The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-11
INSURANCE MATTERS.
STATISTICS LAID BEFORE
THE UNDERWRITERS
FOR TEXAS.
SUGGESTIONS OF INTEREST TO
THOSE WHO ARE IN
SURED.

The state department of insurance is in
receipt of an address by Mr.. n. o. Lauve.
of this city, made before the Texas asso-
citation of underwriters, which contains
information and suggestions of much in
terest. He shows that the premium re-
ceipts and losses obtained from the state
insurance department show an aggregate
of receipts of $1,7SO,9I51S; of losses, ST.
996,323.63 for last year, establishing loss
ratio of 112.09-l0O. "The total receipts,
including those of the companies not re-
ported estimated at $4,000, would
amount to $1,955,9151S, showing falling
off on the receipts of 1884 of about $780,
600, whilst the loss ratio for 1885 shows
an increase over that of 1884 of about
43 40 per cent"
| GOOD ACCOMPLISHED.
Referring to the improvements in the
construction of buildings, and
to the protection against fire,
he said: at cannot be denied that
owing to rules adopted by your associa-
ton, penalizing inferiorly constructed
buildings, and towns and cities without
adequate protection against fire, the i'm
provements above referred to were in
great measuae obtained. Less than four
years ago, when your association came in
to existence there were but five towns in
Texas provided with system of public
water works, and those were Austin, Dali
las, Houston, San Antonio and Waco.
'To-day, besides those mentioned above,
the following towns have this projections
Abilene, Bolton, Brennan, Colorado, Co.
lumbus, Cleburne, Corsicana, Ell Paso, Fit.
Worth, Gonzales, Georgetown, Gainesville,
Galveston, Laredo, Lampasas, Palestine,
San Angelo, San Marcos, Terrell, Temple,
Tyler, Taylor and Victoria, in all twenty
eight towns and cities we'll protected now
against fire.
"The following towns will have systems
of public water-works completed before
August next: Navasota, Denison, Texar-
kama and New Braunfels. Besides this,
there are sixteen towns provided with fire
departments and more or less adequate
water supply mot public water-works), as
follows: Bryan, Corpus Christi, Denton,
Orange, Paris, Sherman, Waxahachie,
Hillsboro, Marshall and Weatherford, all
with adequate fire departments and water
supply, and Calvert, Cuero, Ennis Green
vile, Jefferson and La Grange, with am
pie fire departments, but defective water
supply.
"Few states can show such rapid i'm
provement in that respect; and much of
it, as those of you know whose duties call
you frequently through all parts of the
state, should be credited to the eff orts of
your association"
SUGGESTIONS
Concluding,h he offered the following sug-
gestions:
''1st. The increase of rates on dwellings,
by charging for each fue not built in
brick walls or from the ground and fol-
metal flues, at least 25 cents extra.
I'd. The adoption of standard form
for contents of dwellings, insuring tn,
furniture, Including musical instruments
; and sewing machines in use,) wearing APP
parel, silver and plated ware, jewelry il
use, and family supplies under separat,
items.
Sd. To insure awnings and sidewalks
each separately from buildings and at {
higher rate.
4th. Rules in regard to agents commits
sions should be modified SO as to allow
: companies to pay partly contingent
compensation when they desire to do So
9th. Flour mill tariff should be amend
ed.
9th. Prohibit the transfer of short tern
cotton policies from one place to an
other.
18th. ACCESSIBILITY of adopting uniform
constitution and set of bylaws for loca
boards throughout the state.
9th. The advisability of having a fourth
class in your classification of risks has
been frequently urged. There are severa
towns sufficiently well provided with ap
pliances for fighting fire that entitle them
to better consideration in the way o.
classification than many others rated witt
them as third class. For instance, Cal
, vert, Cuero, Ennis, Greenville, Weather
ford, jefferson, and there may be others
that are entitled to better classification
than GAINESVILLE, Gainesville, Decatur
Brentwood and many others. / would
suggest that fourth class be establis hed
and that towns that would then be placed
, in the third class be relieved from the ap
plicatIon of the three-fourth loss elias
! and be made subject to the three-fourtl
value clause, without change in their basi
rate and that towns belonging to tn
fourth class be subjected to the sam
: rules and rates that are now applied to tn
: present third class towns"
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