The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-02 00:00:00

THE BRAZILS

LISBON, APRIL 2.

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's ship
Parana, from the Brazils, has arrived here, and will
leave at 2 p.m. to-day for Southampton, with 132
passengers, £5,150 in specie, 500 packages of
tobacco, and 150 packages of sundries.

Briton Medical and General Life Assurance

Society,

The distinguishing pecularities of this office are
Ist. That Policies issued on the profit scale by
peculiar principles of the association become pay-
able during the lifetime of the person assured,
without any increase of premiums. After having
been in force a period of five years policies are ab-
solutely indefeasible and indisputable, and all right
to question them on any ground whatever after
that time is renounced and discharged. A special
clause to this effect is contained in the deed of set-
tlement of the association. 2d. That all the ad-
vantages of a mutual office are obtained, with the
security of a subscribed capital ; 80 per cent. of the
profits will be appropriated to the holders of poli-
cies who have assured according to the tables for
participating in the same. Ten per cent. set aside
to form a fund for the assistance of persons who,
through misfortune or illness, may not otherwise
be able to keep up their policies. The importance
of this arrangement will, at once, be evident to all.
3d. That there is in it secured the adoption of a more
equitable division of profits. To the extinction of
the last payments of premiums sre appropriated
those profits which are generally applied by way of
bonus, thus enabling the association to pay the
policy during the assured's lifetime, providing
against the often-urged objection, " that persons do
not themselves reap the benefits of their payments,"
and adding to the stability of the office instead of
weakening its resources. The profits of the asso-
ciation are so fairly divided that each assurer re-
ceives the whole of the profits to which he is en-
titled, instead of incurring the risk of having them
given to one who dies before any profit has been
really made on his policy, a risk inseparable from
the system ordinarily adopted.
Every contingency incidental to the duration of
human life is entertained. The assured have the
security of a large subscribed and fairly paid up
capital ; and at each division of pia fits 80 per cent.
thereof is awarded them. They have thus no per-
sonal risk, and yet enjeiy all the advantages of a
mutual office. Ten per cent. of the realised profits
are set aside to form a fund for the assistance of
persons who, through misfortune or other-
wise, may not be able to keep up their policies.
The office allows one-half of the premium to remain
at credit, with small interest payable thereon, as a
debt upon the policy for the first five years (subse-
quently renewable for a further term), so that any
one desiring to assure for, say £l,OOO, would only
pay the rates for £5OO. Should he die £l,OOO would
be paid to his heirs or to whomsoever he might will
it, less the due unpaid premiums.
Another advantage is that policies issued on the
profit scale (i. e,, entitled to a share in the periodi-
cal profits) become payable during the lifetime of
the person assured, and without any increase of
premium whatever. How policies are made payable
during the life of the assured, the following table
will show :