Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-07
CARELESS HOUSE OWNERS.
Een Who VIII Not Take the Pains to Read
Their Insurance Policies.

Men Who VIII Not Take the Pains to Read
Their Insurance Policies.
A gentleman who had been out of the
city for several months called at the office
of the fire insurance company which had
issued his policy, the other day, to see. about
a renewal The clerk to whom he applied
happened to know him, and was aware
that he had been away for time.
81 passed your house the other day." he
said to the gentleman, land noticed that
it was all shut up"
YES" replied the other carelessly; 81
hired cottage at the shore tor the sum-
mer and took the servants along"
"Who took charge of your city housep'
asked the clerk.
why, nobody. simply had the doors
and windows securely fastened and went
away"
LET me see your policy" said the clerk.
After examining it he handed it back to
the man.
"Did you ever take the trouble to read
it?" he asked.
mo, can't say that did,"
"Well, then, just let me show you an in
teresting clause"
The clerk pointed to the following:
| by agreement, Endorsed hereon and added
hereto, shall be void If building
herein described, whether intended for occu-
| pancy by owner or tenant, be or become vacant
or unoccupied, and 50 remain for ten days.
"That MEANS" he added, "that if your
house had burned during your absence you
would have lost your insurance"
"Great Scott. exclaimed the man
| angrily, "what mast a man do, stay at
homer"
"No, that isn't necessary; but he must
either have somebody guard his property
or else make some arrangement with us.
There is good sound reason for that condi.
ton, which appears in most policies. Ii
the house is deserted and a small fire is
accidentally started the house is likely to
burn down, whereas, If somebody Is in the
house, the CHANGES are that the fire will be
extinguished before it has done much dam
age When people 60 away for d few weeks
only we usually allow them to leave their
houses untenanted, but they must notify
usand get the permission in writing or
we won't be responsible. When people &c
away for months the same privilege is
rarely extended"
Probably very few New Workers. know
of the clause quoted above, and yet it ap,
pears in most fire insurance JliCies. Near
ly every company will allow q policy
holder certain amount Of freedom from
the restraint, but a good many circum-
stances are considered before q company
will make itself liable for damage to an
untenanted house. If the house is in a
good neighborhood, or has burglar alarm
wires, or is located in very public thor
oughfare, the company considers the risk
less than If the neiGhborhood is poor or
deserted and there is little chance Of fire
being detected until it has gained great
strength. There are probably hundreds of
tenantless houses in New York during
every summer, and their owners have no
idea that their insurance would be for,
feited in case of fire during the time they
are vacant.
The same rule applies to country houses,
and YET many of the finest and costliest
summer houses of New Workers are simply
fastened up and left vacant during the
winter. OF course special arrangements
can always be made whereby the insurance
will not be forfeited for nontenancy.- New
York Sun.