The sun., 1903-12-06
GLAD TO INSURE WOMEN NOW,
GREAT CHANGE IN THE POLICY
OF LIFE COMPANIES.
II Has Come About Largely since Woman's
InvasiOn OF the Business World Began
About IS8O-LittIe Determination
Life Insurance as WOmen's Work.


to insure her life. Some companies did
take women as risks, but severe conditions
and specifications were entered on their
policies. A woman was compelled to pass
a physical examinat ion even more rigid than
that required OF men, and them If accepted.
was called upon TO pay an extra premium to
cover any fatality that might befall her.
simply because she was woman.
But a great change has taken place.
Prejudices against women have been thrown
out-by some companies only within the
last year-and the privilege OF insuring
them is solicited as eagerly az II they were
men.
With woman's entrance into business
life she has grown to look upon life insur-
ance as a good investment for her money.
The books of all the large companies show
that the majority of the women insured
by them are self-supporting.
1t will be seen by the following inter-
views just how woman is looked upon as
risk by life insurance companies-how
she is received as most welcome risk,
and how, after all these years Of discourage
ment, she is actually conceded to live longer
than man. 1t has taken fifty years to con-
vince some companies that she does live
as long as a man.
Some insurance men maintain that they
always considered her as good risk as a
man If she could be normally selected
The normal selection seems to have been
the open question, but now that women
have created a demand for themselves gs
life insurance risks there seems to be fo
longer any dissension upon this point ut
least.
There Ii no man who has done more
to bring about the present attitude OF life
insurance companies toward women than
Gage F.. Tarbell, second vce-president
Of the Equitable,
Il have always maintained that women
were as good risks as men, II properly So
lected," said Mr.. Tarbell. "1n the past,
companies did not agree with me, nor did
our former experience tear out tho predi-
cation; but now that we are getting a
normal selection Of women just the same
as men. it carries he proof that women are
Just as good risks as men 80 far so that the
extra charge Of IS thousand formerly
placed on women's policies has been dis
continued.
This great revolution, might gay, began
about the year 1890, which We gte as the
words, women then began to enter the
business fields in competition with men.
To-day in many vocations the sexes are
almost equal. and a woman has Just as
much right to insure herself against the
incompetences Of old age, or place valua-
tion on her life to be realized at her death
by her children or those dependent upon
her, as man.
Il have always advocated this idea; but
We must possibly attribute the present
number of women policy-holders to the
great change which has taken place in
woman g position.
This new basis has opened up tre-
mendous field. Think OF the teachers,
think Of the nurses, think Of the secretaries.
think Of the women who have entered the
clerical fields. of those who have branched
out into business on equal footing with men,
and you have fair idea of the proportion
Of women breadwinners, as compared with
the past, w. .u = o.uo
question, I'VE do not usuallyinsure woman
for the benefit of her husband. Our rule
is that we ask the husband to insure for the
benefit of his wife at the same time.
we always carefully scrutinize such
cases in regard to character, and there are
many conditions and specifications which
cannot we'll be enumerated here. If, how
ever, it ia the wife who has the income,
or il her estate is entailed. we frequently
issue a policy in favor Of the husband.
This company will issue policies on women
at from 81 600 ny, to the full limit we carry
on single life
New York Life who is in Europe, James NJ
Hudnut, as his representative, was asked to
voice the attitude of the company toward
women.
I'VE certainly welcome women now. said
Mr. Hudnut. although great manychanges
have taken place in this company with re-
spect to tLem. In the past we always con-
sidered them a far greater risk than men,
and for this reason greater premium was
asked Now We will take any woman who
car, pass perfect physical examination Ion
and has a sufficient income to meet her
premiums.
-We have this exception. however: For
women to insure their lives for the benefit of
their husbands, or for n man to insure the
life of his wife for his own benefit, is still
question with us as far as the wisdom of
such a course Is concerned. Many com
panies will not entertain such risk under
any circumstances.
"Thess are always cases for closest inves-
insure for the benefit OF each other we will
issue the two policies
I'VE have many mothers who take out
Is year policies as means OF educating
their children. If the policy is taken out at
the birth of child, it will mature at exactly
the right time TO do the most good. Again,
mothers in this way build up the capital
with which son or daughter can launch
into business.
professional men find life insurance the
only protection to the value they have put
into technical study and training. Why
should not women be allowed to look upon
it in the same light?'
is it true that the mortality among
women is considered geater than that Of
men?" was asked.
4Our past experience has led us TO lock
on them as shorter lived, said Mr.. Hudnut,
"bdt after considering the average and
comparing them with the men, we have
placed them on an equality with men,
and in many cases have found them to live
longer. Woman as a rule, however, cannot
pass as perfect an examination as a man,
and for this reason is always looked upon
as a greater risk
"If woman fails to pass the physical
examination is she told the reason why?"
"No, we do not give any reasons. We
simply refer her to her family physician.
In this manner she is often able to find out
some ailment of which she was not aware,
and sometimes cure is effected If on
the other hand she has passed the examina-
ton, she knows abe has the best health GER
tificate that can be obtained"
George B. Woodward third vice-presi-
II. \ e., "A