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It’s a DIY world. As consumers we have grown accustomed to self-checkout at the grocery store, placing our own restaurant orders and even managing our finances online.

We value speed, convenience, and control when we have the right tools. As technology has improved, we should now expect the kind of control over the insurance experience. For homeowners, one of the biggest friction points in both purchasing a homeowners’ policy and filing a claim is waiting for someone from the insurer to visit the property. For a new policy, an underwriting company will often order a post-bind inspection to verify coverage and the property’s condition.

These can take weeks to complete and often result in pricing or coverage changes if something is discovered that wasn’t understood during the quoting process. After a loss, a claims adjuster needs to assess the damage before the claim can be processed. Depending on the severity of damage and the scale of the event that caused the loss, these can take weeks or months to complete. The wait creates delays, slows down decision-making, and can frustrate customers.

The surge in photo-based auto claims shows that consumers are willing to take on certain documentation tasks themselves. And today’s virtual assessment tools extend that capability to property: homeowners can now capture images to support the underwriting process or document damage to initiate a claim.

The technology works—the challenge is often whether or not homeowners feel confident using it. As DIY property assessments become more common across both underwriting and claims, many insurers are learning that success depends on building a clear, guided, trust-driven process that empowers policyholders to participate.

Homeowners are ready to roll up their sleeves

The good news: many homeowners say they are ready to document their property. In a recent survey we conducted, 56% of respondents said they would be willing to take smartphone photos to obtain an insurance quote, and nearly 80% said they would be willing to document damage via their smartphone for a property claim. For many, this isn’t just about speed—it’s about control: managing the process on their schedules, avoiding the inconvenience of letting someone unknown into their home, and taking an active role in the process.

But willingness does not mean they’re ready to do it. Among our survey respondents: 62% worried about making an error that could affect their coverage or claim; 46% weren’t sure what or how much to document; and many expressed concerns about the platform’s complexity or about submitting personal information. The real challenge is bridging a confidence gap — helping homeowners feel capable and confident in using the tools correctly.

The ROI of DIY virtual property assessments

Virtual property assessment solutions represent more than a technological upgrade. In fact, making this available can be a strategic advantage. Consumers get the speed they desire. The average claim lifecycle from first notice of loss to resolution now takes 44 days or more according to J.D. Power. And for home inspections, which are required for underwriting the policy, it can take anywhere from one month to three months, according to industry reports.

Home inspectors and field adjusters also raise expenses for insurers. On average, it costs an insurance provider $1,000 for a field adjuster to assess a property – and after a large scale catastrophic event like a hurricane or wildfire, adjuster prices inflate dramatically.

When homeowners submit clear digital documentation themselves, carriers can turn more claims or new homeowner policy submissions into efficient desk-review workflows, shorten cycle times, reduce operational friction, and free up in-person adjusters and inspectors for the exceptions.

Boosting homeowners’ confidence

To convert willingness into action, insurers should treat confidence-building as part of any effort to increase usage. Key actions include:

  • Communicate early and clearly. Explain what the tool does, what will happen after submission, what happens if a photo is unclear or information is missing. Be sure to stress that a human desk adjuster for a claim or underwriter for a new policy– not AI – will be reviewing the submission and making a determination based on the insurer’s guidelines.
  • Design the experience for clarity. Choose a platform that offers intuitive step-by-step instructions, visual examples of what needs to be captured, and supports web-based access (so homeowners aren’t forced to download a separate app if they prefer not to).
  • Keep the human connection visible. Emphasize that while digital tools are used, the decision-maker remains a person who will review the submission, ask follow-up questions if needed, and guide the outcome. This hybrid human-digital model helps reduce abandonment or push-back from homeowners who fear “I’ll just send photos into a void.”
  • Agent and support-team involvement. If working through an independent agent channel, make sure agent partners are trained on the digital workflow so they can reassure and guide policyholders. Insurers themselves should also provide a dedicated support-team hotline or chat option for homeowners who feel unsure.
  • Start modestly and build confidence. Use digital assessments first for claims, where nearly 80% of our survey respondents said they were comfortable, and where homeowners are more motivated because they want their payment faster. Once the process works well, extend to new policy workflows and endorsements — thereby expanding the mindset of DIY with experience and success on their side.

Peter Flynn

The technology for DIY property assessments is no longer a novelty—it’s operational reality. But readiness lies not in the smartphone camera or the app interface; it lies in the insured’s confidence. Carriers that build ecosystems around guidance and transparency and marry it with human support will unlock new efficiency, faster policy issuance and claims resolution and a deeper trust relationship with homeowners.

Peter Flynn leads personal lines and agent & broker services for the Americas at Xceedance (xceedance.com), a global provider of technology-driven business solutions for the insurance industry. With 25 years of insurance experience, Flynn manages client engagements and spearheads innovation.

Opinions shared in this piece are the author's own.

(Photo Credit: WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

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