First Mutual Insurance Company extended its commercial deal with Chrp Technologies, an AI home risk platform scanning 400+ failure points across properties linked to claims. The system reviews interiors, exteriors, small details insurers often miss, and it moves fast.
Based in Smithfield, FMIC distributes policies through independent agents across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The portfolio spans homeowners, farmowners, swine and poultry risks. A broad rural footprint, tight underwriting discipline, and steady pricing posture.
According to Beinsure analysts, FMIC kept loss ratios low by inspecting every property. That policy stuck for years. It reduced claims volatility, held expenses in check, and supported pricing accuracy.
Before Chrp, teams relied on traditional inspection vendors for underwriting new homeowners and farmowners business across North Carolina.
Turnaround lagged. Reports came back slow, sometimes too slow. Underwriters waited, agents waited, deals stalled. Another gap showed up inside properties, most inspections skipped interior imagery, especially in farmhouses.
Chrp shifted the workflow. Policyholders now complete guided self-inspections through a mobile link sent by text. A typical three-bedroom home takes under 30 minutes. No scheduling friction, no field backlog.
Davidson Neville, FMIC president, said the shift improved speed and risk control. He pointed to one case, a policyholder spotted a leaking attic air handler during a self-check, called a plumber, fixed it before damage spread. Small issue, avoided claim, real savings.
Chrp’s AI-based self-inspections have not only improved turnaround times, but also improved the risk control process in a few other ways.
Davidson Neville, President, FMIC
“First, it allows us to partner with our policyholders to help them prevent losses before they occur. For example, one policyholder noticed during her self-inspection that the air handler in her attic was leaking. This led her to call her plumber right away to fix the issue. She later called us to say “Thank You” for helping her avoid the hassle of dealing with a water loss that could have caused significant damage”, said Davidson Neville, President, FMIC.
The platform captures more images across homes and farm buildings, then flags issues automatically. Underwriters review alerts instead of combing through full reports. Neville said review time dropped about 50%. That changes daily workload, sharply.
“Second, Chrp not only helps us to capture more imagery inside and outside a home or farmhouse, but also automatically flags issues that underwriters can quickly review. This enables underwriters to focus on items that need attention and to provide feedback to agents & policyholders faster. Chrp has probably cut the time underwriters spend reviewing inspection reports by 50%,” noted Neville.
Chrp’s models process each image and rank risks at the top of home health reports. Underwriters act faster, agents respond quicker, policyholders get feedback without delay. Clean loop, fewer blind spots.
Across the US, Chrp data shows common hazards from AI inspections: 25% faulty shut-off valves, 24% supply line damage, 10% roof damage, 5% vegetation contact, 4% electrical risks. Water exposure dominates, no surprise.
More than 30 insurers use the platform to detect non-CAT water and fire risks from smartphone imagery. Carriers adjust rules to match underwriting guidelines. Flexible, though still structured.
Chin Ma, Chrp co-founder and president, said 81% of FMIC policyholders complete self-guided inspections. Strong uptake for a mutual carrier. He sees room to push higher, expand into new use cases, keep building.
Currently, 81% of FMIC’s policyholders are completing their self-guided surveys. We’re looking forward to working with FMIC to increase that number and expand Chrp’s use case into other areas.
Chin Ma, President & Co-Founder, Chrp
FMIC plans to extend AI inspections to renewals across North Carolina starting June 1, 2026. The company also pilots the system in poultry farms, looking for early signals before losses stack up.
