Streamlining Remote Visual Inspections (RVI): A Complete Guide for Insurance Claims Professionals

Inspections shouldn’t slow claims down. But too often, they do. Manual site visits take days to schedule, rely on inconsistent documentation, and expose adjusters to unnecessary risk. For high-volume carriers and catastrophe response teams, it’s a bottleneck that doesn’t scale.

Remote visual inspection (RVI) offers a faster, safer alternative. With the right tools, teams can assess property damage, collect defensible evidence, and collaborate with stakeholders all without setting foot on-site. Modern platforms go beyond photo uploads or shaky video calls, delivering accurate, immersive 3D views that support confident, real-time decision-making.

The result is better documentation, faster resolutions, and fewer surprises, no matter where your team is working from.

Traditional vs. remote visual inspections (RVIs): understanding the difference

Remote visual inspection (RVI) refers to the process of conducting property assessments without an in-person site visit, using digital tools to capture and review the condition of a space. In insurance, it’s a way to document damage, verify claims, and collaborate with stakeholders without the delays and risks of physical travel.

Traditional inspections are often slow, inconsistent, and expensive. Investigators and adjusters must physically travel to each location, sometimes navigating unstable structures, environmental hazards, or hard-to-reach geographies. Even when access is possible, getting everyone on-site at the same time—especially after a large-scale event—is rarely practical.

Common challenges include:

• Safety risks in fire-damaged, flooded, or structurally compromised buildings

• High travel costs and time spent in transit between sites

• Limited access to key personnel, like adjusters, contractors, and policyholders

• Inconsistent documentation, leading to disputes or supplemental inspections

• Delays in claims processing, especially when backlogs build after a catastrophe

Remote inspections aim to remove these obstacles. With the right tools, insurers can capture complete property data in a single visit, review it from anywhere, and keep claims moving forward even when access is limited.

The core components of an RVI strategy—3D scans, measurement tools, AI-powered analysis, and secure collaboration—aren’t just replacing manual methods. They’re transforming the entire inspection workflow. The next section explores how these technologies work together to improve accuracy, speed, and trust throughout the claims process.

Technology that's transforming the remote visual inspection workflow

Remote inspections have come a long way from video calls and emailed photo sets. Advances in 3D scanning, LiDAR, AI, and collaboration tools have redefined what’s possible, making it faster and easier to capture reliable property data and share it with the right people. 

These technologies not only improve the accuracy of inspections but also enable new levels of scalability, efficiency, and coordination across the entire claims process.

Digital twins

Digital twins give claims professionals a complete, navigable view of a property without needing to step on-site. Built from high-fidelity 3D scans, these models replicate the structure and layout of a space with measurable accuracy, making it easy to inspect remotely, take dimensions, and flag areas of concern.

Unlike static photos or walkthrough videos, digital twins support:

• Full-scene documentation of both damaged and undamaged areas

• Remote collaboration with adjusters, contractors, and legal teams

• Embedded annotations to add notes, tag items, or link documentation directly within the model

Envista Forensics uses Matterport digital twins to conduct safer, faster inspections (especially for fire and disaster scenes). In one case, a scan disproved a theft claim by showing that supposedly stolen items were never present. In another, a model helped identify product manufacturers after mitigation crews had cleared the site.

With digital twins, documentation tells a clear and defensible story.

AI-powered image analysis

As digital twins become standard in remote inspections, AI is starting to unlock even more value from the data they contain. One of the most practical examples is automated measurement. Within a Matterport scan, Cortex AI can identify surfaces, detect edges, and calculate dimensions with a level of precision that dramatically reduces manual effort.

These capabilities are especially useful when time is short or access is limited. Instead of sending someone back on-site to confirm square footage or ceiling height, adjusters can pull accurate measurements directly from the model, confident that the data is consistent and traceable.

While AI-driven analysis is still evolving, inspection teams that adopt it early will gain a meaningful advantage. From automatic room detection to structural analysis and sketch file generation, AI is streamlining tasks that once took hours into simple point-and-click actions. It’s not just about speeding things up—it’s about making every inspection more thorough, consistent, and scalable.

LiDAR scanners

For complex or large-scale inspections, LiDAR is the gold standard. These scanners use laser pulses to map environments with millimeter-level accuracy, capturing millions of data points that define the exact shape and size of a space. That precision makes LiDAR especially valuable in post-disaster scenarios or commercial claims where structural details matter.

Matterport’s Pro3 camera uses LiDAR to create 3D models that hold up to scrutiny, from estimating damage to verifying repair scopes. It works indoors and out, even in low-light conditions, and delivers detailed spatial data that can be measured, annotated, and shared.

Where photogrammetry may struggle with uneven lighting or cluttered environments, LiDAR delivers clarity and consistency. For claims teams who need defensible documentation fast, it’s a tool that removes uncertainty from the inspection process.

Drones (UAVs)

When properties are unsafe, difficult to access, or spread across large areas, drones make it possible to conduct inspections without putting people at risk. Equipped with high-resolution cameras—or in some cases, LiDAR—drones can quickly document exterior damage, roof conditions, and entire building footprints.

For remote visual inspections, drones add value by:

• Capturing exterior conditions that are hard to reach from the ground

• Providing aerial context that complements interior scans

• Reducing exposure for inspectors in hazardous or unstable environments

• Speeding up large-site assessments, especially after storms or natural disasters

Drones are especially useful in catastrophe scenarios, where time, access, and safety are all limited. When paired with digital twins and AI-powered tools, they help create a complete picture of a property’s condition, both inside and out.

Mobile inspection apps

Not every inspection needs high-end hardware. In many cases, a smartphone or tablet is enough to capture usable property data when powered by purpose-built mobile apps. These tools let field teams document damage, tag areas of interest, and upload scans directly to the cloud for immediate review.

Mobile apps are particularly effective for:

• Smaller, interior-focused claims

• Pre-visit planning or triage

• Supplementing other capture methods with quick updates

With platforms like the Matterport for Mobile, teams can generate walkable 3D scans from mobile devices and seamlessly integrate them into larger digital twin workflows. It’s a practical way to expand coverage, reduce delays, and get started with RVI—without waiting on specialized equipment.

4 key applications of remote digital visual inspections for insurers

Remote visual inspection is becoming an essential part of the modern insurance workflow. It gives claims teams the flexibility to document damage thoroughly, collaborate across teams, and move faster. 

These four use cases highlight where the impact is most immediate. 

1. Property and casualty claims

For P&C insurers, remote visual inspection creates a faster, more reliable way to handle high-frequency homeowner claims. Instead of waiting days for an in-person visit, adjusters can initiate documentation as soon as a property is accessible—often in partnership with contractors or mitigation teams already on site.

Digital twins captured during that first visit provide a comprehensive visual record of the damage. Adjusters can walk through the model remotely, take measurements, and consult with internal experts or third-party estimators without making repeat visits. That reduces both the cycle time and the chance of missed details.

This approach also supports fraud prevention. When a scan captures the full condition of the property immediately after a loss, it becomes much harder to inflate damage claims or alter details after the fact.

Key benefits of this workflow include:

• Faster claim cycle times by eliminating scheduling delays and return site visits

• More defensible documentation that shows full-scene context from day one

• Improved fraud detection through timestamped, high-fidelity capture

• Better collaboration between adjusters, estimators, and contractors

Whether it’s a kitchen fire, burst pipe, or wind-damaged roof, RVI tools help teams move quickly without cutting corners on documentation or accuracy.

2. Post-catastrophe response

After a major storm, wildfire, or other catastrophic event, insurers are under pressure to assess damage across hundreds or even thousands of properties in a matter of days. Traditional site inspections simply can’t scale at that pace, especially when roads are blocked, structures are unsafe, or access is restricted by emergency response efforts.

Remote visual inspection helps carriers triage claims quickly, document conditions before further deterioration, and deploy resources more efficiently. Digital twins provide a safe, detailed view of each property’s interior and exterior without requiring adjusters to physically enter unstable buildings.

By using RVI as part of their catastrophe response strategy, insurers can:

• Prioritize site visits based on severity or policy limits

• Reduce exposure to hazardous conditions for field teams

• Capture defensible evidence before cleanup or demolition begins

• Coordinate faster with restoration contractors and engineers

• Maintain visibility across dispersed properties and regions

In large-scale events, time is critical to both operations and policyholder trust. Remote inspections make it possible to assess damage, communicate with insureds, and begin the claims process faster, even while conditions on the ground are still stabilizing. For carriers looking to improve their CAT playbooks, RVI is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic necessity.

3. Commercial and industrial properties

Inspections at commercial and industrial sites introduce layers of complexity that residential claims don’t. The buildings are larger, the systems more specialized, and the cost of disruption significantly higher. Every visit risks interrupting operations, and scheduling access often means navigating layers of approvals and safety protocols.

Remote visual inspection helps minimize that friction. A single 3D scan can capture the full layout of a facility—including production areas, loading docks, server rooms, or mechanical systems—without requiring multiple site visits or lengthy walk-throughs.

This approach offers clear advantages:

• Reduces operational disruption: Inspections happen without halting work

• Enables detailed equipment documentation: Adjusters can zoom in, tag, and measure systems remotely

• Simplifies coordination: Engineers, underwriters, and contractors can review the same scan without visiting the site

• Supports complex layouts: Multi-floor, multi-zone properties can be captured and navigated as a single model

For high-value properties with unique configurations, RVI provides the context and clarity needed to document damage, verify claims, and coordinate repairs.

4. Ongoing risk assessment

Not every inspection is tied to a claim. For insurers managing commercial portfolios or high-value properties, ongoing risk assessment is just as important as loss documentation. Remote visual inspection provides a way to continuously monitor insured spaces.

Digital twins act as a living record of the property. With each new scan, underwriters and risk engineers can compare conditions, validate repairs, and identify new exposures without needing to return on-site.

Here are some examples of what an ongoing remote visual inspection can uncover.

Over time, these insights help insurers refine underwriting models, reduce preventable losses, and build stronger relationships with policyholders.

Best practices for implementing remote digital visual inspections

Successfully rolling out remote inspections takes more than just new tools. To make RVI a sustainable part of your claims workflow, insurers need to align people, processes, and systems from day one. Here’s where to focus.

Assess your current workflow

Start by identifying where traditional inspections are slowing things down. Are adjusters logging too much windshield time? Are site visits delaying estimates or reviews? Mapping out your inspection bottlenecks helps you pinpoint where RVI can have the most immediate impact.

Train your teams

Even the best tools fall flat without internal adoption. Adjusters and field staff need to be trained both on how to operate scanners and how to review digital twins, take accurate measurements, and embed annotations that support downstream claims work.

Create clear quality standards

Define what a successful remote inspection looks like. That includes scan coverage, image clarity, annotation protocols, and measurement accuracy. Consistent output makes it easier for reviewers, estimators, and auditors to work with the data.

Work with reliable capture partners

If you’re outsourcing scan capture, make sure your partners meet your standards. Matterport Capture Services ensures that scans are completed using supported equipment and can integrate seamlessly with your internal claims tools.

Help policyholders participate

When policyholders are involved in the inspection process—either by providing access or capturing images themselves—clear instructions go a long way. Providing simple guidance helps reduce friction and ensures usable data from the start.

Manage data securely

Digital inspections generate sensitive files that need proper handling. Define clear policies for how scans, floor plans, and models are stored and shared. Ensure your systems support access controls, audit trails, and long-term retention as needed.

Ready to modernize your inspection workflow?

Remote visual inspections are no longer experimental—they’re essential. With Matterport, you can document damage faster, collaborate from anywhere, and move claims forward with confidence.

Learn more about how to use Matterport for Insurance or see how the Matterport Pro3 and Sketch tools can streamline your next inspection.