The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-20

IS NECESSARY
MiNNESOTA'S INSURANCE CON-
MISSIONER CONDEMNS
PRESENT DIsslMlLARirY
IN STATE SUPERVISORY lNsle
ANcE LAWs-UReEs NEcEs.
SITY OF REFORMING.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 1S.-De.
Claring that expense is the only result
to the life insurance policy holder
from the present great dissimilaritv
| of state supervisory laws, John 4
Hardigan, Commissioner of Insurance
OF Minnesota, urged at the third an
nual meeting of the Association Of
Life Insurance presidents today that
steps should be taken to obtain uni
fCrmity.
Certain uniform insurance laws ex-
ist in a number of states and certain
requirements are the same, as for in
stance, the form of annual report"
said Mr.. Hartigan, but the multiple
ty of other requirements is as great.
This lack of uniformity is exasperatIne
both to the departments and the COM
panies.
"The work of the department is in
creased and the result of this work
diminished on account of the diverse
demands of different states. A know
ledge of the laws of the home stat.
must be supplemented by a thorough
familiarity with the laws of all other
states, as companies are governed
sometimes by the laws of the home
state and sometimes by those of the
licensing state. A company comply
ing strictly with the law of one COM
E1onwealth, may find itself, on that
account lawbreaker in another. AS
different state laws prescribe different
standards for admitted assets, the an
nual statements show a surprising
divergence as published in different
places. If, for the annoyance caused
by this diversity, there were compen-
sating benefits to the policyholders, it
might be tolerated but of these there
are none. The only result to the policy
holder is increased cost of supervision
which increase he must bear"
After relating various efforts that
have been made to obtain uniformity
since the convention OF insurance COM
was organized in 1871 and
after stating that the greatest ac-
complishment in the line of uniformity
was the enactment within the last
few years in more than twenty states
OF the laws known as the COMMITTEE
Of Fifteen Bills" the commissioner
said:
eff the causes for existing lack OF
uniformity have been properly and cor
rectly set forth, then the following
remedies are apparent: Action on one
subject at a time; agreement between
officials and company rep
resentatives on proposed laws ana
to existing laws; CEN
trail bureau in. touch with the leglsia-
lures; education of policy holders anu
appeal for their support; proper insight
into the needs of the business
1.-THE policy holder must be impress
ed with the idea that everything that
affects a company adversely afecls
him in like manner. In considering
laws that may be uniformally adopt
ed, personal, selfish desires and ampn-.
ions must be eliminated. Only such
laws can be generally enacted and re-
tanned as tend to the Improvement VI
the business as a whole and any Ia"
that will have this effect must receive
the support of companies, departments
and policyholders. Where laws are
the same, interpretations may vary
I think I can assure you that the next g
of insurance commission
ers will take up the matter of uniform
rulings and Interpretation of existing
laws. Never before have the depart
ments worked so tremendously to-
gether and the outlook is bright TOT
more complete and more effective CO.
operation"