, 1879-04-10
Progress OF the Life.insurance
Companies.
An Aggregate Increase Of 1000. 900
in Net Surplus.
Tho Large Companies Extravaganza In
Salnries and Kcuts.
The Fire-1nsuranco Companies
Still in Trouble.
Threatened Adverse Leg;slation~-An Ec
centric Insurance Editor.

Sptttat Cor7stpondente NJ Jht 1rtbuns.
NEW Yonl:, April 7.-LIic-nslirance statistics
nrs usually pretty dry rradinE, but It Is only by
diligently studying item tlmt ons cat' arrire at
nny intelligent conclusion with reference to The
netual progrcas Of tho business. Tlcrs has
becu 30 much odiutn cast nlWs, ths business ny
tl,r developments of thr past two years. tttnt
The popular impression llas been that tie conn
panies haye all becu going from had 10 worse.
We'll, tho figures compiled from tho lntest
official reports do not cxactty provo TINT the
curn1non opinion is correct, but they demon
strntp tl.at thu amount being paid for llsG.in-
suracc Is far lets than furtncrly. Tie following
iH d statement ri the iueulne Of u!l tlle Coi1l-
panies do'uE business III New York for the past
tN0 years:
Aggregate premiums IN ls77..... ....s0l. 511, 1872
Aggregate premiums III 1b73...... b8+ 6'a. Ae0
Loss Of inconu, ....".....S 0,o7F,O:'@
Thcse figures show the relation Of the public
to the COMPANIES.
oTnEn coMrAnlsoNs OF LIFE BUSINESS.
It appears that, notwithstanding The deficit In
premium Income, tic companies rs Whole
gained larrc'y IN gross assets, and relatively 10
surplus, as shown by the following:
Gross admitted nstets In 1b77... -s408 190. S;5
uroys admitted u'sels in ls78.....,.- 515ait, lis
GaIu ......"........... .........s .AH: lG0
Total abilit!ct exeept capi!a,; 1877. s3l5, !S! !
Total lnbllitius except capital, l81H $50. i3i.Nl1
Gaiu.".,.... ...... ....."-..S II, lnu 'ts9
Net surplus ot all the companlrs. ~, ~, ,oo
Nj s sasplns M Dec. III, is7s.. ualsi,ulH
Gain in 1s7s s7s......................s :,l47, 1sa
EXPLANATION or PUZZLE.
The foregoing aggregates arpcar ut first glnnct
to contradict each other. Tile uppnrent fnct In
tho first instance Is that the companies lust six
millions in their income, and Increased their ill.,
Lllttics four aud half millions, and yet In
creased their net surplus over two millions!
Tile reader l,uy ask huw this cali he. The key
to tho problem lies in these figures:
potcica In force. 1877 600. 25e
Policies In torcc. le1o'..' .....'. 80. .-..Goot'
Lsp.ca poliescs.... -. ~, 10
Tlluse figures provo tint the eonlpanics were
able to deduct fruln their liabilities the amounts
| uf reserves held against tlle % 5U0 policies
| which intlscd during the year. This ls 1nnde
further apparent by tho total amount at rs1s, as
| loalows: .
Wnolo sum Insured, 1s7?. ....s1. 600 $50. sl4
Whole saui Insured, 1a's.'''. 80. 1'hlo 49, ilo
Loss in amount insured 80. rs III, aaH, :io8
Hr1cty, it may bu stated TINT the reduced in-
surnnres reduced alsU tic reserves required to
bc held US liability against ruliccs III force,
| nul titus, by reducing the liability. gave tho
companies tiie benefit Ut an Increased surplits.
'l'he additional asscss werc derived evidently
| from aecun.ulations Of income or enrninEs uuon
| Investments over previous years with d!ninsE-
| cd lOsBG1 n1ll expenses,
| ExpERlENcE or INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES.
The particulars Of tho experience of co1upa-
| MES shows widr difference. Fourteen out Of
thirty-eght companies show fallhE of IN
| gross assets, the balutlce Varying tHcrcasc.
Tile lnrgcr companies report the following ls-
| urc8: i.