The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-03-05

III IL Dhu enough 10 BuD16CL L0b DOlCy-nOlO0fS
to the treatment they have received In the YER
mont Accident, without advising them into
second bubble blown from the same suds
Allow me to quote few lines from the last
and only report ever made by the managers of
this dead lion
who have been successful IN business, who have rspu
atons to sustain and intend to manage this association
fully demonstrated that basis OF business is sound
one Of the strong Institutions Of the state.
And the last agents manual contains the fol-
lowing:
" Character and stability of the association. This
association Ia the only mutual accident company in the
Vermont
How about the United States Mutual Acct
dent In which the directors arrange for US TO
re-insure?
is managed by who have held the highest Offices
IN the state and who have acoumu ted fortunes in suc
compsen to perform the duties required OF them by the
association.
They should say except to act as secretary.
pas are ~ "a Gg s asa the to
four and eight months from date OF certificate Yet
claim ia made for loss the balance of the years dues
that the party may be owing association, will be de-
Quoted from the claim and also any that has
S they insured AGENTS should also
a they only pay hs - the first
long as dues and assessments are pald"
| NOW Iudb - oApllCilJ uO CudnCe mlbun-
derstanding. They say agents should explain
this fully. Now that Is the very point we
want explained to our dull comprehension.
! We want to know why, IL they act on those
instructions to agents, they should charge
claimant what they call ian adjustment due
Of SO, and IAN indemnity assessment" for
which they give no credit 1t was charging
an unfortunate policy-holder SO, and whatever
his assessment might be for paying the claim
ant what they honestly owed him Take the
Of (1pOrQe f. Wilkinson NJ Moutpaliar
whose assessment was SLIGO He had paid his
dues for the year. His claim was allowed.
He signed receipt and returned 1t to the
company. They deducted the adjustment
dues, SO, and an indemnity assessment of
81 60, making S4 go for which he received no
credit. Others informed me that they re-
ceived the same treatment. For instance,
take railroad brakemen, So per week was the
extent of weekly indemnity allowed them.
Suppose one received an injury, disabling him
one week. His claim would be So The COM
pany charged him :" adjustment dues, 49,"
" indemnity assessment, 49," That is the reg
ular assessment for freight brakemen. This
would leave the victim owing the association
81. Isn't that fine protection! Is it any
wonder an institution of that description
should come to grief? Gentlemen, | ask you
10 all candor by what right did you extort
from the unfortunate claimant that trumped
up Indebtedness? Some, presume would call
a transaction of that kind robbery-but call it,
well, reallv gentlemen can think of no mider
term to call it. Do you suppose a member
would continue to pay after being defrauded in
that manner No, gentlemen. he would say:
" Goodbye sharpers You have fooled me
once, but will guard myself in the future and
I'll see that my neighboTs are informed of the
facts. That gentlemen, is the cause of
policies lapsing to such an extent Had it been
honestly and properly managed, it might have
run an indefinite period OF time. Most of the
claimants we're treated as though they were
thieves and liars; and instead of trying to
please and satisfy them, and retain them in the
association, the reverse course was pursued II
a claimant thinks he has been honestly dealt
with, it is a lever of the greatest power to &C.
cure new business, and you also retain the old
members. II you will examine your books,
you will find a majority of those who have set
tied claims with you were dissatisfied, and
lapsed their policies. Why is it not SO in other
companies No doubt there we're many dis
honest claims presented, and many were paid
that ought not to have been. Many frivolous
claims were paid because the men presenting
them were men of influence, and those were
men usually carrying the largest indemnity,
while one belonging to the common run of
dace would have a similar claim rejected
Those are the rocks on which your gallant
bark was wrecked, and that kind of manage
ment would wreck the staunchest accident ship
that ever sailed. Gentlemen il your ship had
been seaworthy, you would have had no diff
Guilty in finding plenty OF competent men to act
as pilot, or to have taken the helm and guided
her safe to port. will say nothing about SO
fched from one OF your agents and no equiva-
lent rendered, not even reply to bis letter.
, Please inform us il the proceeds of this sharp
practice found its way into the pockets of q
Uery few, or has it been divided pro rata
among the managers? lam firm 10 the belief
that the former is the true solution of the case
But, gentlemen, the duty devolves on you to
investigate fully and give us the desired in
formation. am confident that very few shared
in that questionable dividend. | do not be-
lieve that the directors, unless a very small
proportion, were cognizant OF any crookedness
in running the association, but they certainly
are censurable for allowing their names to
appear before the public as directors, and neg
, lectiDg their duty as such, thereby allowing
the community to be victimized, when it was
their names as directors that gave it tone, and
caused people to place confidence in the as
. ISOLATION. 1t is not too late to partially right
this wrong. II the directors, even at this late
hour, will thoroughly investigate this matter
, and do justice to the policy-holders as far
as possible, it will be qualification to all con-
cerned. party who recently insured and paid
the advance of So should have portion of it
returned, as the company receive at least 50 of
it, and usually $3.50. The advance payment is
, intended to carry the policy for an indefinite
! number of years. Now if the policy is can
, celled by the company, it certainly is no fault
: Of the insured. Equity would say that por-
,, ton should be returned, together with the I'M
earned dues and assessments. After it was
understood that the association was to wind
up, notices were sent to the members to for
ward one dollar for dues. Perhaps you con-
slider that honorable. II so, beg to differ with
you. | will refer you to section twelve in your
!, policy, which reads thus:
d" Cancellation: II the association shall elect this
certificate may De cancelled at time by refunding to
the party the dues paid by him for year. less pro
rata part THEREBY for the time said certificate has been
force"
Gentlemen, live up to the doctrines pro-
: claimed In your printed documents, which have
been scattered broadcast throughout the land,
, and we will be satisfied. Refund to the policy
holders the unearned portion of dues and as
sessments, and an equitable part of the advance
payment to those recently insured, and we will
consider it taking one step in the right direc-
} ton. | hardly expect those adjustment and
indemnity steals will be refunded, but partial
justice can be done, and | trust will be. When
= the directors investigate and thoroughly under
stand the inside working of the institution, at
= least, we will hope for the best. IL is not right
that the innocent should suffer for the deeds OF
the guilty, and the innocent can take no excep-
tions II press this matter of investigation until
: it is known who should shoulder the burden
4 As said before, | believe most OF the directors
: to be men OF sterling integrity, who would dis.
= dain to be party to dishonorable transaction.
: Gentlemen, let us investigate and ventilate
!, this business thoroughly, and let the guilty
party, whoever it may be, receive the reward
Z due his croOkedness. as an agent, do not
propose to shoulder all the cuSsedneSs practiced
In running that association, and shall yindicate