The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-28
CHURCH IGNORED.
Kansas City, No., Insurance
Agents Are Defiant.
Have GObbled Up All Business
in Sight.
NO COMMISSIONS PAID.
Now Give Kansans Nothing of
the Business Secured.
NO COMMISSIONS PAID.
Time For Decisive Action
Against Missouri Raiders.

When the Kansas City. Kan, insur-
ance men engaged in local business
caused W. V. Church, superintendent
of insurance, to issue his proclamation
against overhead writing in Wyandotte
county, they were not aware that this
proclamation might work both ways
The subject of overhead writing which
is the writing of insurance in Kansas
by Missouri agents has caused con-.
slant turmoil in insurance circles in
Kansas City, Kan, for several years,
and has resisted all efforts in the direc1
ton OF peace. If the proclamation OF
the insurance superintendent is made
effective, it is now claimed that the
Kansas City local agents will be the
principal sufferers This is due TO the
fact that Mr.. Church held that local
agents in Kansas City should accept no
business except directly from the as
sured.
At this season of the year the prin-
cipaI insurance business in the two
Kansas Citys is in short rate policies
on grain, stock. and other commodities
in transit in yards or in elevators. This
class of business is transacted principal
ly in the board of trade and the grain
exchange and the cattle exchange in
Kansas City. Mo. There. at all times
during business hours, the insurance
man may be found
Heretofore. the insurance broker in
handling insurance on property or grain
or stock on the Kansas side of the line
has returned to Kansas City, Kan. ana
given the business to the Kansas agent
with whom the commission has been
| divided This gave the Kansas agent
| a small portion of the commission and
| his company the business and the enoft
I i. II
enlist the sympathy of Mr.. Church was
4 for the purpose of stopping this broker
/ age, and giving to the local agent all OF
/ the commission.
Mr.. Church acted promptly upon the
request of the local agents, but his &C
/ ton has caused a furore among the in
/ surance men, and the insurance depart
ment is being roundly abused by the
men who asked for the order Instead
/ Of going TO the Kansas side of the line
/ to broker the insurance which he may
/ have to write, the agent simply after
being authorized to write insurance al
/ the board of trade or grain exchange
turns the business over to the Kansas
City Mo. agent, and thereby deprlves
| the Kansas agent Of the small commits
/ sion which he formerly received on TINS
business In the millions of dollars o.
insurance which are daily written II
this manner in Kansas City, the Kan
san formerly held a small share Now
he holds nothing. The Kansas City
/
this business, and Mr. Church should
find a way to enforce his order
Instead of benefting the Kansas Cit
agents. the ruling by Superintendent
Church has proven disastrous becaus
his order is ignored. Not only is tbs
Kansas City agent deprived OF small
share of this commission which he ha'
been obtaining, but the Kansas CITY
| fire department will suffer by reason o
the reduction in the amount of prem
iums written by companies authorized
to do business in Kansas and having
local agents established in Wyandott
county. The city will also lose its pro
portion of taxes
In Kansas City, Mo, there are fit.
companies authorized to do bushes
| which have no license to do business il
Kansas The field for the insuranc
broker is very large. Liberal commits
sions, prompt service, and many othe
favors are at his command from thes
| companies The Kansas City, Kan
agent must content himself with
small field because the greater part Q
the business goes to Kansas City. Mo
anyhow, while the Missouri broker an
the Missouri companies grow fat O
business which is confined largely t
risks held on the Kansas side of tn
line.
Superintendent Church is determine
to put a stop to these raids of Mis-
! sourians into the Kansas field and b
) should find a way to teach them q les
son thew will remember