Monster Hurricane Irma is approaching the Florida peninsula with 150+ mile per hour winds and torrential rain. In its path are the luxurious beachfront homes of the likes of climate change deniers and hateful hacks Rush "Limpballs" Limbaugh and lunatic (M)Ann Coulter who both have homes in Palm Beach. We fervently hope that their homeowners insurance has lapsed.
It's also the location of narcissistic sociopath Donald "Rump" Trump's gaudy Mar-a-Lago property, which Rump purchased in 1985. However, with its 3-foot thick walls, a steel beam foundation, and sturdy construction, it's unlikely to suffer much damage. But don't tell that to his insurance company:
"Mighty Hurricane Frances in 2004 only tore up some vegetation and caused what Trump described as 'a little flooding in the basement.' In 2005, Hurricane Wilma roared in as what was then the most powerful Atlantic storm on record. The loss of a few roof tiles was the only obvious impact. Yet, as reported by the Associated Press, Trump pocketed a $17 million insurance claim. He would later insist there had been damage to 'Landscaping, roofing, walls, painting, leaks, artwork in the—you know, the great tapestries, tiles, Spanish tiles, the beach, the erosion.' But even minor repairs in Palm Beach require a town permit, and the Associated Press found evidence of only two that seemed hurricane related, one for $3,000 in damage to the outdoor lighting and another for vacuuming storm-driven sand from the pool. 'If there were $17 million of damage, we sure as hell would have known about that,' Tim Frank, then the Palm Beach planning administrator, was quoted saying. 'I would have known if there was anything in the magnitude of $100,000.'” (emphasis added)Whether Rump's insurance company did due diligence to assess the "damage", or whether they were threatened by a lawsuit as Rump is wont to do, is unclear. What is clear is that Rump will lie and do whatever it takes to fatten his bank account. Does that now include insurance fraud?
