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What is Video FNOL?

FNOL — First Notice of Loss — is the first report a policyholder makes to an insurer when a loss or damage occurs. Video FNOL adds a live (or guided, app-free) video layer to that first contact: instead of describing the damage over the phone or in a form, the claimant points their smartphone camera at the vehicle, property or item, and the insurer sees the loss in real time. A claims handler can guide the capture with on-screen annotations, freeze frames, take time-stamped and geotagged photos, and document the loss as verifiable visual evidence — all at the very first touchpoint.

Why Video FNOL matters

The first notice of loss sets the trajectory of the whole claim. Capturing accurate visual evidence up front lets insurers triage severity instantly, route the claim correctly, fast-track simple losses, and reduce the need for an in-person adjuster visit. It also strengthens fraud defense, because the evidence is captured live, time-stamped and location-tagged rather than reconstructed later.

Industry research underlines the stakes: insurers that digitize claims can capture meaningful reductions in loss adjustment expense (McKinsey), the auto industry has shifted from handling under 15% of claims virtually to roughly 60% (LexisNexis Risk Solutions), and the quality of the digital claims experience is now a leading driver of policyholder retention (J.D. Power, 2025).

Video FNOL vs traditional FNOL

  • Traditional FNOL: phone or form-based description; severity and routing depend on what the claimant can put into words; an adjuster is often dispatched to see the damage.
  • Video FNOL: the insurer sees the loss live at first contact, guides the claimant with AR annotations, captures verifiable evidence, and decides remotely whether a site visit is even needed.

Learn more about VSight

See how insurers use live video and AR for visual claims and FNOL.

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