Assembly committee advances bill requiring insurers to notify homeowners before collecting aerial images

Assemblymember Isaac Calderon asked the Assembly Insurance Committee to pass AB 75, which would require insurers to provide notice to homeowners at least 30 days before collecting aerial images of their home and would allow policyholders to request and review imagery used in underwriting decisions.

The bill, as presented by Assemblymember Calderon, is designed to address consumer concerns about insurers using aerial imaging—drones, manned aircraft, satellites and other remote sensing—to make underwriting or renewal decisions without homeowner knowledge. Josephine Figueroa, deputy commissioner and legislative director for the California Department of Insurance, testified in support on behalf of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, saying AB 75 "would require an admitted insurer to notify homeowners at least 30 days in advance before taking or obtaining aerial images of their property and would grant access to any aerial images to the homeowner." Figueroa added the department has seen cases where flawed aerial imagery led to wrongful cancellations and nonrenewals.

Consumer advocates and industry groups voiced concerns about the bill's details during the hearing. Robert Harrell, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, said the bill should be amended so consumers automatically receive a copy of images rather than having to request them, and he raised coverage gaps for surplus lines insurers. Allison Adey of the Personal Insurance Federation of California said members were "in respectful oppose unless amended," chiefly citing implementation problems with the 30-day pre-notification requirement and ongoing negotiations with the author to make the provision workable. Denny Ritter of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association highlighted the multiple uses of imagery — for underwriting, catastrophe modeling and mitigation — and urged preserving insurers' ability to use images for those functions.

The committee approved the measure on a roll call. According to the hearing summary, AB 75 was advanced out of committee with a recorded final vote of 15 to 0. Committee members said they intend to continue negotiations on technical language to address operational concerns raised by insurers while maintaining the consumer-notice and access goals.

If enacted as written, AB 75 would require notices and an access pathway for homeowners to review aerial images that insurers obtain or use for underwriting. The bill's proponents said the change is intended to increase transparency and give homeowners a chance to dispute inaccurate or outdated data used by insurers.

Votes at a glance: AB 75 — passed out of committee, recorded final tally 15 yes, 0 no (motion: do pass to Bridal and Consumer Protection Committee, outcome: passed).