ARMY OF ADJUSTERS

It now has about 5,000 independent adjusters under contract via 44 adjusting firms. These adjusters are required to make Citizens' work their first priority, and their work will be closely monitored by 68 supervisors inside Citizens. All the adjusters have to go through a training session covering the company's adjusting practices and Florida's building codes.

Last month, the company ran a hurricane drill, mobilizing adjusters and staffers to see how its procedures would work.

Wallace says the company's claims staff has nearly doubled in the past year.

David Emery, Citizens' vice president for operations, contends Citizens is now set up to do what the large, long-established insurers can do: Quickly deploy large teams of adjusters to do early damage assessments and begin the claims-paying process.

The insurance bill passed this year requires that Citizens, and all insurers in Florida, pay claims quickly. The undisputed portion of a claim must be paid within 90 days, or the firms can be sued under the state's bad-faith trade laws. (source:miamiherald.com)