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What is Remote Visual Inspection?

Remote visual inspection (RVI) is the practice of inspecting a vehicle, property, asset or piece of equipment over live video instead of in person. Using visual remote assistance, an expert — a claims adjuster, surveyor, underwriter or technician — guides the person on site (often a customer or policyholder) to point their smartphone camera at what needs to be examined, then directs the view, annotates the live image, freezes frames, and captures time-stamped, geotagged photos as documentation.

Because it runs in the mobile browser with no app to download, remote visual inspection works for anyone with a smartphone, which makes it practical at scale for consumer-facing inspections such as insurance claims, pre-policy risk surveys, and damage assessment.

Where remote visual inspection is used

  • Insurance claims & FNOL: assess vehicle or property damage live, decide remotely whether an adjuster visit is needed, and capture evidence to deter fraud.
  • Underwriting & risk surveys: inspect a property or asset before binding a policy without scheduling a field visit.
  • Field service & equipment: diagnose machinery or installations remotely before dispatching a technician.

Benefits

  • Fewer site visits — resolve or triage remotely; the auto industry’s shift from under 15% to roughly 60% virtual claims handling shows how far this can go (LexisNexis Risk Solutions).
  • Faster cycle times & lower cost — claims digitization can cut loss adjustment expense by 25–30% (McKinsey).
  • Stronger evidence & fraud defense — live, time-stamped, geotagged capture beats after-the-fact reconstruction, important given that an estimated 10–20% of P&C claims involve fraud (Insurance Information Institute).

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Frequently asked questions

What does remote visual inspection (RVI) mean? Remote visual inspection (RVI) is the practice of inspecting a vehicle, property, asset or piece of equipment over live video instead of in person. An expert guides the person on site to point their smartphone camera at what needs to be examined, then directs the view, annotates the live image, and captures time-stamped, geotagged photos as documentation.

What is remote visual inspection used for? Common uses include insurance claims and FNOL, underwriting and pre-policy risk surveys, and field service where machinery or installations are diagnosed remotely before dispatching a technician. It lets teams assess damage live and decide whether an in-person visit is actually needed.

Why is remote visual inspection important? It reduces site visits by letting teams resolve or triage remotely, speeds up cycle times, and lowers cost. Live, time-stamped and geotagged capture also provides stronger evidence and fraud defense than after-the-fact reconstruction.

How does VSight help with remote visual inspection? VSight provides AR remote assistance so an expert can see through a technician’s or customer’s camera and annotate the live view. It runs in the mobile browser with no app to download, giving guest access to anyone with a smartphone, and it is GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001 certified.