As editor of PropertyCasualty360.com, I'm often privy tocompelling stories and behind-the-scenes discussions about theP&C industry that never see the light of day. It's a shame thatmany of these stories, which are often positive in nature, cannotbe shared or publicized for a myriad of reasons, since a chiefcomplaint I hear from insurance executives is that far too oftenthe “media” only latches onto the negative aspects of theindustry.

So today, with the help of a few of our dedicated readers, I'mbringing you an example of the good things that the people in ourindustry are doing.

Below is a letter I received second-hand from a catastropheadjuster who is working one of the many disaster scenes caused bythis year's record-breaking tornado season. While the workingconditions described are shocking enough to shred any notion of asunny disposition, his ultimate dedication to the job and to thepolicyholders in his charge shines through his inspiringaccount.

Due to strict company policies that prohibit communication withthe media, he has requested anonymity. Special thanks to the authorof the letter for allowing it to be published, and to the readerwho brought it to my attention.

“For [the last few months], I was working tornado claims. Thedifference between the hurricanes I have worked in the past and thetornado devastation where I was located was drastic.

“With hurricanes, people know they are coming and they get outof the way, and they come back to deal with the structural andphysical damage. These tornadoes are much different.

“Many times, I adjusted homes where the families did not makeit. My first day of working tornado claims, I met an insured whowas battered, bruised, and had a fresh cast on [their] arm. Ihad six more claims on my schedule that day, but I looked at [thepolicyholder] and knew there was no question that I needed to slowdown. As important as the structural loss is, the emotional damagewas just as severe.

“[The policyholder's] words are burned in my memory; this iswhat [they] said.”

We were all over at my brother's house. The power went outand we could see the tornado ripping through the neighborhood abouttwo blocks away. We were all in the living room watching outthe front windows when the back of the house started coming apartand everything started flying around in the house. All seven of usmade it to the closet under the stairs—then the stairs disappearedfrom above us.

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When it all stopped, I couldn't see at first because of thedebris in my eyes. My brother and another friend were gone, justgone. My [significant other's] legs were wrapped around awood beam or something, they looked like spaghetti. About two hourslater, some military guys were able to get the wood off and theytook [my significant other] away in a Humvee.

“[The policyholder] stared out the window for a little bit, thenlooked at me and said, 'I wonder if they will ever findthem?' [The policyholder] was unaware that a second tornadohad hit the back of the house, as there were two distinctive pathsthrough that neighborhood.

“I handed out dozens of cases of water and granola bars topeople who were just sitting in shock on the wreckage of what usedto be their houses. I cannot take credit for buying the water andgranola bars; there were an abundance of relief agencies in all ofthe hardest-hit areas. But I did make a point of stopping at theserelief stations on my way in to the hardest-hit areas because Ilearned very quickly how many people were unaware that there wasany kind of help and support at the perimeter.

“I spoke with many other adjusters while there, somecouldn't take it and were bugging out. Most of all, I realized thatadjusters like me needed to be there to help these people get theirlives back together. Measuring the house is just as importantas taking the extra three minutes to get the family photo album outfrom under the fallen tree and place it back in the hands of theinsured.

“I realize while writing this to you that I was affected by thisexperience—the human experience—much more than in the pastcatastrophes I have worked. There is no question that I would goagain if needed. But no amount of training can prepare an adjusterfor that kind of human devastation. I think it boils down to thesimple fact of there are those that can do it, and those whocan't. It's kind of a calling…and I can do it.”