ZestyAI is set to integrate the FORTIFIED construction standard from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The incorporation of the FORTIFIED standard aims to help insurers pinpoint properties constructed with paramount resilience standards, especially given the escalating occurrences of severe weather.
ZestyAI stands out in harnessing artificial intelligence to offer insights into climate and property risks. Through its platform, Z-PROPERTY, the company uses computer vision and machine learning, analysing data from aerial and satellite imagery, to glean insights for over 150 million commercial and residential properties.
The FORTIFIED Home standard, now integrated into Z-PROPERTY, enhances the resilience of buildings to extreme weather events, from hurricanes to tornadoes. Beyond conventional building codes, it ensures structures are more robust, with studies indicating that FORTIFIED homes experience reduced damage and fewer insurance claims after severe weather incidents.
In the past three years, interest in FORTIFIED homes has surged due to the increasing instances of severe weather across the U.S. This has led to a doubling of designated homes built with this standard.
ZestyAI’s recent collaborations with IBHS span various areas including Wildfire Fuel Management and Risk Mitigation. Furthermore, the FORTIFIED data will exclusively benefit IBHS Member companies using the Z-PROPERTY platform.
IBHS CEO Roy Wright said, “FORTIFIED has already helped more than 50,000 families in 26 states better protect their homes from severe weather. “It takes only one storm to cause devastating loss and significantly change the trajectory of people’s lives. Strengthening homes and communities with the FORTIFIED programme can help reduce the devastating losses caused by Mother Nature.”
ZestyAI Founder and CEO Attila Toth mentioned, “Severe weather and catastrophic events are on the rise, and it is crucial for insurance carriers to be able to accurately assess risk and identify homes built to the highest standards of resiliency. Our collaboration with IBHS and the integration of FORTIFIED into Z-PROPERTY gives insurers the necessary tools to reduce losses and continue providing access to high-quality insurance coverage.”