New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-23
DRINK SH0RTENS LIFE.
ACTUARIES SO DECIDE.
Big Life Insurance Companies About
to Favor Total 4bstdinerS.

The big life insurance companies are about 10
give special low rates for life insurance 10 those
who are total abstainers in the matter of spirtu-
and malt liquors. AS is well known. it has
always been moot question whether or not
small amount Of spirituous malt liquor was
wholesome a food. There have been strong
partisans on both sides of the question. and not
a great while ago article was published In
one of the leading magazines and republished in
various other periodicals urging strongly that
moderate amount of alcohol was wholesome as a
food. In fact the authorities contending that
moderate drinkers as a class lived longer than
the total abstainers seem to have been in the
majority, and the total abstainers generally have
been considered extremists.
The total abstainers. it would seem, about
to secure important piece of evidence in favor
Of their contention in the action which number
of the large life insurance companies are about
to take. This consists Of the issuance of life in
surance policies 10 those who are total abstain
ers at premiums which considerably below
those charged to moderate drinkers OF the same
age. The companies do not issue policies at all
to tmmoderate drinkers when they are &C
quainted with the facts
The companies have approached this subject
without prejudice. it is merely matter of
dollars and cents with them \ number of
actuaries and medical directors have been work
iIS on the statistics for several years. and from
the records of the experience of a large number
of life companies several OF the authorities have
come to the conclusion that the total abstainers
class live longer by from 20 to 30 per cent
than the moderate drinkers as a class.
One medical authority at least admits that
there is a time in mans life when small
amount of alcoholic beverage is beneficial. but
says that this time average is not until
the man reaches the age of seventy-five years.
The views of some of these authorities have
been published recently, and IT is known in life
insurance circles that number of the compa-
MES are now working on TIE figures. and ex-
pect shortly to offer OHCyTto total abstainers
at a COnsderab BILE reduction In COST.
There are a number Of details to work out be-
fore the policies actually offered to the pub
lie. One of these is the danger that a man who
is a total abstainer when he takes out the poll
icy may become moderate, or perhaps tmrncd-
crate, drinker in the future, which would upset
the figures OF the company If this should happen
TO many OF the holders of such policies. Ii is
believed, however. that this problem can be
solved In several ways. One of these is that the
appliCa ton for the policy should contain war
ranty that the applicant would never thereafter
become drlnker OF alcoholic or malt beverages.
the effect of which would be that il he violated
the warranty the policy would be void.
The companies have also discussed plan OF
including a provision that II the man should
become drinker after taking out the special
policy the amount payable under the policy
should be such a the amount of pre-
miums paid would have purchased if the man
had not been total abstainer.