The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-08
insurance Oddities

High as are insurance rates on animals
lives, IT proves the pluck OF the under
writer's. Consul, the famous chimpanEee.
was insured for no less than 100000.
Only a short time previously the death of
the zoos famous elephant Jumbo hit the
underwriters TO the extent OF some
$4,000. Another sum of $4,000 was paid
over by one firm at the decease of the
celebrated boxing kangaroo, and numbers
of other similar losses might be cited.
Lloyds OF England will only refuse to
insure one animal, namely. bull pups.
Some years ago a number of these dogs
were insured for 10 per cent. premium
and all died. The premium was doubled
for new risks, but still the bull pups
died, and apparently that was the end OF
the insurance. There is hardly any known
risk which cannot now be insured against.
from taxes to twins and back again. One
of the most remarkable assurances ever
effected ut Lloyds is that of a building
standing in Monument yard. Its owner,
having made urs his mind that II the
monument should fall II would undoubted-
ly wreck his premises, has paid very
small premium on a policy heavily In
sured against this contingency.
There Is a French company which does
a very large business In frost insurance.
1t has branches in Germany, Austria,
Italy, Spain, Holland and Belgium, and
will shortly extend its operations to Eng
land. In France 1t Is the vines which
suffer most severely from late frosts, and
with respect to which the company In
question does the heaviest business. Two
years ago the coffee crop in Brazil suf-
fered heavily from late frost and the
French company was approached with
suggestion that they should establish
branch in that country. Some of the
strangest risks are to be found In legal
matters. There Is a company which will
tcke contingencies covering legal defects
in titles to property. The same company
will also provide against lunatics recover
Ing their sanity and willing away their
property from tneir natural heirs. Prob
ably there Is no company or underwater
who would insure against an adverse de-
cision of the court of law; but, on the
other hand. It is quite possible to insure
against the decision Of the House OF Lords
upsetting verdict obtained from the
lower courts. In a recent case or an
action for compensation for personal In
juries the two lower courts both gave
verdict for.the plaintiff with $500 dam
ages. The case was taken by the de-
PENDANTS to the House Of Lords and
contrary judgment was insured against
for a sum of $1,000.
Many companies now grant accident In
surances which also cover a number OF
infectious diseases. But 1t Is also possible
to insure against certain specified dis
eases at extremely low rates.
Life policies are held by almost every
ruling monarch In Europe, with perhaps
the sole exception of King Peter of
Servia. It is believed that no company
will accept a policy on his life upon any
terms whatsoever. There is one case on
record of a member of a royal family
insuring himself against assassination.
This was Prince Henry Of Prussia, who.
before he left Germany to take command
of the fleet in tine China Seas, insured
himself against assassination for $500, 600.
strange kind of insurace has quite re-
Gently been started In Denmark. BY pay
ment down Of 1920 on the birth OF daugh-
ter her parents are able TO insure her an
annuity of $25 year II she be not mar
red before she reaches the age Of 80. and
IL she remains a spinster for another 10
years this yearly income is doubled. On
the other hand, II she does marry before
she Is 30 years of age she receives the
whole $500 down as a wedding portion.
The biggest policy under existence il be
lieved o be that under which the steam
ships of the Elder Dempster Line are
insured. Three millions Is the sum, and
the premium is $4,000 year. The big
gest on any building is that which covers
the British Museum, and is for a quarter
Of a million sterling. Among animals the
racehorse Ely Fox carries $4,000.