When a wildfire, hurricane, tornado or flood is unfolding, the news media plays a critical role in alerting local populations. But in the decade my colleagues and I have spent working through these events alongside carriers, I have seen how little of that coverage actually helps the claims executive who has to respond.

The “noise” from the swarm of media reports on an unfolding disaster can lead to misdirected resources, delays in dispatching adjusters, and inaccurate notifications to customers about their risks and potential damage. News media coverage that is built to inform the public doesn’t translate into actionable information a claims team can use to understand which of its insured locations sits inside the footprint.