Day: October 12, 2008

Rebecca Mowbray – Insurance policies will exclude coverage for floods from broken dams and levee breaches STARTING in January

After reading Rebecca Mowbray’s story in today’s Times Picayune, it’s likely many others now join SLABBED in wishing we could have said good-bye to David Maurstad before we ever met him.  Be certain to keep in mind this quote from reader CLS in our farewell as you read about the new policy language.

If there is no EXCLUSION, then it’s INCLUSIVE. Surely, as head of FEMA/NFIP Mr. Maurstad must have read the exclusions under the federal NFIP contract.  Every single Allstate NFIP policy was paid in FULL to the maximum policy limits. ( Nice job Mr. Maurstad and Mr. Wooley)

Editilla at the Ladder will no doubt agree with NOLA attorney Jim Garner in no uncertain terms.

After arguing in court that water from levee breaches shouldn’t be covered by insurance policies, the insurance industry now says it really means it.

As a result of the litigation in New Orleans over Hurricane Katrina, starting in January insurance policies around the country will contain language specifically excluding coverage for manmade floods from broken dams or levee breaches.

But Jim Garner, an attorney who represented the New Orleans homeowner in the case that went to the Louisiana Supreme Court, and who represented Xavier University in the case before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal, said the language change proves that most of the policies that were in force when Katrina hit were ambiguous, and insurers should have paid.

“I think it underscores why the people were right. If it was so clear, why did they have to go change it?” Garner said. “The industry knew there was a problem. They’ve now admitted it.” Continue reading “Rebecca Mowbray – Insurance policies will exclude coverage for floods from broken dams and levee breaches STARTING in January”

Ike – "some of those who stayed behind didn't have a choice"

On this Sunday morning, the Houston Chronicle provides a story that’s more devotional than news.

It was a haunting statement, spoken with the kind of conviction that now seems to epitomize the story of dozens of people who remain missing after Hurricane Ike:

“I just called to tell you bye and I love you. … I’m going to die. Me and Charles Allen are going to drown.”

Those were the words of Delores Brookshire, 72, missing since Sept. 12. One month after the storm, that phone call, made to her cousin, echoes across the Bolivar Peninsula where 23 people remain unaccounted for and most are presumed dead…

No one knows what happened to Brookshire and her disabled son, Charles Allen Continue reading “Ike – "some of those who stayed behind didn't have a choice"”

Ike – “some of those who stayed behind didn’t have a choice”

On this Sunday morning, the Houston Chronicle provides a story that’s more devotional than news.

It was a haunting statement, spoken with the kind of conviction that now seems to epitomize the story of dozens of people who remain missing after Hurricane Ike:

“I just called to tell you bye and I love you. … I’m going to die. Me and Charles Allen are going to drown.”

Those were the words of Delores Brookshire, 72, missing since Sept. 12. One month after the storm, that phone call, made to her cousin, echoes across the Bolivar Peninsula where 23 people remain unaccounted for and most are presumed dead…

No one knows what happened to Brookshire and her disabled son, Charles Allen Continue reading “Ike – “some of those who stayed behind didn’t have a choice””

Freud on fraud – Sam Friedman puts health care on the couch

Regular readers may recall my previous references to  Freudian psychoanalytic theory, specifically ego defense mechanisms. Simply stated, defensiveness is the unconscious effort to protect the self from anxiety, either through diversionary and intimidation tactics or by distortions of reality.

When a person has an ego investment in a point of view or personal feelings, improper reasoning (fallacies) may be used as a rescue…to persuade emotionally or psychologically, not rationally…

Logical fallacies, IMO, are the hallmark of the 2008 Presidential election – so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised to see a logo with a red herring:

A controversial claim defended by taking the offensive…[and]…setting up a new issue that is more supportable.

Typically a red herring deflects the controversy – but the reference to fraud in the Medicaid/Medicare programs wasn’t enough to deflect the controversy from McCain’s health care plan.

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain’s senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid…[he] said the Medicare and Medicaid changes would improve the programs and eliminate fraud, but he didn’t detail where the cuts would come from…

Sam Friedman’s post, Will healthcare reform be deathblow for McCain put the health care plan on the couch for analysis: Continue reading “Freud on fraud – Sam Friedman puts health care on the couch”