As a 151-year-old insurance company, we have seen our fair share of claims. While many CFM policyholders have been fortunate enough to walk away from a potentially tragic situation with little property damage, we have also witnessed countless others lose everything.

For example, it's heartbreaking to arrive at an empty lot where a family's safe haven once stood proud and tall but was burned down less than 24 hours earlier in a sudden, raging fire. That fire robbed a family of their belongings - every photo album, baby blanket, and precious heirloom handed down from generations before - and, more importantly, every last memory safely kept in that home over the years.

While this grim, yet very real, claim scenario isn't fun for any homeowner to consider, the truth is it could happen to anyone, anytime. That's why when we were offered the opportunity to partner with a trusted nationwide home telematics company willing to give our policyholders the best tools to prevent devastating, large-scale claims, we couldn't say 'yes' fast enough.

Meet Roost, Your Home's New Best Friend

You know how you have that one best friend that always has your back? It's like they just know when you're about to do something you'll regret the next day, so they stop you in your tracks - crisis averted. Well, your home can now have one of those, too, with Roost. By warning homeowners of a possible leak or fire at their property in real-time, Roost can keep little problems from becoming... well... big problems. Like that friend who's always looking out for you, Roost can watch over your home 24/7 and report any out-of-the-ordinary activity while you're away. The best part is you can monitor it all from your smartphone!

Here's a closer look at the functionalities behind Roost's Smart Sensor Kits.

The Devices: Smart Water Leak & Freeze Detector + Smart 9V Battery - A Smoke Alarm & CO Monitor

Roost's Smart Water Leak & Freeze Detector provides early detection of common home problems like water leaks, abnormal humidity levels, and freezing pipes.

Did you know? A new report has found that the number of water damage claims resulting from leaks has surged in recent years.

The report, prepared by Verisk Analytics’ ISO unit and reviewed on Insurance Business Magazine's website found that one in 50 homeowners filed a water damage claim each year between 2013 and 2017. They additionally found that, in 2017, the total amount of insurance payouts for water damage was $13 billion, with the average claim costing about $10,000.

Check out how this small but mighty wifi-enabled Roost device delivers critical benefits to homeowners by working in conjunction with the CFM @ Home app to detect small leaks before they become a huge (and expensive) headache:

Roost's Smart 9V Battery transforms existing CO and smoke alarms into a Smart Alarm. When an alarm sounds, the homeowner will be notified through the CFM @ Home app.

Did you know? According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than one-quarter (27%) of reported fires from 2013 to 2017 occurred in homes. Even worse, four of every five (79%) fire deaths and three-quarters (73%) of all reported injuries were caused by home fires. Most home fires and fire casualties result from five common causes: cooking, heating, electrical distribution and lighting equipment, intentional fire setting, and smoking materials. Over the time period outlined in the report, as a whole, cooking was the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

To prevent the familiar fire triggers listed above in your home, Roost's 9V Battery works by:

• Easily connecting to and supporting all smoke and CO alarms in your home.
• Sending smart notifications through the CFM @ Home app - it will notify you when the alarm sounds or batteries are running low.
• Sharing smartphone alerts with trusted friends you invite to receive if your alarm sounds when you are away.
• Giving you access to view and monitor activity history - see the last time each alarm sounded or was tested.
• Housing a durable battery that lasts up to 3-5 years.

Device In Action: Problematic Pot Roast

Have you ever experienced a cooking scare at home? Who hasn't? Even the Rachel Rays of the world have made a mess of their kitchen before claiming that Professional Chef title.

Maybe you forgot to clean out the burners before putting a pot of water on to boil, which led to last night's crusty macaroni noodles catching on fire. Or perhaps you forgot to take out your pot roast before running to the Piggly Wiggly for more butter. Right after turning into the dairy aisle at the grocery store, you bump into someone you know (oh hi, didn't see you there, Karen), get roped into a full-blown conversation about the latest town gossip, and next thing you know, you've been gone 30 minutes. While you're frantically rushing out of the parking lot to get home and rescue that now-overcooked pot roast from your oven, Roost sends a notification to your smartphone that your smoke alarm is sounding. 

Luckily, you were able to have your neighbor run over to your house and check things out before your arrival. Together, you pulled the burned pot roast out of the oven and saved your kitchen - and the rest of your home - from a world of damage with the help of Roost. Too bad about dinner, though. Chinese takeout, anyone?

Why Roost?

If the above statistics and product specs weren't enough to convince you of Roost's countless perks, would a policyholder discount sway your opinion? When our policyholders take proactive steps to better protect their property and prevent potential claims, we reward them. As soon as you've registered and connected your Roost devices, you'll see some noticeable savings on your CFM homeowners policy - ca-ching, ca-ching!

Aside from the chance to offer an attractive discount to our loyal customer base, several other factors played into our decision to gift these free kits to policyholders.

1. Device set-up is a breeze.

Installation of the Roost smart sensors takes less than five minutes - no, really! Upon receiving your devices in the mail, you'll follow the Roost Quick Start Guide to connect the devices to your wifi network. Next, you'll place your leak detector in an area of potential water leaks or temperature change and set-up your alert preferences. It's that simple. 

2. Your data is secure.

It's Roost's promise and top priority to protect your home and data at all times. 

3. You'll get real-time notifications. 

Get sensor alerts directly to your smartphone, no matter where you are. Plus, as we mentioned earlier, you can designate trusted friends, family members, or neighbors to receive alerts from your devices if you'll be gone for an extended period of time. 

4. Battery-operated devices mean less hassle and upkeep for you. 

Just set it and forget it. Plus, Roost will conveniently notify policyholders when it’s time to replace batteries every 2-5 years.

5. Current users can't stop raving about Roost coming to the rescue. 

For homeowners, peace-of-mind is top-of-mind, especially when having to be away from home, whether it be for a daily work routine or a week-long vacation. Roost smart sensors help provide a greater sense of awareness about your home by monitoring places not in daily view - like your water heater, sump pump, or unused bathroom toilet. 

Check out these stories from real-life Roost users who have avoided the hassles and heartache that follow disastrous water leaks or home fires.

"Saved Us A World Of Damage"

I installed three Roost water leak detection devices in my home to provide some peace-of-mind in loss prevention for a busy family always on the go. I didn’t expect that one of the devices would come to the rescue so soon, but not more than two months after installation, I received a notification to my cell phone that the sensor in the basement detected water. Curiously I wandered down to the basement, not knowing what I would find and half expecting a false alarm, but what I found required immediate attention. One of our plumbing pipes had sprung a leak and water began overflowing any time water ran in the house. I immediately called the plumber to have it resolved and it was fixed that evening, in time for my toddler’s bath time. This little device saved us a world of damage, money, and headache. I couldn’t be happier with the device, the customer service I receive from this company, and the solutions they provide.

- Kristin, Long Island, NY

 

“Roost Alerted Me On My Drive Home!”

Last year I was driving home when I got an alert on my phone of a water leak. I went to the basement and did see some water under the detector. I then discovered the sump pump was no longer working and was able to replace it before any damage was done. Yesterday we had torrential downpours and got 8 inches of rain. I noticed water coming through the wall on 1 side of the basement which I was focusing on when I heard an alert from the leak detector. I checked the other end of the basement and found that the sump pump wasn’t keeping up with all the rain and that side of the basement was filling with water. We were able to set up a spare sump pump and avoided any serious damage.

- Charisse, Swampscott, MA

 

How To Get Roost Smart Sensor Kits For Your Home 

Disclaimer: Our Roost Inventory is depleted at this time (August, 2021). Check back in with your CFM Agent in early 2022 to see if our Roost program is open to you.

To get your Roost Smart Sensor Kits and the discount to your policy that comes with them, all you have to do is contact your trusted, local CFM agent. They can walk you through a few simple eligibility questions and get your kits ordered at absolutely no cost to you. All you need is a current CFM Insurance homeowners policy, wifi in your home, and an Android or Apple phone with an up-to-date operating system. 

When you get your Roost kit in the mail, it will be branded by CFM and come with directions about registering and installing your devices. Should you need any help getting your devices set up, utilize our video tutorials by clicking here. 

Sometimes, the tribulation that stems from an accident or unforeseen circumstance simply can't be avoided. That's just life, right? But with Roost looking over your home, at least you'll know you have an extra layer of protection monitoring the place - and things - that matter most in your life, day and night.