Last year, after the now-infamous quartet of Hurricanes Ivan,Jeanne, Frances, and Charley finished their tours of the state, 2.3million insurance claims were reported in Florida, according toInsurance Services Office, a supplier of claim data for theproperty and casualty industry.

Because claim adjusting dramatically affects the bottom line ofan insurance carrier, quickly finding good adjusters to manage amassive number of claims like this is not just recommended, it isvital to the survival of insurance companies and their reputations.Good companies get quality adjusters on the scene quickly not onlyfor the benefit of their insureds, but also for themselves.

How do carriers staff for such a sudden and dramatic increase inworkload? What kind of planning goes into being prepared for MotherNature's latest creation? And most importantly, as this year'shurricane season finally comes to a close, what kind of reportedclaim numbers — and staffing expectations — are insurance companiesdealing with for this year's hurricanes of Katrina, Rita, andWilma? By looking at different strategies and their results, anunderstanding of how the industry reins in such staggering numbersbecomes evident.