More than just President Bush sported a “deer in the headlights” look post Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. It appears the poor, low income black residents of the Ninth Ward got spotlighted by those insurance adjusters. Blinded by their terrible settlement offers but without resources on which to live while appealing through the state insurance commission, they took the paltry offers and moved on, many unaware of the existence of state assistance in appeals.
Whites took advantage of the state’s help on a 3 to 1 ratio to black citizens. In cases where the state could help both groups get an additional $40,000 in settlement money. Overall, $14.9 billion out of $25.3 billion in insured losses have been paid out according to estimates.
What defense does the insurance industry have for these discrepancies? In their best Abu Ghraib form they blamed low level employees or “bad adjusters” before breaking into a Bush like “unprecedented event” excuse.
Now who gave how much money to Bush/Cheney in 2004? Weighing in at $3.2 million is the insurance sector! The question is who is teaching who here? Either way the public knows, our interests are not at the heart of either group. Mr. Edinburgh, a 75 year old resident of the Ninth Ward said it best.
"The best thing I can do is take the money I did receive and go to work," says the old man, his eyes clouded with cataracts. "Am I satisfied? Hell, no, I'm not satisfied ... Am I mad? Hell, yeah, I'm mad. But to complain about it, what's the use?"
Complain, no but Mr. Edinburgh can vote…
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