EXHIBIT 24.8

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned director or officer,
or both, of CRAWFORD & COMPANY, a Georgia corporation (the "Corporation"),
hereby constitutes and appoints PETER J. RESCIGNO and JOHN F. GIBLIN, and each
of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to sign (1) the
Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004;
(2) any other reports or registration statements to be filed by the Corporation
with the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or any national securities
exchange under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all
amendments thereto, and any and all instruments and documents filed as part of
or in connection with any such reports or registration statements or reports or
amendments thereto; and in connection with the foregoing, to do any and all acts
and things and execute any and all instrument which such attorneys-in-fact and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable this Corporation to comply with
the securities laws of the United States and of any State or other political
subdivision thereof; hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any one of them, shall do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these presents this 1st
day of February, 2005.

                                                     /s/ James D. Edwards