Austin homeowner spends $3,000 on tree trimming after aerial photos threatened her policy renewal

For years Gartenmann had maintained fire, hail and wind coverage on her Austin residence, but an email in January warned that Travelers would not renew her policy because aerial shots displayed trees near the roof. Feeling the demand was unjust, she contracted a landscaping service for $3,000 to trim the foliage and sent updated images to the insurer, which then agreed to renew the policy days before the deadline. Records from the Texas Department of Insurance show similar disputes in San Antonio, Houston and other states, with insurers citing satellite or drone data to justify non-renewals.

Consumer advocates argue the technology can produce inaccurate assessments that are hard for homeowners to contest. Insurers such as State Farm, Nationwide and others rely on third-party providers like CAPE Analytics, which use AI to rate roof conditions from aerial views, though the manuals acknowledge lower accuracy compared to on-site inspections. Texas law permits insurers to fly drones over private property, a provision that some lawmakers are now considering tightening.