On this episode of FNO: InsureTech, guest host David Prejeant sits down with Kat Gordienko, Co-founder and CEO of Builty, for a conversation about one of the most overlooked sources of insurance intelligence: building permit data. What started as a personal home improvement project eventually became an InsureTech company helping carriers unlock actionable insights hidden inside millions of permit records. 

The discussion explores how permit data can improve underwriting, enhance claims decisions, uncover hidden property risks, and even provide visibility into emerging trends before they appear in traditional insurance datasets. Along the way, Kat shares lessons from building a startup, working with AI, and navigating an industry she had to learn from scratch. 

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A founder story born from frustration

Unlike many InsureTech founders, Kat did not come from insurance.

Her background was in data analytics and engineering, including work at Netflix analyzing streaming and consumer behavior data. When COVID arrived, she decided to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on her property and quickly discovered the complexity of the permitting process. 

As inspectors signed off on various phases of the project, Kat became fascinated by the amount of information being collected about her property.

The data was public.

The data was valuable.

And almost nobody was using it.

That curiosity ultimately led her to begin analyzing permit records and discovering just how much information was hidden inside them.

The insurance problem hiding in plain sight

The turning point came when Kat realized something surprising.

Despite making significant improvements to her property, her insurance coverage had not changed.

The information existed in public records, but it wasn't reaching the insurer. That experience exposed a larger industry challenge: valuable property data often exists, but it remains fragmented, unstructured, and difficult to use at scale. 

The question became simple:

If this information already exists, why isn't insurance using it?

That question became the foundation of Builty.

Making sense of permit data chaos

One of the biggest challenges discussed in the episode is the sheer complexity of permit data.

Unlike standardized datasets, building permits exist at the local level across more than 20,000 jurisdictions throughout the United States. Every municipality records information differently. Terminology varies. Abbreviations vary. Categories vary. 

Kat shares examples of how even common property types have dozens or hundreds of different names depending on location.

An accessory dwelling unit might be called:

• ADU

• In-law suite

• Guest house

• Carriage house

• Coach house

• Ohana unit

And that's just one property type. 

The challenge isn't simply collecting permit data.

It's making sense of it.

Turning permit records into insurance intelligence

Builty's solution is not just data aggregation.

The company has developed AI-powered models capable of transforming messy permit records into structured insurance insights. The platform normalizes permit information and converts it into risk scores and property intelligence that insurers can actually use. 

Rather than forcing underwriters or claims professionals to read through permit records themselves, Builty helps surface key insights such as:

• Property improvements

• Electrical upgrades

• Plumbing updates

• HVAC replacements

• Fire protection systems

• Structural additions

• Occupancy changes

The goal is to bridge the gap between raw data and actionable decision making. 

Looking beyond aerial imagery

One of the most interesting observations from the episode centers on what insurers still cannot see.

Aerial imagery has dramatically improved visibility into roofs, exterior conditions, and property characteristics.

But many important risk indicators live inside the building.

Electrical systems.

Plumbing systems.

Mechanical equipment.

Fire suppression infrastructure.

Those details rarely appear in photographs but often exist inside permit records. 

According to Kat, this creates an opportunity for permit intelligence to complement many of the property datasets insurers already use today.

New applications in commercial insurance

While Builty originally expected strong demand in personal lines, the company found some of its most compelling opportunities in commercial property insurance.

A key example involves fire protection systems.

Many carriers struggle to obtain accurate information about commercial sprinklers, fire doors, and related mitigation infrastructure. Permit records often contain this information, providing a more complete view of the property's risk profile. 

The result is better visibility into exposures that may otherwise remain hidden until a loss occurs.

Can permit data predict future risk?

One of the most thought-provoking discussions focuses on emerging risks that may not yet appear in claims data.

Kat shares research conducted in Loudoun County, Virginia, where Builty found that homes located near data centers appeared to replace HVAC systems more frequently than comparable homes farther away. The theory is still being explored, but it illustrates a broader point: permit data may reveal trends before they become obvious through traditional insurance datasets. 

Instead of simply looking backward at claims history, insurers may eventually use permit intelligence to better understand what is changing in the built environment today. 

The most unusual permits ever filed

Of course, not everything in permit data is serious.

Kat shares several memorable examples discovered by her team, including:

• Catios (patios built specifically for cats)

• Residential helipads

• Falconry structures

• Dedicated fur storage facilities

While entertaining, these examples also highlight a practical point: unusual property features often create unique insurance considerations that may go unnoticed without permit-level visibility. 

Why Builty is focused on prevention

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the episode is Kat's vision for where permit data ultimately belongs.

She believes permit intelligence should become a standard part of property evaluation, not only for underwriting and claims, but also for identifying maintenance gaps, monitoring building health, and helping stakeholders better understand risk over time. 

Rather than waiting for losses to occur, permit data may help insurers and property owners spot issues earlier.

That belief is ultimately what Builty was built around:

Using overlooked data to create a more complete picture of property risk. 

Building the future of property intelligence

Episode 310 offers a fascinating look at how insurance continues to expand beyond traditional data sources.

From unstructured permit records to AI-powered risk intelligence, Builty is helping carriers answer a simple but important question:

What important property information are we missing?

As insurers look for new ways to improve underwriting, claims, and risk assessment, the answer may already exist in public records, waiting to be connected, organized, and understood.

The future of property intelligence may not just be about collecting more data.

It may be about finally making better use of the data we already have