Launched in 2021, the Severe Weather Induced Trends of Crop Health (SWITCH) model leverages remote sensing and proprietary Farmers Edge data models to create detailed, field-level maps of hail damage.
Transforming Crop Insurance: How the SWITCH Model is Revolutionizing Hail Damage Assessment
Article from | Farmers Edge
When severe weather strikes, the aftermath is often marked by uncertainty for farmers and insurers alike. Accurate damage assessment is critical, but field conditions and limited access can make this a daunting task. Enter the SWITCH Model—a groundbreaking innovation from Farmers Edge that is reshaping how hail damage assessments are conducted.
What is the SWITCH Model?
Launched in 2021, the Severe Weather Induced Trends of Crop Health (SWITCH) model leverages remote sensing and proprietary Farmers Edge data models to create detailed, field-level maps of hail damage. This tool provides claims adjusters with visual and spatial insights into crop damage, streamlining the claims process and enhancing accuracy.
Why It Matters
Traditionally, crop damage assessments involve physically traversing fields—a time-consuming, inefficient, and sometimes impossible process. The SWITCH Model addresses these challenges by offering:
- Efficiency: Reduce time spent in the field by over 50%, allowing adjusters to identify areas to focus their efforts on.
- Accuracy: Improve assessment reliability with visual maps that measure the area and categorize damage into severe, significant, moderate, minor and zones with no detectible damage.
- Cost Savings: Minimize the costs associated with lengthy loss assessment processes.
- Transparency: Gain customer confidence in the assessment results.
The Key Features That Set SWITCH Apart
- Spatial Damage Mapping: Quickly estimate the acreage of damage levels across a field.
- Pre- and In-Field Visualization: Use maps to plan assessments before stepping onto the field or while navigating it.
- Support for Large-Scale Events: Ideal for regions experiencing widespread damage, SWITCH enables adjusters to manage multiple claims efficiently.
Enhancing Adjuster Capabilities
One of the most pressing issues in crop insurance today is the declining number of experienced adjusters. SWITCH bridges this gap by empowering less-experienced adjusters with reliable tools and guiding them to critical areas of interest. Its intuitive interface and integration with existing platforms, such as mobile adjusting applications and claims software, make it adaptable and user-friendly.
The SWITCH Model is particularly useful for:
- Large, contiguous fields where walking isn’t feasible.
- Difficult-to-access fields, such as those with wet conditions or dense crops.
- Hail events impacting vast regions, requiring rapid assessments across multiple claims.
Not Just for Today—A Vision for Tomorrow
While its initial focus is on hail damage, SWITCH has the potential to expand into other severe weather events, such as wind, flooding, and frost. With its scalability and adaptability, SWITCH is poised to be a cornerstone technology in the global crop insurance industry.
The Competitive Edge
Currently unmatched in the market, SWITCH offers insurers a unique advantage: delivering enhanced customer satisfaction through transparent, accurate, and efficient claims handling. It’s a win-win for both insurers and farmers, fostering trust and reducing uncertainty in challenging times.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AgriTechTomorrow
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