While watching the Oscars Sunday night, I couldn’t help but think “What if?” 

Hey, there’s a great movie to be made considering all of the potential risks and catastrophes that could happen.

Grab the gems!

First is the obvious – what if there is a BIG jewelry heist?  There’s over $400 million worth of jewelry worn by the stars, men included, at the annual Academy Awards ceremonies so what would happen if a major robbery occurred?

Actress and 2010 presenter Kate Winslet wore a pendant style necklace of emerald-cut white and yellow diamonds with matching earrings. They were on loan from Tiffany’s and estimated to be valued at more than $2.5 million.  WOW!  You can bet there was special jewelry insurance coverage on those gorgeous gems!

Tom Ford, a leading fashion designer whose tuxedos were worn by countless actors, sported as many diamonds as the ladies.  His shirt studs were each several carats worth of princess-cut diamonds.

Sound the alarms!

Second, what if there is a multiple-alarm fire or act of terrorism.  With such a high concentration of Hollywood stars in one place, the movie-industry would be significantly impacted by such an incident.  Films in production would be shut down if stars were killed or injured, creating an economic domino effect for participating employees, businesses, and locations.  OOPPS!  This is starting to sound like a reality show!

Many of the stars work, with life insurance indemnifying the movie studios, and if people were killed these studios would be receiving life insurance payouts while the industry was frozen.  Then there’s the workman’s compensation side. 

If the actors are employees of a studio or production company, workman’s comp could be called on to pay for a loss of wages and possible permanent disability as it is arguable that the Oscars was a “business trip.”  And, if the federal government declares the incident a “terrorist act”, insurance coverage is questionable as it is an option on most commercial policies and may or may not be covered.

So, do we subject our beautiful starlet to disfigurement by fire or grenade blast in our movie plot so she can get paid for the rest of her life or recoverable injuries for temporary disability payments and a “happy ending?”  In my viewpoint, this definitely needs to be a win for the “good guys.”

The demise of the Oscars?

Finally, what if the doomed ceremony hurts the image of the Oscars and the Academy Awards with its future questionable?  In the world we live in today, I have no doubt that wrongful death and injury suits would be flying around Los Angeles. 

But perhaps some viewers would get the critical message that at least the insurance protection provided monies and peace-of-mind…and our heroine? 

She lives to attend the following year’s award ceremony in a stunning, designer dress adorned with on-loan diamonds, sapphires, and other priceless gems plus her own muscular security entourage.