Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-04-24
Life Insurance.

Life insurance treats every productive life as
having a definite, absolute money value; not to
ITSELF but to some one else who depends upon the
the accomplishment Of certain pecuniary results
which are endangered by the liability that the
life may prematurely fail against this danger it
offers indemnity. The life of the husband and
father produces for his family home, food clothes,
education, and every means of improvement and
usefulness; in word, all they have are, or ran
hope to have or be, comes and is to come from his
toll and care, The cost Of these from day to day
is the money value Of his life to them Sum up
the cost OF these for all the time he should live to
reach the limit of existence and you have the full
value of his life, the actual money capital it repre-
sents to them, that which they would lose and are
daily in danger of losing by his death. Every
man has to expend for his family a certain sum
annually; his family will need that certain sum
for an indefinite future period, probably as long
rs he may live. The average after lifetime of
man aged thirty is, say thirty-fve years. His
family should therefore, be enabled to receive an
annual income sufficient to meet their necessities
for that period at least but this income is under
constant hazard of loss by his death Now the
sum of money which, being put at six per cent in
terest, will produce sum sufficient to meet their
necessities each year for thrty-fve years, is the
cash value Of his life to his family this is their
own rightful property in his life, which, instead
of being secured to them beyond peradventure,
they may at any moment lose wholly and forever.
This sum they must have ready to be provided in
the emergency to make them whole pecuniary
for the loss of his life. This is the average pecu-
mary equivalent of his life,
This sum life insurance provides 1t brings to-
gether multitude of men and makes them agree
with each other that when one dies the survivors
will pay to his family the cash value of his life,
which they accomplish, after ascertaining the rate
Of mortality and assuming safe rate of interest
by paying into the common fund fixed sum each
year of their lives The money loss falls not on
the helpless family, but on the working producing
multitude, and, by thus having provided the value
of each life, every family is to receive that
which its head would provide if living. In a
word, their risk of loss has been assumed by the
multitude and the cash value of the average life
time of the husband and fatheris secured to them
beyond contingency
And so in general terms, no matter in what par
others, whether as husband, parent, debtor OF
| otherwise, il any one be entitled to receive any
benefit of his productive energy his life represent,
| so much capital, with constant hazard of loss
against which life insurance furnishes indemnity
For the last few years life insurance has been on
the defensive by reason of the results of bad man
| agement in many companies and the extravagan
| and false statements which many have used in pro
| curing business. The main question has beer
| whether any and what companies could surviv,
| the combined effect of severe and protracted bust
ness depression and of general distrust, Nothin.
| but time could answer the question and tina
answer has been given. Wel-managed life in
| surance companies must be admitted to the ranl
| Of permanent Institutions The system has prove,
its right TO exist, both by the great good it ha
already done in every town, village and neighbor
hood in the country, and by its proven ability u
fulfill in the future the greater good it has prom
ised This business, rs a whole, has borne il
crucial test with less of loss and disaster, proper
tionately, than has been suffered by any other
And the community has had the means Furnished
for reasonable discrimination between the goo
and the bad
The time has therefore come when u c0mpan
that has clear record In the past and who's
present strength is beyond doubt need stand n
longer ON the defensive but may confidently ~
sert its claims to confidence, and urge upon thos
| who need insurance the performance of thei
duty In full assurance that the trust repOsed |
such an institution will not be betrayed, In ye'
! Of the age, experience, and past record of tn
Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company as t
fair dealing, careful management, and the mag
niftent accomplishment of its purposes; and {
the exhaustive examination il has undergone
the hands OF an able and impartial commission
e appointed by the legislature of the state, whic
. has given its condition and management an NJ
qualified Endorsement, there Is no good reaso
i why any who need for their families the indemnii
II offers should hesitate longer, There was new
V time when life insurance Was more needed tina
| ia M al. mol Ia Ia.
recent habit of distrust which is fast being owe
4 come, ms the weak and unreliable companies a
J. being weeded out, and people are coming 10 n
" derstald that the old aud tried plans aud cor
!. lanies are safe heyond all contingencies II
Z thiny second annual statement OF the Connoctic
= Mutual Life Insurance Company will be found
: our advertising columns this week, and to ii v
invite particular attention.