Wednesday, October 27, 2010

OK, Last Re-Run for the Day. From 3 JUN 10, Insurance Commissioner Question: How Many Cases of Arson in Georgia in 2009?

Short Answer: 1,345 cases of arson in Georgia in 2009.

What's the fastest growing form of arson? Vehicle fires.

Why am I interested in arson? Simple, it's part and parcel of the job at the Insurance Commissioners office. So we had 1,345 cases of suspected arson in Georgia last year according to the GBI's Crime statistics Database and we supposedly have 6 investigators employed at the office of Fire Safety even though they have 15 slots. Why are we short 9 fire investigators? Funding related? Can't find qualified personnel? Why?

With 1,345 cases last year, how many wound up with the investigators at the Fire Safety Office?. Arson investigations are not simple, they require a lot of science to get a conviction and if they're not solved, you and me and all Georgian's get to pay for them in the form of higher premiums.

According to the Fire Safety Website at the Insurance Commissioners office, in 2008, 20 investigators processed 321 cases and recovered $23,456 bucks. That just does not sound right. We had 20 investigators in 2008, they worked 321 cases, about 16 cases each that year and we only got $23,456 back from the arsonists? That's about $73 bucks a case. Where's the beef?

Solution? If elected as your Insurance Commissioner I'll make room at the top of the Commissioners office by weeding out whatever political appointees the Ox put in and use that payroll to amp up the Fire Safety Office to get a better return from Georgia's arson investigation effort. 

Less arson = lower premiums for Georgians.

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