The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-11
GheQntdliQenlat,
LIFE INSURANCE.

Tho widespread Anxiety and
n s,is,rnst 81 Other Companies,
Caused by tho Failure u Inc
COntinenl ai Lie Insurance.
Company.
New York Thbusc. -, ~.
A "a, pa,utallyto have! been expect
Al ths failure o. the Continental Life
Insurance Company has created wide.
unread anxiety II not distrusl, among the
holders Of policies In other Companies
Wbile il wss known 10, insurance circles
,bs, there was trouble in that COMPANY
month, before it SucCupbeJ, and thai
uroiects for reinsuriDE its risks were
nn,isr consideration, the great mass oil
h. policy.holders had full confidence in
IA solYency, and tho disaster came upon
them quite unexpectedly. There are
many people who never insure their
lives, and who profess an utter want Of
faith in all lilo insurance companies.
Such people arc now very wise after the
eyent, and are ready with II told You 40,
To- heightsn the discontinue the Con
tinenIals victims. To add to the uneasi'
mes, produced by all this in the public
mind, there are the effects Of the long.
continued "hard times, and tho new de-
preston in business caused by the, Com
plicatiOns in national politics. lis mol
Il all astonishing that men whose annual
premiums Of life insurance are coming
due are penetrated with unusual anxiety
90 the subject; are debating whether II
/. worth willie to make the effort needed
for tho payment; are doubttul=-no mat
Ter how high may be the reputation Of the
company Ia which they arc insured ral
10 whether a renewal OF their policies
may no. 10 throwing good money after
bad.
A large proportion OF The premiums
90 Lilo insurancts tall duo during The
present month. The annual statements
Of the companies will not appear till
January. Whatever there may be Of
comfort or encouragement In those
.latvments will come TOO late 10 console
The poIicy.holders who yield to their
fright in December and let their poll.
cios lSPIo. Perhaps some portion o!
lhia danger might DO avoided II it were
posaiblO Tor tho companies, to give In
advance brief, Informal Sketcllos Of
their condition. Some such measure Is
evidently needed TO slem the tide, il the
l,psed policies Of tho present season are
not to ouInumbcr those Of previous
Years.
TO men who are doubtful about re.
uewing their policies, word OF advice
GOems necdful. II the insurance is in
al old company Of good repule, by all
means renew. II It Is In a concern Of
slender resources and with whose name
rumor ia busy, be careful on One point
DO not le! Undertaking policy lapse until
new one has been Obtained in another
company. Il Is far better to have a.weak
insurance than none. Even In case Of
such failure as that OF the Continental,
some portion OF the money invested In
insurance will eventually be paid to The
claimants by the receiver. And in the
great majority Of instances the money
which has been invested In premiums on
lie insurance would not, II lit had not
been 40 laid aside, have been saved at all
BY Its pOssessor. On tho other hand there
l,au occasion for general anxiety respect.
log our lIio insurance companies. Even
though there should prove 10 be one Or
tTo more untortunates in their rank, the
leading concerns are sound beyond all
doubt, and there Is nothing even in The
present troubles which can impair their
'oIvsncy.