. Damage photos carry a scale reference.

Everything lands in one branded web gallery with a permalink you can send to the adjuster, plus a one-click download bundle. The order form has a field for the claim number. An evidence package with the original geotagged files and flight logs is available as an add-on. Adjuster, carrier, and contractor accounts can set up net-30 billing.

What lossmap does not claim

lossmap does not claim that any carrier accepts its imagery. lossmap provides aerial imagery and visual documentation. It is not a licensed roof inspection, an engineering report, or an insurance determination. Coverage and the settlement stay with the carrier.

If you are the policyholder

The Texas Department of Insurance’s storm checklist: file the claim, take pictures and video, list the damage, keep damaged items until the carrier says otherwise, prevent more damage, and save receipts. An aerial record covers the roof without anyone climbing it.

See aerial documentation for insurance claim files, what an aerial damage assessment includes, the FAA rules for drone roof inspections, and how hail and wind roof damage are documented.

Sources

Official pages, checked October 9, 2026.

Do Insurers Accept Drone Roof Photos for a Claim?