The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-03
WILL PUSH THEIR CLAIMS
ORGANIZATION TO PROTECT FIRE
INSURANCE SETTLEMENTS.
Their Rights i'm the Adjustment
of LOSSES.

A meeting was held yesterday afternoon
in the office of the auditor of state that
promises to bring about an organization of
the insured in indianapolis designed to
meet the insurance companies upon their
own ground and get for its members. by
organization, an acknowledgment of rights
they cannot obtain as individuals. 1t is no
secret that. fire insurance in indianapolis
is controlled entirely by organized methods
which produce fixed rates and which make
the matter of adjustment an affair entire
ly in the hands OF the insurance compa-
MES.
The insured may resort to the courts, it
is true, but this always means u long legal
fight and when the average merchant is
burned out. he has no capital left upon
which to make a fight until his losses are
adjusted and paid. The value of organiza-
ton to meet organization is Illustrated in
the Jobbers' Associations tina have sue
ceeded in forcing the manufacturers trusts
to give them d voice in fixing percentage
of the profit and it was pretty thoroughly
illustrated in the matter of insurance when
the Scottish Rite Temple was destroyed.
At that time the companies carrying insur-
ance on the building and contents sent
their adJusters as usual and these gentle
men fixed upon $2i,CJ0 as the proper ngure
TO cover the loss. This did not seem TO
be just, as the inventory showed $Si .OUU due.
Before bringing suit to recover the insur-
ance. Secretary Smith, it is said, tried an
other plan. He issued TO every lodge and
to every Scottish Rite Mason in this State
a circular reciting the facts and giving ii
list OF the companies refusing to make the
proper adjustment. He begged them TO
stand by the interests of the order and
To cancel all policies they might be carry
ing with the companies mentioned. Mem
bers of the order responded handsomely
ND xrffhf N Tnur fhn m n N TAA
begged the privilege OF paying the full
amount. $Si, 600.
The meeting yesterday grew out of the
treatment received by H. T.. Matthews,
proprietor of a > and 10 cent store, in the
adjustment of his loss by fire seven weeks
ago. There were about twenty prominent
business men present. Henry CoDurn was
made chairman of the meeting and Mr.
Matthews was made secretary. Mr.. Mat
thews made a statement of some length,
detailing the difficulties he had undergone
and was still undergoing. His books showed
his stock 10 amount 10 something oser
S21, 600. The adjusters took. off 20 per cent.
for depreciation. allowed him % per cent.
profit and cut his stock down to $1,000.
More than this. he declares that they broke
faith with him by going into his private
ledger and making out a statement OF his
financial position which was full of errors
and constituted an outrage against his
credit. He said that Adjuster Loeb, for the
North British, had made the remark that
they could keep him out of his insurance
altogether on Il technicality, on the ground
that he had not taken the proper pfecau-
ton TO protect his property. He detailed
the long story of how he had pointed out
mistake after mistake in their hgures ana
had finally brought them up To something
like II 200 and how they had continued to
daily with him from day TO day and final
" ended by abruptly telling him TO prove
his loss.
Al the close OF his statement a motion
was made that a committee be appointed
TO draw UP a plan of compact among the
insured as Indicated above and this was
carried. The meeting asked the co-opera-
ton of the Commercial Club in the mat
ter and the appointment of the committee
was left in the hands of the chairman, Mr..
Coburn, who will take it up with the di-
rectors of the Commercial Club at their
next meeting. The idea of the mover of
the motion was that the organization
among the insured should be one confining
its attention purely TO fire insurance mat
tiers and represent the insured III all mat
tiers of rates and adjustments. That is,
when a rating was made upon a building
this organization should represent the own
er and have a voice in the rating and
when a loss is adjusted this organization
should represent the looser and have a
voice in the adjustment. 1t could also, 1T
is believed, succeed in forcing out of the
policies some OF the more obnoxious fea-
lures.