Major Insurer Makes Strategic Investment In Drones

The Travelers Companies, a major national insurer, has made an undisclosed but apparently substantial investment in drone operations software company Kittyhawk. The investment strengthens a partnership between Kittyhawk and Travelers and signals a deepening reliance on drones to assess property claims in the insurance industry, particularly after natural disasters. Travelers launched its drone operations program in 2016 in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Commercial drones give adjusters a unique bird’s eye assessment of properties impacted by catastrophic events. Currently, Travelers has about 600 FAA-certified drone pilots among its pool of claim professionals.