The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-07-08
AbS~s insurance Companies.
fCommunIoated.l

iHc iolioWluS iusuIduCc YUM pdulcbS
VIZ: The Insurance Company Of North
America, Etna Insurance Co., Albany
'Chy Fire Insurance Co., n. Y, and the
Putnam Fire Insurance Co., seem to have
fallen on very easy plan OF discharging
their liabilities ar insurers, whenever
their patrons happen to meet with
loss. This Is particularly true where the
insured are poor and the amount OF loss,
consequently, inconsiderable. The plan
Is simple, and, to say the least, II not
dishonest 1t is msnifestly oppressive. It
will be observed that the home offices Of
all these companies are in other States,
and the construction given to the act Of
Congress permitting a party when sued
I'm State court outside Of his own State,
by citizen Of another State, 10 remove
the cause by petition into the federal
courts, has extended its provisions TO
foreign corporations.
Now, experience has shown that par.
ties living I'm Cairo cannot prosecute
suit upon policy Of Insurance In the
federal court, at Springfield, for less than
at cost OF from two To five hundred dol
lars; and a great portion OF this eXpen-
diture has TO be advanced In the first In
stance by the plaintiff, and large por-
ton Of 1t j. never recovered back, let the
result of the suit he what IL may. Hence,
To require the unfortunate sufferer from
fire where the loss Is bat a few hundred
dollars % 60 into that court, f. equivs-
lent TO denying him redress and defeat
Ing hrs claim altogether, however Just
and nceritorious that claim may be. One
would suppose that sense Of justice and
common honesty would not allow these
companies to avail themselves of such
an unworthy and oppressive advantage,
but we are sorry to say that such is not
the case.
These companies come here, open mag.
nificent offices, advertise extensively,
engage the services OF some OF our best
citizens and mos polished gentlemen,
who vie with each other In eytolling the
virtue and magnaaimity OF their respec-
tive companies! Day after day pre-
miur,s are paid and policies are renewed
without u word OF grumbllng on the part
Of the assured. Hut let loss occur and
how Is II? Some foreign agent must be
sent here To look into the matter. and he
goes smelling around for a day or two,
to see IL he can't discover some fraud,
foul play or something wherein 10 base a
plausible excuse for doing that which
| was intended all the time, viz; refusing
! 10 nav altogether. Finally, some mag
! mary excuse Is given % the assured why
! the company cannot pay, but in order 10
| Impress the community with the idea
! that the companE l. very magnanimous,
! he Is offered one-half or one-third, as the
/ case may be, Of what he Is justly enti-
| tied 10. II he refuses 20 take IL ana
! brings suit here, az home, where his wit
! Desses and attorneys are, and where he
/ can afford 10 enforce his legal rights at
| ne-fourth what il woul5 cost him at
| Springfield. This magnanimous COM
pauy, that received the hard earned pre-
| MUM with so much complacency, and 20
many assurances Of Its honesty and lib
| erality, comes into court and presents its
petition setting forth that 10 Is non-res-
| ident Of this State, and the ease Is at once
removed TO Springfield, where, In many
ccses the plaintiff wholly unable 10 fol-
| low it. TO give an instance of the kind
will mention the case Of James Suiii-
van W.. the Putnam Fire Insurance Co.,
which has been removed NJ the present
term Of this court 10 Springfield. The
plaintiff, poor laborer living In the up
per part OF the city, having by honest
| industry saved OF his hard earnings
means enough 10 secure him little
home for his wife aud children, was in
dVced by the very fsttering accounts OF
this company, to have II insured. We
are Informed that the agent of the COM
| paDy, NJ the Time OF MAKING the pOllcy,
went In person and made n survey OF the
premises, aud risk OF four hundred
dollars was taken on the property. All
was right and everything fair Mca, but
noU We are told that the company alleges
that IL has been greatly imposed upon
In estimating the value OF the property,
and for that reason refuses TO pay the
loss. 1t Is strange that this did not occur
| 70 the company when 1t was receiving
the premium. Had the discovery been
made then the premium would have
been proportionately smaller! The plain
tiff in the case now has the very disa-
| greeable alternative presented to him Of
either abandoning his claim upon the
company altogether or prosecuting II In
the federal court at Springfield, at cost
OF three or four hundred dollars-the re-
suit In either case being a substantial
loss OF his property. This Is all wrong.
and we say 10 the property owners OF
Cairo and elsewhere, spot these compa-
mics! IL you have property 10 insure, se-
lect some solvent home company or
some highminded and honorable foreign
| company which has not sullied It's repu-
tat on by defeating just claims against 1t
| In this manner
In conclusion. we repeat. "spot these
companies