smart home technology News

Insurers Dabbling with Smart Home Tech, but No Winning Model has Emerged

An instinct for self-preservation has carriers dipping their toes into the smart home technology space, but no U.S. insurer has taken a full plunge so far. The industry hasn’t settled on how it should get devices such as water-leak detectors …

Advances in Smart Home Tech Raise Privacy Concerns

One day, finding an oven that just cooks food may be as tough as buying a TV that merely lets you change channels. Internet-connected “smarts” are creeping into cars, refrigerators, thermostats, toys and just about everything else in your home. …

Researchers Study Smart Home Security Threats

Say you’re on your laptop at Starbucks, minding your own business, when an acquaintance of yours across the room isn’t minding his. Unbeknownst to you, he’s using the same store Wi-Fi as you to conduct a virtual invasion of your …

How Smart Home Devices Will Impact Residential Property Claims

Insurers and consumers can benefit in multiple ways as more smart appliances and devices move into homes, according to Joe Wodark, director of product development for Verisk Insurance Solutions. First notice of loss, settlement and subrogation are all claims processes …

Assurant: Smart Home Hacking Risks Concern Consumers

Consumers are excited by the progression toward ‘connected living’ and the many ways connected technologies can improve their lives, according to a new study by Assurant, Inc. However, the study, unveiled today at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, also showed …

Top 10 Smart Home Technologies for Older Homeowners

Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, wireless doorbell cameras, and keyless entry are among the top 10 smart home technologies for homeowners age 50 and older, according to new research from The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab. “Smart home technology …

“Hacker Lab” Event Shows How Cyber Criminals Attack Homes

At a “Home Hacker Lab” event sponsored by Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), part of Munich Re, and Prescient Solutions, an ethical hacker revealed how cybercriminals work — and what consumers can do to protect themselves. The October 13 workshop in …

Smart Home Technology Poses New Opportunities and Challenges for Insurers

The smart home market is a mess, according to a new report from Aite, an independent research and advisory firm. The Smart Home: Opportunities for Insurers, written by Gwenn Bézard, co-founder and research director, said insurers should care about the …

Smart Homes Take Center Stage at Tech Conference

Imagine a world in which your garage door opens automatically as you pull into the driveway. The living room lights and heater turn on – perhaps the oven starts warming up, too. In the so-called “smart home,” cars, appliances and …