New-York tribune., 1875-10-09
PED TaPE IN LIFE INSURANCE.

A great many answers have been offered 10
the mcstion. WHY has the business of insuring
lives fallen Off The fact is not denied; /;
statistics rs well as the daily experience OF the
companics show it clearly. Undoubtedly the
main cause is the general depression OF nearly
nil mercantile and professional enterprises.
Az TO minor causes opinions differ widely /;
but all assume some injustice on the part OF
tbe companies to the insured. 1t il alleged
that there is disappointment among people
who have been deceived by the false promises
and prospects held out by canvassing agents.
The disgust of men who have allowed their
polcics to lapse is said TO have been COM
municated to the general public 1t is sug-
gestcd that if people could withdraw from
their agreements and close their policies as
they do bank accounts by checking out the
balance due, they would be better satisfied.
The extravaganza Of the whole system Is de-
nounccd; men would insure if they were GER
tain that little or nothing would he PAD 10
canvassing agents, that officers salaries would
be cut down, that stockholders would not get
fat dividends. At recent meeting OF State
Superintcndents all these points were rchearsed
by n delegate and he added supposed ten
dency of companies to dispute honest claims
after death There is an element of truth III
most of these opinions, and plans have been
advanced TO do away with some of the alleged
evils.
A CORRESPONDENT whose letter we print to-
day, adds to the catalogue. He has found that
certain companies compel surviy ors to have
long series of questions, many of which are
whimsical, troublesome. and needless, an
swered and certified before the policy Ia paid.
Il is to be hoped the instances arc few. Ger
tanly several of our best companies use sim
pie, brief blanks for this purpose, with no such
absurtlitics as are described. 1t would be well,
however, to have uniformity in this matter,
such as has been partially achieved in forms
for policies and applications. and the simpler
the death claim forms can he made, so that
they intcrposc check on fraud, the better for
all concerned. If the fact were widely pub
llshed that certain c0mpanies-thcir names
being givcn-stil adhered TO fornmlitcs Civ
ing survivors such annoyance. reform would
soon be brought about by the pressure OF popu
lar opinion.
There are really few instances of much delay
i'm settling honest, clearly proved claims after
death. When the payment is made squarely
and promptly. there Is no fuss about 1t, ana
consequently nobody hears OF il outside OF the
family. But if there is hesitation or delay, no
matter how justiiiablc, the story OF 1t Is pretty
sure to he highly cOlOred, to be trumpctcd far
and wde and TO appear in the newspapers, II
not in the courts. One claim disputed
hurts, moro than fifty claims promptly
paid hclp y company Yet il fairness to
honest policy holders dishonest claims must
bc disputed; and their number is greater than
most people imagine. In Europe many policies
are issued where the person that is to receive
the m. ney has no proper interest in the life
;hat he insures. Such insurance is a kind OF
gambling. II is regarded as one OF the causes
why attempts to swindc life insurance COM
panics have been more frequent in Europe
than in this country. But WE are losing our
superiority as to attempted frauds. though our
companies do not issue that class OF policies.
A fair specimen of our native attempts at
swindling was enacted few weeks ago near
O,wego. Three men were in sailboat which
capsizcd. Two of them reported that the
other, newly married man, was drowned.
His widow was soon clad III the haDil-
inients of grief, and presented claim
for his insurance, $4,000. All the vouchers
were promptly prepared: perhaps this was not
one of the cases where superiiuOuS forms anu
questions to prove death claims were insisted
on. The company was on the point OF paying
the claim, when somebody i'll a neighboiing
town recognized the supposed corpse IN the
act of taking his whisky straight-probably to
keep the water out. In the course of subse-
Gucnt proceedings Il townsman OF the trio was
found. who saw them all swim ashore at the
time of The alleged drowning. 1t Is to be
hoped that there is not such general lack OF
conscience as lie displayed about swindling an
Insurance company. The three had let him
into their project 10y the promise of $500 for
silence. "And | would MT ha told you of it,
he said, ''f they d paid me in advance