Insuring Cigars
Strange but True…
A man from Charlotte, North Carolina, having purchased a case of very expensive cigars, insured them against, among other things, fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile, the man filed a claim against the insurance company, stating that the cigars were lost ‘in a series of small fires’ .
The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The man sued – and won.
In delivering the ruling the judge, agreeing that the claim was frivolous, stated nevertheless that the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure against fire, without defining what it considered to be ‘unacceptable fire’ , and was obliged to pay the claim. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid the man $15,000 for the rare cigars he had lost ‘in the fires’ .
After he cashed the check, however, the company had him arrested on 24 counts of arson. With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the man was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
January 15, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
Not trying to sugar coat it. Would just like my choices left up to me. We are ruled in far too many ways. Have to wear motorcyle helmets, have to wear seat belts, have to do this, have to do that. Yes, these are good laws. But again, it takes our choices away from us!!!!!!!! What other choices will they take from us. That is what frightens me!!!!! What will it all lead to?
January 15, 2010 @ 10:08 am
what ever you all no smoking is bad for your health do u enjoy hacking up puick every morning really it is your choice but dont sugar coat it
January 15, 2010 @ 7:50 am
good genes will keep you alive,my uncle lived to be 97 and he smoked most of his life, I think he started at 8 years old.My family all live to be old the youngest died at 89,I am 55 and expect to live 40 or 50 more years.
January 15, 2010 @ 6:46 am
I am hounded by Doctors i visit for many slight medical problems to Stop Smoking…..Five very Dear Friends of mine were also hounded over the years and gave it up….. “The Smoking Habit” about a year or so after giving up Smoking they were all “DEAD”…… There Are Now MORE DRUG ADDICTS OUT THERE…… Taxing the Health System…. Than there is Smokers but who gets more Crap thrown at them “The Smokers” polluting the air of a now paranoid public because they, Smokers, are Public Enemy Number 1 for causing Every Bodys Woes that have now crept into their lives….
I am not saying that smoking is the cause of all our ills but to single out one thing as the probable cause when there are so many others in the air we breathe and food we eat and water we drink so laced in all other things that we also use to sustain our lives and we still see so many people we love die at All Ages from a very young age and upwards, to crash and burn without many realistic explanations, as to, “WHY” it happens to some and not others. Then maybe then is it about time that someone in the know should try to stick their neck out on the line to find out more about the Health Decay that is taking so many lives……
January 15, 2010 @ 2:42 am
Brenda, I agree w/u. Very tired of this government telling us what is good for us & what isn’t! No cigarettes, no trans fats, no McDonalds or Burger King, no snack machines in schools!!!!!! Where & when will it end??????? Leave the choices to individuals!!!!!! Last I heard, they were trying to pass a law to limit 2 children only per family!!!!!!!!!
January 14, 2010 @ 10:54 pm
how much premium did he pay for the policy eh?
January 14, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
This fable has been around for decade or more. Read Snopes.com and you see that it’s a fabrication.
January 14, 2010 @ 9:28 pm
Have you notice on tv cigarettes are band but its ok for alcohol commericals. I smoked for 50 yrs close to two and a half packs a day until i had a heart attack my lungs are no good caused from smoking i stop the 21 of march it is hard i wantone every day but i also want to live also people stop and think i know we are going to die but you can also shorten your life also i know. shorty.
January 14, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
I wish people leave us alone about smoking we,re going to die either way
January 14, 2010 @ 6:31 pm
I just wander if we could get by with sueing the cigarette factory’s !They sure do burn up alot faster than they use to .!!