In our age of technological advances, the smart home promises a futuristic design. Filled with sensors and cameras, a smart home monitors every part of it, always on the lookout for a problem. With your home wired up with technology, including security cameras and smoke detectors, it could be a lot safer.
Recently, I read that intelligent homes have been advocated by a somewhat surprising source: insurance companies. That’s right, the same companies that provide home insurance want to offer incentives to customers who upgrade their homes with smart technologies. And they’ve got some excellent reasons.
Catch Big Problems Early
Insurance companies have seen the big picture of smart home technology. With cameras and sensors, homeowners would be able to potentially catch trouble before it has the chance to turn into a significant issue with a high payout.
Among the issues that smart home technology can catch are:
- Fire
- Burglary
- Flooding
- Broken pipes
- Maintenance issues
Now, the way I understand it, an intelligent home would be able to find a problem, like a pipe that has burst, almost immediately. If a pipe bursts, a sensor will sound to announce the problem. That gives us a chance to jump right on the issue. That would mean a lot less damage to floors, walls, and belongings. With less cost, your claim will be much smaller.
That is a win-win situation for insurance companies and Florida homeowners. The incentives offered to help us upgrade our homes and increase their value. If an emergency happens, the damage or loss will most likely be much less than without smart technology.
The homeowner’s insurance company that covers a smart home has a real advantage, too. According to Kin, home insurance has offered Florida homeowners discounts for installing centrally-monitored alarm systems. A burglar or smoke alarm is considered centrally monitored if the system is monitored from another site. Smart home technology raises the bar on home safety, offering even more protection.
With the ability to stop a disaster before it destroys your home and possessions, the smart home will likely need a lower claim payout from the insurance company, making it very appealing.
Optimizing The Way They Do Business
Smart homes are still in the early years of development, so it’s safe to say that we have only seen the tip of the technological iceberg. There doesn’t seem to be an end to the growth of this kind of technology, and homeowner’s insurance companies are banking on this to optimize the way they do business.
Smart home data could improve everything from processing a claim to determining your home maintenance needs. Getting in on the ground floor of the quick home evolution makes way for a healthy bottom line for insurance companies, both now and in the wake of new smart home devices.
Is There a Smart Home In Your Future?
You don’t have to completely wire your house with smart home technology to see a benefit. I would suggest starting small, making sure to take advantage of the incentive program. For Florida homeowners, the incentives offered by insurance companies today could be well worth looking into.
Not only do we stand to learn from the incentive itself, but we could also gain a lot from smart home technology. With sensors attached to various parts of your home, it could help you identify problems early, not only saving your investment but also possibly your family.
Smoke detection from smart home sensors could give you the time needed to save your loved ones from danger. This kind of tragedy detection could save your home, your possessions, your family, and your pets from injury or worse. And, when you think of it, that’s the most significant benefit of smart home devices.
