Wonder if that WV mine owner had dead peasant insurance on those miners

[AllyCat]

Checked www.deadpeasantinsurance.com but didn't see the name of the mine. It's hard to find them all though since it isn't public record. W.R. Grace did/does. Seems that it would behoove business owners to take out these policies, then have terrible safety standards so they can collect.

But hey, he's paying for the funerals out of his own pocket. How humanitarian of him.

[Sal Minella]

1. He'd almost have to carry Dead Peasant Insurance in order to cover

the costs of the funerals, so he's not out of pocket for anything, yanno?

Bidnis is bidnis, empathy is for the weak. I mean, poor people have empathy, rich people have Dead Peasants Insurance.

[AllyCat]

2. That's what I was thinking too Sal. When I heard he was "paying" for funerals

I immediately thought he would not do that unless it was costing him pretty much nothing. Thought of dead peasants but can't find a good link that says if he had it or not. Some speculation at Think Progress. Would love to know if anyone has found anything.

[supernova]

3. I was wondering that this am too

but so far cannot verity it.

[Froward69]

4. I did read about a brend new workers comp policy

for the mine company/miners. I am unsure when it was obtained. but it is fairly new.

the peasant insurance is something that would be buried DEEP. something the dead miners families would never hear of.

As the Owner said "Mining does have casualties. unfortunately deaths lead to more regulation."
he is an uncaring bastard.

[AllyCat]

6. Found this about the WC policies courtesy of kpete (of course!)

(snip)

Massey Energy Bought Workers Comp Insurance Coverage Shortly Before Mine Explosion
Submitted by dlindorff on Fri, 2010-04-09 12:02.

By Dave Lindorff

Massey Energy Corp., owner of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia where at least 25 miners were killed April 5 in a methane gas explosion, apparently arranged for and purchased disability compensation insurance coverage only a month before the disaster, according to one source with inside knowledge about the company’s risk management operations.

Prior to that, the company, known for its aggressive challenges to workers’ comp claims, was self-insured for workers compensation.

(snip)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4337458

[supernova]

7. Meaning,

they anticipated more WC claims than they had the ability to pay for through self-finance.

[supernova]

5. Would it be in the name of a holding company

further up the line from Massey?

[elehhhhna]

9. probably, yes.

[gratuitous]

8. Thankfully, no one will burden poor Mr. Blankenship with that question

Hasn't Don suffered enough? None of you unfeeling wretches can possibly know the extent to which this explosion has cut into Mr. Blankenship's schedule. And with the Master on teevee and everything. Don't you have the least amount of compassion at all?