Nearly half of all homeowners and renters in the United Stateswould consider allowing their insurance company to receiveinformation about the status of their home through a smart homedevice or system, according to a new survey fromthe Insurance Research Council.

Forty-five percent of those participating inthe survey said they would consider it, while 31% said they "don'tknow or were not sure."

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One in four said they would not allow their insurer toreceive information about their home. They cited concerns overprivacy and information control for their reticence to sharepersonal data via smart devices. 

Smart home devices include a range of sensors and connectedappliances designed to perform such specific tasks as locking orunlocking doors and windows, or monitoring specific conditions,activities or events in a home.

Smart home devices are connected directly towireless home networks and thereby to the Internet. They alerthomeowners and renters to potentially undesirable or dangerousconditions at the residence.

In some cases, these devices enable residents to control oractivate mechanisms such as a door locks or thermostats, regardlessof their physical proximity to the home. Some smart homedevices and systems involve allowing an insurance company toreceive limited information about the status of a policyholder'shome directly through the device or system.

"The findings from this survey confirm that many homeowners andrenters may be eager to participate in insurer-sponsored programsinvolving smart home devices or systems," Elizabeth Sprinkel, CPCU,senior vice president of the IRC said in a statement. "The surveyalso provides valuable insight into what insurers might do toencourage even greater participation in the future."

See also:

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