Matter Intelligence, an InsurTech founded by former NASA/JPL sensor scientists, is set to launch a property intelligence product for insurers at ITC Vegas 2026. The product pairs spectral sensing from space with AI to identify roof deterioration that standard imagery fails to pick up.
The offering follows a proof-of-concept completed with one of the five largest property and casualty insurers in the US. It evaluates the physical state of residential roofs across large volumes of properties. Insurers can now trial it through a proof-of-concept, and full deployment with insurers is planned for Q1 2027.
The technology is designed to support three core parts of the insurance lifecycle. In underwriting, it can gauge roof condition when a quote is issued, which helps decision-making and cuts the need for physical inspections and referrals. In portfolio management, it can highlight clusters of deterioration across a book of business and track how property condition shifts over time. In claims, it compares a property’s state before and after an event, helping separate fresh damage from existing wear and supporting both claims triage and fraud investigations.
Beyond roofing, the firm says its technology could enhance existing flood and wildfire models by contributing data on the physical traits and condition of insured homes.
Insurers generally assess properties using satellite imagery, building age and data supplied by policyholders. Although useful, these inputs do not always capture how a structure is changing. Matter Intelligence aims to fill that gap by revealing early signs of decline, offering a more detailed picture of risk before a claim arises.
The company was established by scientists who previously built advanced sensors for NASA/JPL and US defence initiatives. It has applied spectral sensing, which gathers data beyond the range of the human eye and ordinary cameras, to property insurance. By combining these sensing capabilities with AI that can interpret the signals at scale, it offers insurers a more up-to-date and objective understanding of the properties they cover.
Matter Intelligence co-founder and CEO Vishnu Sridhar said, “The problem isn’t that insurers lack data. It’s that much of that data tells them about a property rather than showing them its actual physical condition. We’re giving insurers a way to bring the condition of the asset itself into their risk decisions.”
“We’re not trying to replace the models insurers already use. We’re giving them a better view of the physical world those models are trying to predict. If you can see deterioration earlier and measure property condition consistently at scale, you can prepare sooner and make better-informed decisions from underwriting to claims.”
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