Your Upcoming Insurance Claim Could Be Rejected Due to a Photo You Captured Yourself | Carscoops

      New AI technology for phones could enable insurers to determine a car's condition before issuing a policy

       21 hours ago

      

      

      

      

      

      

       by Brad Anderson

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      AI tool utilizes smartphone images to identify concealed damage that insurers may later charge for.

      The system simplifies the process for insurance companies to quickly evaluate vehicle damage.

      Vehicle auctions and transport companies could also gain from this innovative technology.

      

      Recently released AI-driven car scanners by rental car leader Hertz have sparked significant debate, resulting in some renters receiving hefty repair bills for minor damages that are nearly undetectable to the naked eye. Unfortunately, the situation may worsen as an Israeli startup now presents a comparable damage detection solution to insurers and dealers throughout the United States.

      

      

      This tool, created by Click-Ins over more than seven years, operates differently from the tunnel lined with high-definition cameras that Hertz vehicles must navigate. Instead, it employs AI and a proprietary method to identify small damage areas in photographs taken with a smartphone.

      Smartphone-Based Damage Detection

      For insurers, the system functions as follows: Insurance companies provide customers with a web link that prompts them to take eight pictures of their vehicle to create a 360-degree view. From there, the AI can detect damage that typically goes unnoticed. It achieves this by eliminating reflections and dirt from the photos, delivering a crystal-clear image of the car.

      

      

      

      

      Read: Hertz’s AI Found A Dent You Can’t Even See And Charged Hundreds To Fix It

      Insurers can utilize this technology to create a visual record of a car’s condition prior to the start of a policy. In case of a claim, the system can then compare these initial photos with recent images that display any damage, effectively automating a usually manual and lengthy process. This presents an opportunity for insurers to reduce overhead and expedite claims processing.

      

      

      Fewer Adjusters, Faster Claims

      “Imagine you're at a Starbucks drive-through and you scratch your car on a pole,” Click-Ins CEO Josh Parsons told Pymnts. “That’s a claim that an adjuster shouldn’t need to assess in person.”

      In essence, the system is capable of managing minor claims without requiring human intervention, optimizing the process for insurers and policyholders alike.

      

      

      Expanding Beyond Insurance

      The technology also holds potential for use outside the insurance sector. Automotive auction houses could leverage it for more efficient documentation of vehicle conditions, minimizing the need for physical inspections. Car transport companies might utilize the same tool to record a vehicle’s condition before and after transport. Even traditional dealerships could incorporate it to streamline condition evaluations during trade-ins or sales.

      However, as AI continues to transform vehicle assessments, these tools are likely to provoke discussions regarding not only efficiency but also fairness, and where to draw the line between beneficial automation and excessive intrusion.

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Photo Click-Ins