Transforming Crop Insurance: How the SWITCH Model is Revolutionizing Hail Damage Assessment

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

1. Spatial Damage Mapping: Quickly estimate the acreage of damage levels across a field.
2. Pre- and In-Field Visualization: Use maps to plan assessments before stepping onto the field or while navigating it.
3. Support for Large-Scale Events: Ideal for regions experiencing widespread damage, SWITCH enables adjusters to manage multiple claims efficiently.

Enhancing Adjuster Capabilities

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