Insurance Claim Assessment Using Handheld Field GIS

At any one time there are hundreds of insurance claim agents visiting areas of farmland to ascertain the degree of damage to agricultural products. These personal visits serve two main purposes, first to validate the details of a filed insurance claim, and second to relate procedures related to the claim directly to the farmer. Field data collection, or more precisely, the mapping of damaged areas within a field can only be enhanced by the application of a handheld GIS solution. Available on Windows CE handheld computers, ArcPad gives claim agents the ability to not only interactively map features but also to upload them via the Internet. The ability of ArcPad to load satellite or aerial imagery greatly helps in damage delineation of crops caused by such events as flooding, gales, or hail. If additional processing is required at the farm location, the data can seamlessly be transferred to a laptop with ArcView installed. Once done, a calculation based on the extent of damage can be delivered directly to the farmer. Should it be necessary, the agent is then able to rapidly update this claim information directly to the head office ArcSDE data server via ArcIMS for further approval and confirmation.

The automation of this process works both in favor of the farmer and the insurance company. By using the ArcIMS Internet link, information that exists at the head office can be downloaded, and any queries arising can be straightened out directly with the farmer during the visit. Additional data available might include historical information on previous claims by the client or the most recently acquired satellite imagery for the area under investigation.

One of the most difficult challenges an insurance underwriter faces is in paying its claims. Just how accurate are claims the insurance organization is funding? GIS is a tool that provides the insurer with an accurate way to calculate acreage. Knowing exact acreage allows the insurer to save funds.

By using the suite of compatible spatial tools available from ESRI, the result is improved efficiency within the claim/payment procedure, higher customer satisfaction through an expedited response to the farmer, and the building of a spatial database related to insurance claims past and present.