Series of small fires

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

A Charlotte, NC lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars then insured them against fire among other things. Within a month having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company.

In his claim, the lawyer stated 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 lawyer sued.... and won!

In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The
Judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be "unacceptable fire," and was obligated to pay the claim.

Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000.00 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires."

After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance 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 lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and he was sentenced to 24 months in jail and ordered to pay a $24,000 fine.

Swass · Guest

If it sounds too good to be true....

http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/cigarson.asp

patrickengler · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject:

So this lawyer could be referred to as the Burninator?...

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

patrickengler · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 3:14 pm Post subject:

ARROWED!!!!!!!!

Tyler T · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 3:43 pm Post subject:

patrickengler, umm...no. Trogdor is the one and only Burninator as far as I'm concerned.

patrickengler · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 3:46 pm Post subject:

Tyler T,

No. I will not accept this. In fact, I'm going to be a Burninator for Halloween this year.

Tyler T · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 4:56 pm Post subject:

patrickengler, you'll never fill the shoes! Razz

wakeboarder89 · Addict Joined: 15 Jun 2003 Posts: 637

ive heard that before

ohsix · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 6:23 pm Post subject:

What if snopes lied?

Maestro · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 6:26 pm Post subject:

I remember this from a couple years ago.... it was made up then, made up now...

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

I think it's funny whether it's true or not... which it probably isn't...

htownbdr · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject:

I heard this story in Insurance class in college. I then heard it again in Law School. Both places said it was a made up story.

Not to ruin the fun...But, intentional acts (lighting the fire) are not covered by insurance policies. They are either a) not an "occurrence" or b) specificall excluded.

pyrocasto · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 7:14 pm Post subject:

Dang that story is old. Like old old. Fake, and old.
And BTW wes reeves, Snopes NEVER LIES!!!! It's Impossable! Confused

ohsix · Posted: Feb 15, 2005 9:10 pm Post subject:

In my spare time, I'm going to fabricate a story about snopes lying and send it every e-mail in my address book. Then how are people going to check it?

BoardinDan · Posted: Feb 16, 2005 3:31 am Post subject:

You should figure out how to make it so no matter what Snopes says, they are lying, like if they say its true, then its actually false, and if they say its false, its actually true.

htownbdr · Posted: Feb 16, 2005 5:51 am Post subject:

Liquid Lifestyle · Posted: Feb 16, 2005 9:18 am Post subject: