SBI General Insurance has said that they will use drones to carry out surveys and assess damage caused by cyclone ‘Yaas’ in parts of Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand in a bid to speed up the claim settlement process for its customers affected by the natural disaster.

The insurer has also set up a task force to manage queries and claims on a fast-track mode, a company official said. “The company has reached out to a panel of surveyors to avoid any loss of time in the claim settlement process,” he said. The team at SBI General has set a standard operating process in motion, and instant settlement will be done for small claims, he said.

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Additionally, the insurer follows a process of fast-track settlement for losses of up to Rs 10 lakhs, the official said. “These initiatives will help claim processing and settlement in the cyclone-affected areas in West Bengal and Odisha,” he said.

Most of the damage has been reported in coastal villages and farmlands, the official said. Cyclone ‘Yaas’, packing winds of up to 130-145 kmph, whiplashed the country’s eastern coasts on Wednesday, dumping heavy rain, damaging houses, and farmlands, and leaving at least four persons dead – three in Odisha and one in West Bengal.