12 Connected Home Devices that Could Change How Insurers Do Business

For years now, insurers have been successful at using telematics to track insureds’ driving habits. Carriers have made great strides in perfecting devices that help them to assess risk and aid in the underwriting and claims processes. So it should only seem like the next natural step in the process that as technology continues to improve and our personal devices evolve, that this type of data analysis moves from the car into the home. London-based Ninety Consulting recently issued a whitepaper entitled “The Connected Home,” which looks at the evolution of smart home technology and how insurers will be able to gather real-time telemetric data to aid in the assessment of risk and loss prevention. The firm finds that the success of the smartphone and smart TV have created a natural interface for customers to interact with their devices: wireless Internet connectivity in the home allows devices to easily communicate — both with each other and with the outside world. As a result of this, there are some common and emerging applications that are becoming more commonplace and that may be of significant value to insurers. Follow along to see what are the most common applications. Please note that Nos. 1 through 9 are all currently readily available technologies, whereas Nos. 10 through 12 are emerging technologies.