The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-18
WILL ASK FOR PROTECTION.
LOCAL UNDERWRITERS TO APPEAL
TO THE LEGISLATURE.

Georgia Association Wants Overhead
Writing Stopped-The Florida Law
Adopted with One or Two Amend
ments and the Next Georgia LeEls-
Iature VIII he Asked to Pass the
Law-Other Questions Discussed at
the Augusta Meeting.
The Savannah fire insurance agents who
attended the annual meeting Of the Geor-
gia Local Underwriters Association in
Augusta returned yesterday. They were
Messrs. r. NJ. Hull John D. Carsweil ana
w. 7. Hopkins, a committee representing
the local underwriters association, and
Messrs. w. L. Wilson, Joseph E. Harty,
w. E. Grady and A. c. Harmon individu
ally. Mr.. Hull was elected president Ct
the association. His friends stole march
on him and put him in before he knew
what their scheme was. Mr.. F. w. Gle
of Atlanta, who has presided for the last
two years. desired to retire. and, helped 10
put up the job on Mr.. Hull. The latter is
one of the best known fire underwriters in
the state, and is very popular with the in
surance fraternity. That he will make an
efficient president goes without saying.
When seen yesterday, Mr.. Hull said that
the meeting was thoroughly satisfactory
one in every respect 1t should be borne In
mind, he said, that the Georgia Unierw;it
ers' Association is a totally different instl-
tuition from the Southeastern Tariff Asso-
citation, the latter existing for the benefit
of the Insurance companies and the former
existing purely for the benefit Of the local
agents.
Several papers were read before the
meeting" said Mr.. Huh, touching ques-
items most of interest to the local under
writer's, such as the overhead writing
practice, and the multiple or dual agency
system, both Of which are objected TO by
the local agents. President Cole, in his
annual report, made very strong presen-
tation of these two subjects. AS a dele
gate from the state association TO the
last annual mcct iuG Of the National Asso-
citation at Buffalo, N. Y, l also dealt
with these questions. Both reports rec
commended action by the local underwrit-
! ers, and the result was the adoption by
the meeting of the Florida law, regulating
overhead writing, with two minor amend
ments."
The average layman is likely to regard
| overhead writing as referring to electric
| wiring or some other such problem. On
| the contrary, Mr. Hull explained that 1t
means the writing by the insurance COM
| panies their home Offices in New YORK,
/ or elsewhere of business, which should
! be done through their agents in the states.
| This system of business has become quite
common of late, and not only Injuries the
! local agents in the various states but de-
| prives the states of the revenue to which
| they are entitled by the tax upon preml-
| iums. Under this system company hav-
! ing agents in this state may write busi-
ness a his home office over the heads OF
his local agents, thus .depriving the agents
| of the premiums to which they would
! have been entitled, and also depriving
/ the state of the tax to which it would
have been entitled upon the premiums.
| The agents desire to protect themselves
of course, but they have a strong argu-
ment in the disadvantage which is also
worked to the state.
| THE proposed bill will be brought to the
| attention of the next legislature said
Mr. Hull, land committee from the I'm
derwriters Associa ton will be appointed
to present the views of the underwriters
The measure is a fair and equitable one,
and 1 have no doubt but that we will be
able to show to the Legislature that 1t Is
to the interest of the state to protect its
/ agents as well as to look out for its own
| revenues"
"As to the matter of dual agencies" said
| Mr.. Hull, ut was decided that the compa-
| MES should be requested to discontinue
this practice in future and that wherever
| a dual agency is closed by reason of the
death Of the agent or by other cause, such
agency should not be reopened. Notwith-
standing the fact that we met on the date
of the state primary, May Is. we had a
good attendance, and the meeting was
very satisfactory 1t was decided to hold
the next meeting in Atlanta. The first
| meeting having been held in Macon, the
second in Savannah and the third in Au-
gusta. 1t was naturally Atlanta's turn,
! and we hope to have very successful
meeting there next year"