Commissioner Lara supports legislation to protect homeowners’ privacy and increase transparency in insurers’ use of aerial imagery
News: 2025 Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today announced his strong support for Assembly Bill 75, a consumer protection measure that would require insurance companies to notify homeowners at least 30 days in advance before taking or obtaining aerial images of their property. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, would also grant homeowners the right to request and obtain copies of any aerial images used by their insurer.
“No homeowner should be unaware that their property is being photographed or have no way to access the images insurers use to make coverage decisions,” said Commissioner Lara. “AB 75 will increase transparency, protect privacy, and give consumers a fair chance to dispute inaccurate or outdated images that could wrongly impact their insurance coverage.”
Media reports and consumer complaints have documented a sharp increase in insurers using aerial imagery to inspect homes and deny coverage. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that insurers are photographing “nearly every building in the country” – often without the owner’s knowledge – and using AI-powered data mapping, satellite imagery, and predictive models to identify properties for nonrenewal. Insurance companies and third-party vendors are relying on these computer models to red-tag homes as high-risk, even when the images may be outdated or inaccurate.
The California Department of Insurance has investigated numerous complaints where flawed aerial imagery led to wrongful cancellations or nonrenewals. In several cases, insurers used imprecise drone or satellite photos to assess roof conditions, resulting in policies being incorrectly dropped due to erroneous data.
AB 75 would address these issues by:
- Requiring 30-day advance notice before insurers conduct aerial inspections.
- Granting homeowners access to the images insurers use in coverage decisions.
- Ensuring transparency and accountability in the insurance inspection process.
“This bill is about fairness,” said Commissioner Lara. “Homeowners deserve to know when their property is being photographed and have the ability to challenge inaccurate or misleading images that could unfairly cost them
Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
