Why CRU Chose Kespry for Drone Insurance Inspections

Kespry, a leading aerial intelligence platform provider, recently announced that its technology will be used by the CRU Group (Catastrophe Response Unit Adjusters) to support the company’s global insurance claims operations.

The announcement of the relationship with CRU is an important step for the company with regard to its strategic direction. CEO George Mathew, who joined Kespry early this year, told DroneLife in an interview that a “primary focus [of the company] will be largely around industry expansion .  .  . [with] a heavy push into the insurance sector.”

“Adding the Kespry drone platform to the advanced tools used by our claim adjusters keeps us ahead of the curve and reinforces our industry leadership,” said Glenn Smith, Vice President, CRU Adjusters. “Kespry’s drone technology further enhances how we handle and process claims, as well as underwriting elevations and pre-loss reporting. We have become synonymous with efficiency while maintaining a high level of accuracy, and our relationship with Kespry continues to support and demonstrate this commitment.”

CRU Adjusters is setting up a new division with a team of adjusters focused on the initiative with Kespry. Smith will lead this team, all of whom are licensed pilots in both Canada and the US, as well as certified to fly Kespry drones and adjust claims. Smith’s team is very experienced in damage recognition.

We spoke with Kyle Winston, CEO of CRU, about his decision to integrate Kespry technology into his business.

A key goal for Winston’s insurance firm is to assist homeowners in getting their money as quickly as possible after a catastrophic event. “Speed and accuracy are critical to our clients. We are a technology embracing company and are constantly exploring any technology solution that can give us an advantage over our competition and keep us ahead of the curve. We have always been an early adopter.”

Winston put together a team to assess drone technology solutions and determine the best fit. They spent six months evaluating different offerings and in the end chose Kespry. It was clear to CRU that drone technology could provide speed and efficiency. “Seventy percent of our work is getting on rooftops. Drone technology saves us some time, gets us in areas that were inaccessible and has obvious safety benefits. Using a drone can free up an adjuster and enable us to move claims faster.”

But why Kespry? Winston’s response, “Drones are flying cameras. It is the software behind it that best aligns with our industry that is the distinguishing feature. And Kespry was ahead of the others. Their technology best mapped to our work and ability to meet our clients’ needs.”

Winston’s hope is that once integrated they will be able to “get out ahead of the industry and put it into high gear when an event occurs. We are forward thinking and partnering with a firm that is leading the pack in this area.”