As the insurance market continues to see an increase in the complexity of risks being underwritten, the techniques used by property adjusters, damage appraisers and forensic engineers must adapt. Three-dimensional (3-D) laser scanning allows adjusters and investigators to not only document the scope of damage digitally and in real time, but provides data that can be used by risk management and underwriting teams for future risk assessments.

Accurate documentation and preservation of evidence is a critical component of any forensic investigation. The use of 3-D laser scanning enables an investigator to document a complex object or an entire accident scene in the form of millions of measurable points, often in less time than traditional methods. Not only is the level of documentation detail staggering, but the scanner can measure objects considered immeasurable just a few years ago.

In their simplest form, 3-D scanners utilize lasers to generate three-dimensional copies to millimeter accuracy of complex, real-life objects and environments. The end result of a single scan is a collection of millions of measurable data points containing relative x, y, z locations. A series of scans are then stitched together to create an exact color copy of the as-built condition, scene or environment. In the same way that a digital camera, a tape measure and graph paper are tools of the forensic investigator, 3-D documentation is increasingly becoming an asset in the same toolbox.