The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-09-06
INSURANCE MATTERS.
An Interesting letter Oh the subirr; rrom
Victim,

New York, May 81, lS77.-Mr-,
Vice President etc,-Near Sir | am in
receipt of post ,... ,lvising that my
next annual premium (policy No. 43,369)
is $l47 93. Thereby | am reminded
that the life insurance business, AZ man
aged by your company, il, like the prov
idence of God, "past finding out" |
began paying $50 cash and S52 note ON
this policy in 1867. II seemed an mex
pensiye luxury. 1t would have been if
! had died. uuhappily survived, and
and now for ten years have been
struggling as much to keep the policy
"a myself alive. But the appetite of the
policy, observe, does grow by what IL
feeds on, and the danger is that it will
shortly exceed its demandsand my ability
to answer, and shall see 1t die on my
hands. The steady and constant increase
in the amount of premium on this policy
began to excite my curiosity, not to say
my admiration. several years ago. The
agent to whom applied for enlighten-
ment--.I have passed through the hands
Of five or six EACH of whom have amassed
fortune and rctred---s0 overwhelmed
me- with mathematics Of the most
mixed and abstruse character that | fell
back from the investigation greatly hui
inflated at my own ignorance, and pro-
foundly impressed with the resources
Of either the company or the
agent could not decide which. |
think ! realize, and | hope appreciate
gratefully, the benefceut operation of
this steady progression in cost of the
policy. 1t makes one contemplate death
with resignation, and to look upon that
contamination as checkmate to the
company. Did you ever think how Booth
or John Mccullough might improve
Ilamet's soliloquy and thrill any orji
nary audience by lust holding up one o
your life insurance policies ~ suiting the
action to the word, at the passage
"Thcre's the respect that makes caIamit!
of 20 long life p .
But fear ! trcspass on your time, is II
| true that insurance officials, nOtwith
standing the meagcrness Of their salaries
are overwOrked will come At once tc
business. | need not trace the steady,
upward progress of these premiums.
Sufficient that last year paid Sll2.75,
and this year YOU call for $ll7.03 upon a
policy, the annual premium on which
was Sl32 ten years ago. At this rate OF
increase, and with my discouragingly
sound health cannot undertake to com
pete with the company. | am aware, o
course, that a policy holder who has pait
ten annual premiums can hardly cXpcc
the consideration due those who, not be
ing insured, seek information. Being
fish in the basket, | do not expect the con
siderati3n due one in the sea, and yet
would like to know whether policy No
1860 has any surrender value? c'aI
you give any information on the sub
ect? ] am already in possession of
considerable accumulation OF tracts
pamphlets, circulars, almanacs, caIcn
dars, and extracts from religious news
papers which afford abundant knowledg
as to the facilities and methods for get
ting into life insurance what ! seek nov
is information to get out.
"ParGOn me, sir, if | have used to-
great a familiarity in addressing a MAJ
whose acquaintance with logarithms an'
mortality tables, and the diffcrentla
culculus entities him to the name @
benefactor and the salary of actuarv.
am not ignorant of what is due the repre-
tative of S27 600 900, if that's the figure
Of assets. | address you because you
name appears on the seductive pOsta