The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

Total. I 2192

£349,920 9 9

£38,253 7 II

The past year has been the most remarkable hi the history of As-
surance Societies, on account of the prevalence of the grievous epi-
demic of cholera. The mortality of that disease having greatly ex-
ceeded iu intensity the mortality which attended its first appearance
In this country in 1832, it could hardly be expected that Life Offices
should escape Its influence ; and it is understood that most offices of
any magnitude have- suffered more or less from the ravages of this
disease.
The Directors are therefore glad to be enabled to state that, not-
withstanding that the period embraced by this report includes the
time of the greatest severity of the disease, still the losses from all
causes. Including cholera, have been considerably less than those sus-
tained in the preceding year, and also less than during the year 1846.
The Directors would call the special attention of the proprietors to
the fact, that they have caused a second investigation to be made into
the results of their experience of the mortality of healthy and diseased
lives, as compared w ith the calculations on which the tables of the
Society are founded, and that, after a minute and careful analysis,
they find now, as they tound when a similar inquiry was made in the
year 1845, that the results In both classes of lives approximate most
closely to the nun-11),r of deaths expected under the tables employed
by the Society, whether for the assurance of lives affected by or
threatened with different diseases.
They are quite aware that an opinion is entertained by many per-
sons that the premiums charged by this Company on unsound lives
are too high. But it should be recollected that at the thou this
office was established for the avowed purpose of accepting all risks,
setting its proper value upon each, the attempt was treated by many
as impracticable. The office, however, is fast outliving that opi-
nion, and there are few offices which do not at present accept extra
risks.
The Directors feel that it is their duty to set forward this point
most prominently for the pt'rpose of showing, so far as the test of
eight years' business can prove the correctness of the tables which
governed their dealings with uns,und lives, that the rates charged
upon sash I.vss in no way exceed the actual risks upon those cases.
This experience, as indicating the relation between the presumed
and actual risks und,rtaken by the Society, is also of the more value
from the important fact that, throughout the whole of the eight
years, the mortality from diseased lives has never deviated very
widely from the Society's tables, but has preserved a remarkable
uniformity, and this feature in the mortality of disease was early
pointed out in the preface of the Society's prospectus in evidence of
the safety of this class of business when conducted properly, and
with the helps afforded by the statistics of disease ; and the
Directors are therefore strengthened in their original convictions as
to the value of the data by which they are guided, and the danger
which would be attendant upon adopting any lower rates to out-
bid other companies who may be ineifferent to the aids to be derived
in assuring diseased lives Irom the same scientific sources and sta-
tistical data which have so long been felt necessary ill the best
established and most successful offices for the assurance of ordinary-

lives.
Votes of thanks were given to the Directors and Auditors for their
services during the past year, and also to the Chairman for having so
ably presided at the meeting.
Forms of proposal for effecting assurances, and every other Infor-
mation may be obtained on application to
F. G. P.:NEISON, Actuary.
25, Pall Mall.

SEA, FIRE, LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE.
Established by Act of Parliament,
31, COINIIILL, LONDON.
Capitalloo,ooo/., in Shares of 20s. each, to be paid la fell on allotment,
bearing a guaranteed interest ofb per cent. is perpetuity (irrespective
of further dividends) upon the paid-wp capital.
Application for Shares to be addressed to the Directors at the
Offices of the Society. Marine, Fire, and Life Assurances granted
on the most liberal terms.
Immediate and Deferred Annuities granted on term. especially
advantageous for iovestatent of capital.
By order,
ALM. COLLINGXIDGE, Managing Director.