Underwrite the roof, not the form.
Property Characteristics reads roof geometry, material, storey count and visible site features off very-high-resolution imagery and sends back a record for each address, before you bind.
- GSD
- ≤0.3 m (VHR)
- Cadence
- Annual
- Platform
- VHR satellite / aerial
- Spectral
- RGB
Where the proposal form runs out
You have the application open and the roof section is a few ticked boxes. Tile, pitched, two storeys, no outbuildings. You cannot see any of it, so you either take it as written or send it for a physical inspection, and you keep those for the risks that already look doubtful.
The ones that look fine go through on the applicant's word. When a claim comes in and the roof turns out to be something else, the underwriting file holds one line of evidence: someone ticked a box.
The roof and site check, step by step
01What the file rests on
The proposal formThe applicant's answers on the form, with an inspection or a desk photo review on the ones you refer.
With Property CharacteristicsA record for each address, built from imagery, sits next to the application in the underwriting file.
02Roof shape and pitch
The proposal formStated on the form, or read by eye from a street-level photo where someone has pulled one.
With Property CharacteristicsRoof geometry comes back as a shape and a pitch category, read from above.
03Roof material
The proposal formThe applicant names the covering, and you take their word unless an inspection says otherwise.
With Property CharacteristicsMaterial is recorded where it can be told apart on the image. Where it cannot, the field says so.
04Storeys and site features
The proposal formStorey count is a form answer. A pool, an outbuilding or a tree over the roof shows up only if someone visits or the applicant mentions it.
With Property CharacteristicsStorey count and the visible site features are listed for each address.
05Which risks get an inspection
The proposal formReferral rules, your own judgement and whatever looks odd on the form.
With Property CharacteristicsA record that disagrees with the form when you set them side by side, or a roof section flagged not visible, shows you which risks to send out first.
06Why a characteristic was accepted
The proposal formA note that the applicant stated it.
With Property CharacteristicsA marked-up image supports each field, so the file shows what was seen, and when.
07Roof age and condition
The proposal formThe applicant's estimate, or the inspector's report.
With Property CharacteristicsNothing changes. Imagery does not give roof age or remaining life.
Still yoursRoof age and condition, the physical inspection, the referral decision, the rating and the bind.
What comes back for each address
- Record fieldC1
Roof geometry
Roof shape and pitch category. Supports the row "Roof shape and pitch" and lands in the underwriting file with the rest of the record.
- Record fieldC2
Roof material
The covering where it can be told apart on the image, with a not-visible flag where it cannot. Supports "Roof material".
- Record fieldC3
Storey count and site features
Number of storeys, and the visible extras: pool, outbuildings, trees overhanging the roof. Supports "Storeys and site features".
- ImageC4
Marked-up image
One image per field, marked up to show what the field was read from. It goes in the underwriting file as the basis for accepting or querying the applicant's answer. Supports "Why a characteristic was accepted".
Timeline against a submission
Send the address list before you bind, or ahead of a renewal run. We source the imagery, read the features and return the record for each address. Cadence is annual, so the record reflects the last capture, not last week.
- 01
Address list in
The addresses you are quoting or renewing. Tell us which fields matter most to your referral guidelines.
- 02
Imagery
We pick a recent VHR pass, satellite or aerial, at 0.3 m or finer.
- 03
Features read
Roof geometry, material, storeys and site features are extracted for each address. Anything hidden is flagged.
- 04
Record out
You get the structured record and the marked-up images for the file.
Limits
- It is not an inspection
- The record goes before a physical inspection and does not replace one. It is not a certified inspection report.
- Resolution floor
- At 0.3 m a pixel is about 30 cm across. Roof shape, pools and outbuildings show up. Individual shingles, small repairs and hairline cracks do not. Material is told apart by broad class, and the not-visible flag covers the rest.
- Trees and shadow
- Parts of a roof under canopy or in shadow are flagged not visible. They are never filled in by guesswork.
- Annual cadence
- The imagery is refreshed annually. A re-roof or an extension from last month may not show yet.
- Age and condition
- Roof age, remaining useful life and condition beyond visible wear cannot be derived from imagery.
- No accuracy percentage
- We do not quote an accuracy figure for any field. Check a sample against addresses you already know.
Who it's for
For
- Underwriters at P&C insurers and MGAs reading roof and site characteristics before binding
- Teams that want a record in the file besides the applicant's answers
- Underwriting managers deciding which risks to send for inspection first
Not for
- Replacing the physical inspection
- Roof age, remaining life or condition
- Pricing, rating or premium figures
- Claims handling after a loss
Questions before you send a list
Does this replace a physical inspection?
No. It is a cross-check and a way to decide which risks to inspect. The inspection stays yours.
What if the roof is under trees?
Sections we cannot see are flagged not visible. We do not guess.
How current is the imagery?
Cadence is annual. A very recent change, such as last month's re-roof, may not be in it yet.
Can you tell me the roof's age?
No. Age and condition beyond visible wear cannot be read from imagery.
How do we check it against our own data?
Take addresses you have already inspected, send them without your notes, and compare the record with what you found.
What format does the record come in?
A structured record per address, and an image for the file. Tell us what your admin system takes and we will confirm what we can deliver.
Who owns the imagery and the records?
Ownership and licence terms are agreed in writing when you start a project. If your legal team needs them earlier, ask.
How is it bought and priced?
Tell us roughly how many addresses you have and we will scope it with you.
Send an address list.
Give us a set of addresses you are quoting, and we will tell you what the imagery can show for them.
