Post Blog: Christchurch Earthquake - A Loss Adjuster's Diary (Day five)

This is my last blog from Christchurch before I start the long journey home, and I write this after a day of destruction in Auckland following yesterday's tornado. Sadly three people died and hundreds of have been displaced. The world remains a very unpredictable place.

Adjusters will play a central role in the recovery, as they have with the earthquake, especially in settling the claims for Christchurch cathedral.

This is Christchurch's most iconic structure and there is understandably a lot of emotion around its future.

A High Court judge recently stepped in to halt its demolition, explaining that the building's future is "legitimately in the public arena".

In the meantime, church authorities have been building a transitional cardboard cathedral.

As I leave Christchurch, I sense a city no longer forgotten and one that is on its way back. The government has unveiled a NZ$30bn (£15bn) recovery programme containing 20 key projects to boost the city's economy.

The bill will be split 30% private insurers, 40% New Zealand's Earthquake Commission and 30% the government.

From what I see and hear, I am confident that this lovely city will once again become a vibrant, attractive hub for business, entertainment and new residential areas. It is great to think that in a small way loss adjusters are playing a positive role in this journey.

Before I sign off, I phoned my wife this morning to tell her I had been to Tiffany's in Christchurch. She thought I had bought her some expensive jewellery for Christmas.

She was sad when I explained that it was a fine dining restaurant just reopened following extensive earthquake damage.