Ms. Burgess had no way of proving that her experiences with the State Farm adjuster amounted to racism. Mr. Redway said claimants in predominantly white, wealthy neighborhoods generally had a much easier time getting insurers to cover the costs of repairs. “If I were to be in 90210, it’s almost like it’s an open check,” he said, referring to the wealthy Beverly Hills ZIP code. Since company representatives often verify claims and assess the credibility of a claimant through home visits, face-to-face interactions and other measures, there’s always the possibility of bias creeping in. “You can actually see a difference between a Caucasian family and an African-American, Hispanic or Asian family,” Mr. Major said.

Source: New York Times December 29, 2020 15:56 UTC