In an article published by Law360, Goldberg Segalla partner Larry D. Mason advocates for the use of drone imagery as a way for insurance carriers to improve efficiency in the claims handling process, specifically in cases of natural disasters.

The article, “Drones May Boost Claim-Handling Efficiency, Carrier Pros Say,” by Jennifer Mandato, delves into the pros and cons of utilizing the relatively new technology in claims processing. Policyholder advocates have expressed concerns over errors that drones may be prone to producing, but carrier representatives, such as Larry, believe drone usage can be a positive step for the property/casualty industry.

Larry says drones can be a beneficial tool for claims adjusters to assess damage and be more responsive for policyholders, pointing to the tornadoes that hit the St. Louis area earlier this year.

“The responsiveness by the insurance industry was certainly enhanced because of the use of drone technology, with those windstorm events, because they were able to come into the area and help figure out where their properties were and how they could help their policyholders because some of those areas you can’t even drive easily into because they’re so damaged.”

He believes that concerns regarding drones having a negative impact on policyholders may be based on a “fundamental misunderstanding” of how the information is used by carriers.

“A potential negative effect for a policyholder has nothing to do with the use of a drone,” he says. “The potential negative effect for a policyholder is the fact that a claim was paid because it’s a loss history that drives future underwriting decisions on whether premiums might increase, whether or not the risk is something that the insurance company might wish to continue to underwrite, etc.”

Larry adds that the use of drones as a claim investigation tool is no different from an in-person adjuster physically inspecting a roof themselves.

Of course, there remains the question of how drone usage in this manner is or will be regulated; and in this case, states are largely responsible for regulations relating to an insurer’s use of drones. Other questions regarding the privacy and proper notification of policyholders when drones will be used on their properties are also at the forefront of such discussions.

Larry says there is a need for regulation to the point that recreational drone use cannot interfere with civilians or air traffic.

“But commercial use of drones for business, such as what we’re talking about here, has practical services that are very limited in scope, very limited in function and are not disruptive to anything that is really of concern to what typical regulators are trying to protect,” he says, adding that, at present, there does not appear to be much focus from legislators to constrain the insurance industry’s use of drones.

“It’s not a primary area of concern because there’s not a groundswell of negative sentiment or issues arising out of insurers’ use of drones in claims adjustment or…as part of the risk management services they provide to their customers, their policyholders,” he says. “I don’t think there’s a reasonable resistance to the use of drones when their primary function is to be of help.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: “Drones May Boost Claim-Handling Efficiency, Carrier Pros Say,” Law360, October 9, 2025 (Subscription required)

MORE ABOUT GOLDBERG SEGALLA’S Larry D. Mason:

Larry is a renowned trial and appellate litigator and counselor to many national and international businesses across diverse industries. Based in Chicago but with experience litigating and counseling clients through complicated and high-profile matters across the country and internationally, he dedicates most of his practice to insurance coverage, reinsurance, commercial litigation, environmental and toxic torts, and complex insurance regulatory matters. He also focuses on professional liability for clients in insurance, environmental, construction, and related industries. He brings his extensive experience to leadership positions in the firm, where he is chair of the Environmental and Mass Torts Coverage, First-Party Property, and Construction Coverage subgroups.