Each year, claims adjusters are deployed to cities spanning the globe to handle a dizzying array of catastrophes and inspect damages arising from less severe weather events and a host of policyholder misfortunes. To adequately serve the needs of policyholders and their insurance carriers, claims professionals work in what some refer to as “ground zero.”

Claims adjusters occupying the front line not only contend with psychological and logistical concerns and stressors, but must also deftly manuever an often perplexing maze of state-specific regulations and building codes. Just as each claim represents unique circumstances and challenges, so too does each U.S. city.

It's understandable that all city regulations are not created equal. To this end, Zap Consulting independently compiled a list of what it deems the “100 best and worst cities” in which to handle property claims. The 2011 compilation is based on the results of an extended survey the firm dispatched to more than 600 property adjusters, including insurance company staffers and independents.

Zap routinely works with insurers to render diagnostic evaluations of electronic contents and equipment. Thorough evaluation of these contents allows adjusters to accurately determine the cause of damage, reparability, replacement value, and depreciation in order to reach resolution as quickly as possible and move on to the next policyholder in need—especially crucial with an onslaught of catastrophe claims, as was the case this spring.

Some Southern Hospitality

The firm says it weighed numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the insurance laws, types of construction, zoning, traffic, and weather conditions of each city in order to rank insurers' friends and current foes. When all of the survey results were tallied, the capital city of Texas emerged the victor.

The chart to the right shows the top 50 cities, as ranked by Zap. To see how the rest of fared, view the full listing (in order from best to worst) here.

Special Reports /

America's Best, Worst Cities for Property Claims Handling

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