Speaking of requests, The Library gets a number of interesting requests each year. We highlight some of the requests in our newsletters each quarter and provide a number of them online in our Q & A section of the website. But did you know that the library was featured in Star Magazine December 29, 1987? That's right, On the Front cover is "Jeane Dixon Predicts for 1988" and Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were hot honeymooners (not to mention Michael and Bubbles, and Charles and Di) and inside is an article entitled Wild & Wacky Insurance Claims for which we provided the fodder.
This week an instructor was asked what type of policy insured Liberace's hands and Bette Grabel's legs. He replied that it was a surplus lines policy, probably a disability policy in particular. Slate.com discussed just that three years ago when Mariah Carrey also apparently insured her legs.
Perhaps, considering all that's gone on in Haiti in the past week or so, you think this blog post is full of fluff? Maybe you'd like answers to more pressing questions? Are you wondering about insured losses in Haiti? According to a National Underwriter article citing AXCO Insurance Information Services, Haiti is "one of the smallest markets in the Americas with a total non-life premium income of just under $20 million." To put that number in perspective, total non-life direct premiums earned in the state with the lowest dpe,Vermont, is 1,094,361,000 (according to the NAIC 2008 Market Share Report by State and Countrywide) or nearly 55% more.
Insurance Journal has an article that does bring some hope to the situation, at least as far as re-building efforts. Haiti is a member of The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and it appears they will give about 8 million dollars to Haiti after a 14 day waiting period so they can hurry the process of rebuilding along. National Underwriter cites Eqecat as saying the property damage is in the hundreds of millions.
Every little bit does help, though and those in the insurance industry have not neglected Haiti. According to another article by the National Underwriter, many companies have sent donations to a number of relief organizations over the last week. The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, gives details on at least four of the donations. The CPCU Society has also set up a matching program for individual CPCUs and Chapters of up to $25,000 for the Clinton/Bush Haiti fund.
If you'd like to contribute to help Haiti, there are many organizations out there ranging from rebuilding projects, to health and human welfare organizations, far too many to list. The FBI issued some guidlines to make sure you donate to reputable organizations.
