Global claims management group Crawford & Company reported net income of $US36 million ($46.99 million) last year, recovering from a $US45.5 million ($59.38 million) net loss in 2015.

However, revenue dipped slightly to $US1.11 billion ($1.45 billion) from $US1.17 billion ($1.53 billion).

CEO Harsha Agadi says a “vigilant focus” on expense reduction allowed earnings growth despite a difficult revenue environment.

He says the acquisition of a majority interest in innovator WeGoLook – which describes itself as the Uber of inspections – will provide “an economical, high-quality, customised, fast and efficient inspection service that addresses the needs of a variety of subsectors within our industry”.

“Importantly, this acquisition further expands our presence into adjacent markets and is intended to reduce the company’s dependence on severe weather, positioning Crawford to deliver more predictable financial results and revenue growth over time,” he said.

Mr Agadi says the focus this year is on generating organic growth while maintaining cost vigilance.