Kin Moves Quickly to Help Homeowners Following Hurricane Isaias

First claim payment issued less than 10 hours after filing; more than 26,000 wellness checks sent

CHICAGO, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kin, the direct-to-consumer provider of insurance and home finance solutions for homeowners, today announced preliminary results from its response to Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall near Destin, Florida, on October 9 as a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 105 mph. The storm left widespread damage and power outages across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Kin's automated outreach and AI assistants began checking on customers and starting claims the morning after landfall, while the in-house claims team worked to assess damage and issue payments.

"A hurricane is when your insurance company really has to deliver," said Kin Founder and CEO Sean Harper. "With Isaias, we were able to respond quickly, handle claims with our own team and reach out to customers before they even contacted us. Our team was on the ground at both Insurance Assistance Hubs and not a single customer with a claim stopped by. That tells us we're reaching customers where they are and when they need it. That's how we think insurance should work, especially when people are dealing with the aftermath of a major storm."

Kin built its claims operation on its own AI-native platform. That meant a single text reply could start a claim or send a home to the front of the aerial imagery review queue automatically. Kin used its automated systems to support customers before landfall and continued through the claims process:

• Targeted outreach before landfall: On October 7, two days before landfall, Kin used the storm's forecasted track to identify approximately 17,200 policyholders in its projected path and sent them preparation tips by text and email.
• Turned wellness checks into automated triage: Beginning at 9 a.m. ET on October 10, Kin sent 26,587 wellness check texts in two waves. Customers could reply 1 if they were safe, 2 if they had evacuated or were unsure of their home's condition, or 3 to report damage. Approximately 55% of recipients responded, and 85% of respondents reported that they were safe. A reply reporting damage started a claim inside the same text thread, and customers who had evacuated or were unsure of their home's condition moved to the front of the aerial imagery review queue.
• Set an industry-leading pace for AI-assisted claims intake: Within 20 hours of landfall, Kin's AI tools helped customers start 244 claims, representing 72% of claims filed during that period.
• Issued its first claim payment within hours: A Florida family whose home was damaged by two fallen oak trees filed a claim at 12:27 a.m. on October 10. By 9:30 a.m. that morning, Kin had issued an advance payment by direct deposit to help cover their immediate needs.
• Served customers so well online that none visited in person: Kin's claims team was on-site at Insurance Assistance Hubs in Destin and Pensacola, organized by Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Blaise Ingoglia, from the first day the sites opened. No Kin customers with claims visited either booth, demonstrating that Kin's proactive digital outreach and online claims tools had already reached them.
• Analyzed aerial imagery to find damage from above: Kin reviewed post-storm aerial imagery of 9,368 insured homes, classifying damage at each property from minor to severe. The review contributed to 176 claims. Kin also texted 770 customers aerial photos of their own homes, along with a link to start a claim online.
• Handled claims with its in-house team: Kin's staff adjusters have handled 100% of Isaias claims without relying on outside desk adjusters, while its in-house estimators have completed more than 80% of estimates. For most inspections, a field inspector photographed the home and Kin's in-house team wrote the estimate, allowing adjusters in the impacted areas to focus on homes with more severe damage requiring full field assessments.
• Warned customers about post-storm scams: Kin emailed more than 28,000 customers to warn them about potential scams following the hurricane and published guidance on how to recognize and avoid disaster-related scams.

"After a hurricane, homeowners have enough to worry about without having to figure out how to start an insurance claim," said Kin CIO Angel Conlin. "We reached out to customers right away, made it easy for them to report damage and got our adjusters involved quickly. Our goal is to take as much work off the customer's plate as possible so they can focus on recovering."

"More than 700 customers responded to our wellness checks just to thank us for reaching out," continued Conlin. "That tells you how much communication matters after a storm. We want customers to know we're paying attention and that we're going to be there throughout the recovery process. Our customers can trust that we're there for them."

Kin expects to receive approximately 1,350 claims from Isaias, primarily in the Florida Panhandle, and more than half are expected to be tree-related. Losses to date have been consistent with catastrophe model estimates, and Kin does not expect to need its reinsurance program to cover the storm's losses. The program is supported by more than 40 reinsurers and $335 million in catastrophe bonds.

Kin continues to accept Hurricane Isaias claims. Policyholders who need to start a claim may visit kin.com/claims or call 866-204-2219.

About Kin

Kin provides solutions to homeowners to help them save money, simplify tasks, and protect their most valuable assets. By offering direct-to-consumer digital home and auto insurance alongside home finance services, the company focuses on supporting underserved homeowners in states with high catastrophic risk. Kin provides more convenient and affordable home and auto insurance coverage by eliminating the need for external agents and analyzing thousands of data points to provide transparent, accurate pricing. Kin complements this with home financing with Kin-exclusive rates to help homeowners secure a better mortgage rate, refinance, or tap into their equity. Kin's AI-native technology platform delivers a seamless customer experience, customized options, and fast, high-quality service. To learn more, visit www.kin.com.

SOURCE Kin Insurance, Inc.