Aptly – given its national anthem is about the flag – the Stars and Stripes is a key part of America’s identity. It hangs in classrooms and in courtrooms, on state buildings and suburban porches.
It has been the national flag since 1777. And the flag that inspired the anthem was enormous. Measuring 30 by 42 feet (9 x 12.8m), it was raised over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Its 15 broad stripes and 15 bright stars inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner, the song that became the national anthem.
First it was spurious claims for whiplash and other injuries, then it was “crash for cash”. Now a new type of fraud is affecting the insurance industry – pet scams.
Dishonest claims on animal policies almost quadrupled last year, making it the fasting growing area of insurance crime. Figures from the Association of British Insurers show there was £1,929,900 worth of pet insurance fraud detected last year – up from just £420,000 in 2009.
Insurers believe frauds include owners getting rid of the animal – by selling it or even killing it – then claiming a payout for early death. The animal may never have existed in the first place.
The need to reuse and recycle raw materials has never been as urgent as it is today. The human race has reached a worldwide population of 7 billion, and America is responsible for consuming a disproportionate share of the planet’s resources.
