The daily gazette., 1883-02-20
FACTS Ol 4 INSURANCE.
THE SECOND b REPORT or CON-
MISSIONER M'FEE.
CONDITION OF THE DEPARTMENT
An Interesting Dspartmsnt. which shows
Our Healthy Insurance System and
Gives Some ValuabIe Information.
Especial CORES pondence Of the Gazette.

tSpeeial Correspondence Of the Gazette.
DOVER, Feb. 20.-The second bienniei re-
port of Insurance Commissioner John r.
McFee was read IN the House to-day. II Is
worthy Of publication entire, and is as fol-
lows:
INSURANCE DEPAHTMENT, GEoRoErowN,
DEL, Feb. 49,. 18s3.-To the General AS
sembly of the State of Delaware: have the
honor to submit, in compliance with our
law, the second biennial report Of the De-
partment. As ttR .ff
AS the department Is comparatively new
10 the State, having been established only
in 1873, and as many Of our citizens desire
70 know what, If anything, 1t has accomp.
lished, / trust 1t may be permissible and not
unbecoming to say that during Its brief ex-
istence 1t has SUCCEEDED in winning the con
fidence of insurers and insured both at home
and abroad, " has studiously avoided all
Unnecessary display, 1t has never coveted or
cOurted popular applause but moving un-
obtrusively and quietly, with no smell of
political partisanBhip upon It's garments, its
course of action has made manifest It's efiiL
cheney to all who have had business rela-
tions with 1t. The large increase in the
business Of insurance III the State, and the
growing faith Of the people in the necessity
and benefit Of insurance are attributable, In
a great measure, to the supervision and care
of this department. In 1879 the number of
companies authorized to transact business
In the State was So. The number had In
creased In 1882 I'd 70. The department has
guarded and projected the insurance inter
ests of the State to the utmost of the power
entrusted to II by the General Assembly.
II has prevented the State from being flooded
with speculative and fraudulent companies,
which persistently but vainly sought to gain
admission. 1t has encouraged and assisted
the entrance of all sound and solvent insur-
ance companies. II has established proper
and an efiectual aystem of accountability by
assessment or cooperative companies, and
1t has endeavored to fully perform the duty
enJoined upon 1t by the law ito see that all
the laws Of this State respecting insurance
companies are faithfully executed"
NUMBER OF COMPANIES.
During the yearending December3 81, 1881,
seventy-two insurance companies were au-
thorized to do business inthis State. They
comprised thirty4fve lire and Are and ma
rine Insurance companies OF other States,
eighteen foreign fire companies, eight life
companies Of other States, two liie and acci-
dent eompaniesJ two mutual aid associa.
lions and seven home companies; but ON the
10th Of August, 1881, one Of these compa-
nies, the Delaware State Mutual Fire tnsur-
ance Company OF Wilmington, reinsured its
risks in the Queen Insurance Company of
Liverpool and ceRsed TO do business In the
State. q III N WA t
During the year ending December 81, 1882,
seventy-six insurance companies were au-
thorized to do business In this State. OF
these, six companies are Incorporated under
the laws OF the State, one of which Is joint
stock fire insurance company, and the other
five are mutual Ire Insurance companies.
There were thiEty-two fire and fire marine.
companies Of other States, nineteen foreign
fire companies, eight life companies of other
States, two life and accident companies, six
mutual aid and relief associations, two fidel-
fly and casualty and guarantee companies
and one live stock insurance company duly
authorized to do business in the State for
the year ending December 81, 1882.
CONDITION OF COMPANIES.
Copies of annual statements OF said com
panics for the year ending Dec. 81, 1882, and
tabular statements setting forth the assets,
liabilities, income, expenditures, premiums
received, losses paid and incurred, risks
written and risks in force Of said companies,
together with other information showing
their business, condition and standing, will
be found annexed to this report. also sub
init lists of insurance companies and of in
suraRce agents authorized 10 do business ia
this State during the year ending Dec. 81,
1880 fsHf : .a1 t.l