Canadian insurer Desjardins entered a partnership with smart-home device company Roost in which home insurance policyholders can get a Roost device to detect leaks and freezes in their home. But along with that initiative comes enhancements to the company's mobile app.
Desjardins is linking the data feed from the Roost product with its policy-servicing capabilities, as well as its usage-based insurance program, Ajusto, through its app, The Personal. That means that policyholders who use the Roost device and are members of Ajusto have a one-stop access point for all their personal data.
The smart-home initiative, branded "Alert," isn't quite full-fledged usage-based insurance for the home — Desjardins says that premiums won't be affected either way by opting to use it. However, the company says that it and Ajusto are structured around the idea of reducing claims by giving customers more insight into their data.
"No one wants to deal with the stress of water damage. Depending on the extent of the damage, it can mean lost valuables and family treasures that just can't be replaced, not to mention a possible relocation during repair work. With the Alert program, we're helping clients harness the power of technology to avoid this type of stressful situation as much as possible," says Alex Veilleux, Vice-President, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Desjardins General Insurance Group.
Roost's other insurance partners include USAA and Liberty Mutual.
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