New-York tribune., 1875-02-06
CONCERNING LNSuRANCE cOuBINATIOyS
A A LIFE INSURANCE SOLICITOR OBJECTS TO TIE NEW
FoRM-pAYMENr OF THE POLICY BY IT LEFI
OPTIONAL WITH THE COMPANY-TdE NEW DE-

. LIFE INSURANCE SOLICITOR OBJECTS TO THE NEw
FoRM-PAYMENr OF THE POLICY BY IT LEFI
OPTIONAL WITH THE COMPANY-THE NEW DE-
VICE A MAN-TRAP.
TO the Edttor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Insurance combinations" have not
impressed some of your readers wtn the same force
that they appear to have impressed the TRIBUNE To
many Of them the action OF the Board of FIRE Under
writer's In regard to Chicago presented lut modern
illustration Of the marching and cOuutcrlnarehng OF
the King OF France.
Tic companies OF the Chamber Of Life Insurance
have done more than combine % protect themselves
against the effect OF their combination; they nave
ATTEMPTED 10 wrtst the trial OF claim, UpJn their pol
ices from the Jury and coulle them 70 the courts
Now shoad have less objection TO TINS n, in common
with every life insurance agent and hcltor did not
believe that gross deception must Inevitably rake place
under this application II heretofore the compa-
MES have been deceived and deiraudd hereafter the
policy holders Will be the victims Not one man IN one
thousand VIII understand the warranty clause, ana to
him IL Will not be read but slurrtd over vita some
sighting remark and his Signature obtained to what
Will certainly deprive his representative Of al leXal
claim under the policy.
Iraise 10 objection the number character OF te
questions asked in the new appucat.on. desire the
companies to obtain all necessary Information, and
would compel the applicant answer fuiy and truly
But [ would compel him to agree that every answ
is material FJr example. case was recently reported
In Cincinnati where the defense set mp was that the
applicant said ia his application that he resided III I'm
cnnati when in proof that he Ayed just out 0f
the corporate limits, thOugh raDsactug All business h
the city. Here the answer was tcclncaly Ialse but
was IL material the risk whether that MN resided on
one the other side or boundary linef Inc aplH-
cant must, under this new appea on' "srer 'ht, NJ
material when be doe hno" "hrtvt teS
not, aud when 1t Is peculiarly me pro',aee OF
the jury TO decide III disputed case W'eth'r Ihc a
we're not material 10 tae ll-k IN" SI'I
OF Mr.. R3vrr!y Johnson's opinion - - to:.oN-' ,
hS PTt @ .1 ST 9s So, - ao 5Ss' as & the ya c
sha. be mna'efal to the nss But the rli eN VI
rece,1ary raiers mlterialy the rs lat Ia osr
cant; the policy Ills 1t seems to me the', 90 u "h o, @
possible ioi tie representative 81 tie dec 80 '-' sc Dc D M n
= cover 0Poa ,aa poHey Il M ,a & G'1e[ T1 ,fS h-
And rather suppo therefore the eomp'rr' ma II aae-, 70
carry bus when the pub c snt " a9 Tie fA1e o'
the pocy rests uson ami nucertein u'I iia.
would rcscpe lIfo insurance rom "s" ran ana nu
certain fouudanon' as the mrr" grace ana 'av0f"
officers Of companies. without the pteclOn OF cOhr'S'
contracts OF any Kind not likely Ia TIC entered upon
will Tecommend il, but If the companies deprive 1t of
protection OF the eOurtsit VIII re a dnfd As 10
alleged frauds amounting to 's'pNO Year, shcS
either conf ura or there Is evidence OF the
isence in which case ne companles 'ou na1G icvu %
their payments; n these irah.s are mercy cor
jectural they furnish no good l0unIc Tor warranty
Married women insure the lives Of Their husbands and
infant children the lives OF their patbt Neither arc
"a law 20 fgTfe t to fScss s aI
Neither understand the force ana eff ct o. sucn acts
nero favor OF company aud to deprive themselves
of legal rights by binding tbemselvc5 lIetIeyaOy by
wording the contract. Courts |l relieve against
mstai iGc5s hut mistake or law. which THIS war
ranty in'cs upon iSnortut peotI', the courts could
only relieve against by regarding sutI contracts as
against puzzle policy. Is there any e nee ssy ioF so
dc grading IIc insurance policy am a, tldtcd ny
no other motive than the prosperity Ol the business by
IL get my iIyIug. and 10 Il natural that sOhd Oo ct
10 It's being Uurdened with unnecessary difficulties. Yun
remark with much force that mcu 90 not block tb0
doors If companies" but this II reason "hy those
who WOuld GLADLY enter should DC wholly driven away
aud reg rd the companies as mere inantrap'.
Baltimore, Jan. 20, 1875 n l.