Homeowners should not have to worry about insurance companies flying drones over their homes in secret.

In Santa Ana, a longtime homeowner says she was told to replace her roof — at a cost of about $20,000 — or risk losing coverage. She says no inspector ever knocked on her door. No one climbed onto her roof. Instead, the company may have relied on aerial images and technology to evaluate her property.

Across the country, insurers are increasingly using drones, aerial photography, and artificial intelligence to assess homes, determine risk, set rates, and even cancel policies. Many homeowners only find out after receiving a letter threatening non-renewal.

This raises serious concerns about privacy, transparency, and fairness.

Families who have paid premiums for decades should not lose coverage because of an algorithm’s interpretation of an image taken from the sky. Technology can be a tool — but it should not replace human judgment, due process, or clear communication.

We call on the California Insurance Commissioner and the California State Legislature to:

• Require insurance companies to notify homeowners before conducting drone or aerial inspections of private property.
• Prohibit insurers from canceling, non-renewing, or raising rates based solely on AI or drone-generated analysis without a human review and an opportunity for an in-person inspection.
• Guarantee homeowners a clear appeals process with the right to submit evidence before coverage decisions are finalized.

This is not about stopping innovation. It’s about protecting homeowners from secret surveillance and automated decisions that can jeopardize their financial security.

Our homes are not data points. Our roofs should not be judged by an algorithm without our knowledge.

It’s time to stop secret drone use, restore transparency, and ensure technology doesn’t unfairly determine who gets to keep their home insurance.

Add your name to demand accountability now.