Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-19
Insurance Companies Paid This
Sum in 1908 Compared with
$645,1 1876 in 1907.
FROM CHIMNEYS, $t@,s25
Increase in LOSSES Explained by big
Fires Mt Richford and Richmond
state Commissioners Report
More Than s0O,OOO,OOO in
Life Insurance in Force.

Montpelier. Aug BE. II. Dcavitt,
State treasurer. and Guy w Railev.
secretary Of state. issued to-day their
annual report as insurance commissioners
of Vermont for 1908. Tho report contains
about 1.1do pages. The total loss by fire
Insurance companies in Vermont in 1905
is shown by this report 20 he s97l 90 70
against se51c573 in 1907 The Richford
elevator fire was the largest single loss
and was upwards Of $500 400 The second
big Lose was $4,000 Mt Richmond Thcro
was total of 1877 fires and tho total
loss from defective chimncvs was .l20a2j
The reports Of fire loses transmitted 70
this department in accordance with section
4779 Of the public statutes by the in
surancc companies at the :ime the fro
losses are adjusted Indicate as heretofore.
much larger fire loss than tho iigures
reported by the companies in their annual
statements after dcducting reinsurance.
These figures for the past year amounted
to H.lls.H5. The report Of losses paid
filed by the companies in their annual
statement shows only s764,5s2.o % as paid
during the year 1908 A part Of the
difference can he explained by the fact
that the losses In connection with some
large fires occurring In the last months
Of the wear were not adjusted and paid
until the year 1909 40 that. while the
figures are included In the fire statistics
published In accordance with provisions Of
4,77o Of the public statutes. the payments
will not he reported by the companies
until the annual statements for the year
1909 are furnished.
INACCTRACY OF LOCATION.
The attention OF the commissioners has
been directed to the fact that companies
arc not always particular in reporting
the fire losses adjusted and sometimes
instead of stating the place where the
fire occurred. the residence Of the owner
Of the property Is stated. This has re-
suited In some localities showing larger
fire loss than has really been experi-
encad, and the attention of the cor,pan-
les IS here called to the situation so that
more care may be exercised in the future
in reporting these statistics. and atten-
ton is particularly called to the fact that
the cities Of Barre. Rutland and St AL
bans are distinct municipalities and do
not include the towns of Barre Rutland
and st. Alhans, respectively. With these
suggestions It is hoped that these salts
tics may prove more reliable.
In this connection the commissioners
wish to call attention to the causes and
origin of fires, shown by these re-
ports. During the last year before. 249
fires out 1.2Ss originated In the same way
In 1908 the amount OF fire loss from this
source wos 3looa35 which shows improve
ment over the $780, in the figures OF
1907.
GREATER PRECAUTIONS NEEDED
These figures, however suggest Il
chance for Improvement along the lines
Of inspection by companies and greater
care In the maintenance of buildings by
the owners themselves owners OF pro-
perry cannot expect low insurance rates
I II they maintain their property in a
hazardous condition, and property own
ors who do maintain buildings in safe
condition have a right to insist that n
more thorough inspection and higher
! standard Of maintenance be required by
the insurance companies themselves.
The amount OF business written by life
insurance companies in 1905 exceeded any
previous year and on December 81 1878.
the people Of Vermont carried SEQ, ,26.
f45.0o.
The commissioners criticize the YER
mont Accident company OF Rutland in
certain transactions which leave an i'm
pairmcnt OF It's capital OF about 5000.
They state In their report that they in
tend to proceed in accordance with the
law and present the situation to the
court OF chancery II the Vermont Ac-
cldent company does not at once make
good It's loss OF capital.
During 1905 the fees received from
foreign Insurance companies was s1Gl
1880 and the taxes to June 20, 1875, I'M
der the tax corporation law amounted
| to 81. ia $40 Ga