There is an excellent article in today's NY Times about consultants who will handle your insurance claims. These are people familiar with the biz via former employment there and they work for us, for an 8 percent fee of the total claim. Although we have had very responsive agents up until recently, this is a very attractive option for an absentee owner. The cost of travel and lost income from work could easily be more than the adjustor's fee. And it sure beats paying some attorney $500/hr. to send a $35/hr. paralegal over to a meeting! 
