USAA Joins Geospatial Intelligence Center

Longtime NICB member sees value in approach to disaster response

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Jan 22, 2019, 06:00 ET

DES PLAINES, Ill., Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- USAA, one of the nation's leading property casualty insurers serving more than 12.6 million active and former military members and their families, has joined the Geospatial Intelligence Center (GIC), an insurance industry consortium spearheaded by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

By joining the GIC, USAA will have access to the most advanced imaging and data available today to better serve its members with enhanced underwriting tools for policies and with fast response to their members impacted by a disaster. The GIC combines the technical expertise of advanced digital aerial and terrestrial imaging company Vexcel Imaging and geospatial mapping tech leader Esri's geographic information systems to provide the tools and analytics to help insurers make fast, accurate and cost-efficient decisions when writing a policy and when dealing with claims following a disaster.

The GIC provides the highest resolution aerial images available both before and after catastrophic events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, hailstorms and wildfires.

Founded in 2017, the GIC is committed to mapping the entire United States each year with high-resolution images and providing ultra-high-resolution images for the 100 largest metropolitan areas. This includes 45-degree oblique images that can be processed to allow a rotatable 3-D image of any property.

In the hours and days after a disaster, the GIC fleet of aircraft will fly over the impacted areas to capture and assess damage to provide members with unprecedented images and data on impacted properties.

The NICB, working with law enforcement and disaster scene commanders, has provided the GIC with access to disaster areas as soon as it is safe to fly and the GIC is able to provide images and data to members within 24-36 hours of the aircraft touching down. The imagery is also provided free of charge to first responders and emergency personnel to allow them to better assess the extent of damages and to coordinate their response.

The information will also provide valuable evidence to help the NICB fight fraudulent claims, which are a frequent problem after catastrophes.

"The GIC provides the technology needed to accurately assess our member's property when writing a policy and to provide a fast ground assessment of damage in the aftermath of a disaster," said Elizabeth Gulick, vice president of catastrophe experience with USAA. "As longtime members of NICB, we recognize the value of working with emergency personnel and getting quick access to the disaster areas to better serve our members. Our mission is to look for organizations and technology which will get our members back on the road to recovery as quickly as possible."

"As a retired military officer, I know the importance of providing our active military and veterans with the best service available, and USAA is further enhancing that commitment with the technology made possible by the GIC," said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. "We are proud to have USAA as one of the original members of this industry consortium."

About USAA
The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to more than 12.8 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving our nation in the U.S. military or have received a discharge type of Honorable – and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

About NICB
Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, learning and development, government affairs and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $461 billion in insurance premiums in 2017, or more than 81 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 95 percent ($218 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

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SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau