The Baltimore County union., 1883-12-01
.y."a'icaec Baiii@orc county UH On.
FIRE INSURANCE AGAIN.

M,..r.. EEtp.. The article in THE UNIoN pf
Saturday last. headed Facts Worth knowing.
prompts me 10 address you again on the above
subject. one 10 which all property holders
deeply interested, and OF which the majority Of
them are not we'll informed they might DC.
Few persons outside OF insurance circles have any
clear and well defined ideas to the merits OF the
difficult ~ stems Of Insurance or know any thing
Of the status Of the numerous companies doing
business in our State, except what they have
learned from company agents, whose statements
are at best expartc and unreliable and often en-
tireiy false. And yet anyone who will read the
city papers at the beginning Of each year can in.
form himself as 60 the condition Ot all these com.
pRnies by examining the official statements pub.
lished by the Insurance Department Of the State.
IL is made the duty Of the Insurance Coni ssion-
or 10 examine the business Of each company hay-
ing an Office in the State and publish q statement
Of II for the especial benefit OF those needing in
surancc. These statements make n clear exhibit
Of the affairs of each company, showing whether
they arc making or losing money and giving an
insight into their true condition. which cannot be
obtained from statements put forth by the com
panies themselves In their circulars 50 freely dis
iributed. With such facilities tor acquiring in.
formation no one need be Ignorant on this sub.
jcci of 30 much Importance TO owners Of property.
In the ist Of eOmpanics operating in our midst
will be found all sorts and siEes. from the little
fellows with only $1,000 capital to the huge for.
eign corporations boastins their millions Of assets
Many Of these small companies have their
homes In other States, and Maryland affords a ino
6cid for such 60 flourish in, a. she allows insur.
anee companies 10 be run here on less capital than
Is required elsewhere. These small companies,
however, serve one useful purpose, they often en-.
able Us to &c, our hazardous property insured at
lower rates than the larger ones will take IL for
Then there are companici which make a speciality
Of certain kinds OF property. Some insure only
farm property, and several ofthese have acquired
extensive business in the rural districts chiefly
by the putting Of their agents, but among insur.
anee men such companies have not the best rcpu.
tation. They assert that only those companies
which do a general business have proven them.
selves 10 be the most reliable. and that no com.
pany can do n profitable business through a serie.
of years on one class of property eniy. Our Bal
timorc city companies do not banker after farm
property. and consider tho rates charged by the
mutuals aud farm property insurance companie.
- entirely too low, and insinuate that they will
get their fingers burnt" some Of these days.
Among the companies represented In this State
are several having their home Offices in Europe,
and the question has often been asked are they rs
reliable as those Of our own county!
Foreign insurance companies doing business in
the United States required TO give security for
the protection Of their American policy. holders,
and this fact causes somc 10 have higher opin.
ion Of them. but We have some large companies
In our county quite as reliable and notably
fund Law. which afford as ample security to their
policy holders as any Of tho foreign companies.
Still all Of the latter having offices In Baltimore
have acquired regulations for honesty and fair
dealing. excellcd by none u our own companies.
Most Of them insure country property and often
at rates as low or even lower than our mutuais or
those companies making n speciality of farm
risks, and their settlement Of Losses are usually
made with promptness and liberality, n many
citizens of the counties can testify.
In conclusion, Messrs. Editors, allow inc 10 say
TO any of your readers having property to insure,
don't think you can save money by attending TO
such business yourself. TO 10 some agent that
you know to be truthful man or, perhaps bet.
ter still, 20 some broker or general agent who has
no notion 10 deceive or misrepresent. His seF-
vices will cost you nothing aud the probabilities
are that he can get you insurance ut lower rate
than you can by applying In person at any Of the
eompsnies' Offices aud oefnre your policy expires
he will notify you ia time for renewal and save
you from the fate Of many who have been burnt
ou, after the expiration Of policy they forgot to
renew.