How much do we count on smartphones? Oh, so very much. A whopping 91 percent of Americans own one and we spend more than five hours a day fiddling with it. “Many people are ditching home wifi in favor of smartphones for all internet access, too,” says Bob Hillier, Owner, Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Houston, Texas. “It’s a no-brainer to use the smart device we’re probably already holding to reach for help with home damage.”
Read on to learn four handy ways – see the YES entries – that smartphones aid homeowners when they experience home damage and file claims. The NO entries cite ways smartphones can’t (yet) facilitate your claims journey.
YES, they capture videos, photographs and notes: Smartphones excel at recording video footage of your losses, which you can narrate in real time to add crucial detail and context. The device also captures photographs and notes, the latter of which can be typed in or recorded via voice memo functions.Â
NO, smartphones can’t read your mind. It seems like they can because the devices aggregate information from your behavior and preferences as you interact with it.
YES, smartphones measure. Many models support apps that capture and record measurements, which makes it easier to transmit critical loss data to your carrier. The apps combine data from the device’s cameras and accelerometers, essentially tracking the phone’s movement and speed to size up objects and areas.
NO, smartphones can’t take temperatures. The battery temperature would skew measurements. Phones that claim they can act as thermometers merely draw weather data at your GPS location, which is imprecise.
YES, smartphones communicate. Most of us use our phones more than 100 times a day and keep it nearby. Hence, emailing, calling and videoconferencing about claims can be initiated in seconds. Additionally, smartphones display historical claims information and communications for instant reference. Finally, uploading documentation is a snap.
NO, smartphones can’t find extra cash to finance repairs. On second thought, maybe it can. Smartphones will detect metal via apps that harness the phone’s magnetic sensor. You could rival Milly Hardwick’s 2021 valuable find in Royston, England: a hoard of priceless Bronze Age axes.
YES, smartphones interface with carriers. Many insurance companies have created bespoke apps to help customers get information, check coverage, file claims, submit documentation, pay premiums and track claim status.Â
“Can smartphones predict the future? Not yet, but statistics give a pretty fair prediction,” Hillier says. “You might be the one in 20 homeowners who experiences home damage this year so keep that phone handy.”
