New-York tribune., 1871-09-23
LIFE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.

"No other company has ever, in any country
or at any tme successful the Life Association
(of Americs) in obtaining business" These are large
words and viii perhaps provoke q sDje OF incredulity
among great majority Of readers They are, how
ever the words Of Hon. w. Barnes, formerly Super
nendent Of the Insurance Department OF the State OF
New-York but consulting counsel and actuary OF
the above Association and who has just issued an eabo
rate and interesting report its condition and affairs on
the sst of December last report In its entirety
tending az It does upward Of Il quarto Of
small print is obviously beyond our grasp with the m-
tied space disposal and We must therefore, con-
fine ourselves to Of its most interesting points
The Life Association Of America" was incorporated
and commenced business the 10th June 1885, and had
at the close Of the year, 1870 interval OF only two
years. months and fifteen days, so well succeeded
that at the cosg of the accounts for the year. the
amount Of risks in force. including bonus a00lEons
an0p- led to no less o than A5oo74o Tor 9slS1l4s)
The nearest approach to this In point OF actual amount
the Economic Of London which, during the fortyseVen
years which have elapsed since Its formation STANDS
credited with existing policies to the extent OF 76la
TOR ass5oss5, The highest British Company on the list
is the Standard, which, after an existence Of forthve
years. has risks In force amounting to e 7N os6 Tor
slss4Sls). The results arrived at by Mr. Barnes are
thus summarized "Out Of the sevepty-one Life in
surance companies transactng business in the State Of
NewYork fourteen only have yet reached the extent
Life Association the close of the last calendar
The time consumed In reaching this point by
the successful Of the American companies trans
acting business in the State Of NewYork was nearly If
teen years. while the age Of the Association itself was
only years six and half months the 1st day OF
January last" This is, indeed, o most remarkably
rapid progress.
Mr. next proceeds to give the statistics with
spect German, Austrian and GermanSwiss life insur
companies compared with the Life Association
are met by the astounding that the Institution
hitherto regarded as the largest life office in the
tuay overtopped. after existence Of less than
fortytwo years by It's infant competitor The existing
ESQ., while those Of the Lie Association ounted
to S6s5.iaO The total number Of German Life Assur,
thirtynne and the total amount assured By them
Sa TSos ns Uns
In another table Mr. Barnes gives statement showing
the relative gross Increase n 1870 Of the amount insured
or risks In force In this list his office stands third
tn the only two offices in the whole Of the United States
claim 70 & In N tS @
This list, excluding the NewEnglspd Mutual Of Boston,
from which returns have been received. gives total
in the Seventy trsn.scns
NewYork State Of t6s (or f1ls more
fe time MI Barnes draws attention TO the fact that
"endowments long and short constitute larger per
short endowments soon pass of oomPany's books BY
normal terminatiop" Withrespect the new German
and fTsnsa o Ss new f BUSINESS Of the
more than onehaf Of the whole SO German companies
Tnited States while Of the whole Of the ten French stock
Companies he finds that aside from the annuity and
tonne transactions they write yearly only about
third more life and endowment risks than the Life sso
citation Of America while Of this the Genera<s and LG
Nationale than half the whole business"
Another Important branch of Mr.. Barness return re-
laes the amount OF each policy IN force The
Association heads the list with an average policy Of
Is s64 (Rll7 followed by the Equitable Of New York,
the Mutual . al; = s Ss anS As Ma
carry It appears much larger risks single LIE than
the
serves that policies covering large amounts are gen
ticay better risks than smaller policies principally for
the that man OF means can escape contanon,
sI and suitable and appropriate remedies for any dis
ease with which he may be attacked. an h S1e @ sao i
will. doubtless, show occasional and more violent
larger number Into the discussion Of this question we
nection with this point the following passage from me-
Barness report simply to show that large policies are
to runs thus In the British companies the hgh aver
policies are mainly due TO revers'cnn mpanss TSs
Equitable is years old, the Law Lie a. the Equity
years sea od TSe London
rupled oldest policies by .ne
II shsr odsst ssa pocies the Scottish the
the Rock and Others have nearly doubled the amount
insured under their first pOcies"
one word may be allowed with respect 70 small pol
icies Mr Barnes informs that tho average policy
n, ermsn Companies Is the smallest OF any Of the lie
insurance natons being only sso4 50 t. 81 about 4lSo
THIS small average almost casses them with lndnsr
in other countres their peststency exceeds
that of the average policies in the United states The
life has many German trustees, directors
and the transpanted German American
bowsyer readily falls into the habit OF taking heaVy
polioies In this country" tAmerica) -
Rnt our space IA exhausted. We must, however, nnd
room TO Congratulate Mr. Barnes on his restoration 70
hesth IN thank him for very interesting report and
10 wisR him long and snccessful career IN hls new
sphere Of operations. lLonoon non'or'