The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-12-01

faith in the settlement of claims. They
advertise that they "will paw the last
dollar of their losses :" but they neglect
to insert the reservation s'after adjust
ment by an experienced shaver" The
"adjuster' is man presumed to be q
sort of admirable Crichton in all mat
tiers of value, and to know the precise
productive cost of everything from a
needle 70 an anchor. Instead of this
he is, in majority of cases, diamond
pinned ignoramus in whom impudence
serves Tor knowledge, and who acts up
on the mistaken belief that by cheating
the public he serves his masters. You
insure stock of goods for, say $10,0 600,
and pay the premium on that sum for
ten successive years perhaps. To this
you are annually melted by the gentle
manly conduct of that amiable solicitor.
who approaches you, hat in hand, as the
time for renewal arrives, and would be
pleased to receive your continued pa
tronage. You are then distinguished
cuetomer-whom to serve is exceeding
joy. How quickly fire trensmutes the
characters In this interesting drama |
In place of the gentlemanly solicitor
comes the stern and unyielding adjust
er; and you, no longer q distinguished
stranger, are resolved into a poor re.
lation-a pensioner upon the bounty of
your former servants. In vain you
produce your policies and your cata-
logue of losses to Justify their payment.
The adjuster knows better he has been
in your kind of business himself; he
knows that your goods were not worth
$4,000, nor even $1,000; yet to avoid
delay ar1 trouble he will settle with
you on the basis of the latter figures.
That or nothing, for his word is law,
and you see from the ponderosity of his
watch-guard, the size of his seal ring.
and the expense of his general make
up, that he is q man not to be trified
with. You take the money, which is,
in certain sense, so much clear gain,
and you go home with shattered faith
in human promises. Now, this is not
''paying every dollar of its losses" on
the part of an insurance company. The
"adjuster" comes in at the wrong end
of the bargain. It is extremely bad
faith far company to accept the pre-
MUM on $4,000 valuation and after
wards resolve it into $1,000 loss. II
should satisfy itself that the valuation
is fair one when the premium is paid,
and then, if the fire makes a total
wreck, the settlement should be full and
complete. Between "paying every dol
lar" of loss after the adjuster's gouge
u MY CSIlLS Oh the uOll6r on the orig
inal policy, the moral difference is in
favor of the latter.
'1n brief: The insurance interests OF
this country are so vitality connected
with its business prosperity that the
fairest and most honorable dealing be
tween the two parties to the contract
is an absolute necessity. The law oil
self-preservation should operate, as il
effects the people, in favor of the pa
tronage of the oldest and best corpora.
tions, and as it affects the companies il
should compel safe and equitable rates
and legitimate profit on the invest
ment. But good faith must be pre-.
served or confidence will soon be lost
There are few who would not prefer tc
pay 3 per cent. for the certainty of s
| full settlement rather than half the rate
with the probability of an adjustment
that would reduce the claim one-half
The public is ready to deal fairly with
the companies, but the companies mus
prepare to reciprocate, and pledge
themselves to fair dealing with the pub
lic."