… or just the ones my friends and I deal with? I really should be writing something to promote my new book – You Did What?! But life and death take precedence. My Australian friend Malcolm Auld is on a flight to Spain after his daughter Maya almost died. One reason is because she was ill through eating the wrong food (she is a vegetarian and they don’t understand that in Spain). But the real reason was that the hospital wouldn’t take her in till they had the okay from her insurance company. Cue for Malcolm to go crazy and tear what little hair he has left out while the insurance firm did very little. The sacred Hippocratic oath “first do no harm” is now “first get the money, and if they die, tough shit.” This happens every day in America. Thousands die, possibly tens of thousands every year because they don’t have medical insurance or can’t afford it. As you know in every civilised country (except the U.S.) there is a free health service. Or so I thought – and wonder what’s happening in Spain. I do know what’s happening in England, though. I have spent the last 18 months battling with a UK insurance firm who resolutely refused to compensate me for the £280,000 I lost due to a fire in a restaurant I financed. Actually the cunning buggers employ reptiles called loss assessors to wriggle out of their responsibilities. You would be astounded at the bullshit these creeps trot out to avoid paying money that is clearly due. I’ve even had to hire some people to argue with them. The computer fault was agreed not to be our fault. Because of this fire, the place has been almost unable to operate for all these months. Meanwhile I’m paying the rent … and yes. even the bloody insurance. It was heading towards profit within a year, but their argument is that it would never have made any money, justified by taking two bad months as a basis. I’m quite sure if there were problems on the moon the loss assessor would claim it was made of the wrong kind of cheese. As I said, I should have been promoting my book (which will be out in about 10 days for all to delight in.) If you haven’t heard about it, or been warned – here’s the landing page. |