The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-21
STATE SHOULD
insure T0ILER
SHOULD BE COUPLED WITH THE
WORkINGMEN'S cOMPEN-
sATIoN ACT SAYS
PALMER.

As a sequel to disclosures that COM
panies engaged i'm the business of in
surfing workingmen against loss by ac-
cident have been guilty OF trickery
and fraud in evadng payment OF
claims, Insurance commissioner Palm
er, of Michigan, who was chairman
of the special committee OF insurance
commissioners which sat at the Hoo
tel fuller Detroit, TO investigate the
companies under fire. declares that
the only real solution OF the problem
Is for the state to engage in Industrial
insurance I'm connection with working
mems compensation
There is a commission now working
in Michigan on the question of en-
ployers liability and workngmen's
compensation, and IL Is the intention
of Commissioner Palmer to submit to
this body data in his possession, with
q view OF having il recommend to
the governor and the legislature the
establishment of a state Industrial in
surance company.
Commissioner Palmer was i'm De-
troit Saturday closing up the work in
connection with the Investigation,
which was carried on in Detroit, af-
ter being adjourned from New York,
and he authorized the following state
ment;
The Investigation of the committee
revealed the fact that the workingmen
Of the country, ana particularly of
Michigan, will never be really protect
ed until we have a system of state in
dustrial insurance IN which the COM
monwealth stands back Of the policy
and guarantees its payment. There
must always be class of workingmen
who are too ignorant to cope with
the experienced agents of accidental
insurance companies, and no matter
what the companies promise. these
people will never be protected until
we have q state insurance company
which will sell them honest insurance
on business basis, and which will
give justice to every man who insures
With it, no matter whether he is per-
son of influence or a foreign working
man.
Revelations Astounding.
81 have been astounded by the reve-
lations brought out in the Investigation
by my committee. / did not believe
it possible that companies regularly
organized to sell Industrial insurance
would so to the length revealed TO
avoid payment of claims. While there
are some good companies and the 9TH
ers all have promised to be good, there
is no question that so long as this
business remains ip private hands
there will be abuses which the utmost
care on the part of the Insurance de-
partment cannot remedy.
There is no question that there
must come in Michigan within the aext
few years broad, comprehensive
workmen's compensation act that
properly will protect workingmen. And
in connection with this will urge that
a system of state industrial insurance
be established I haven't talked with
the governor yet on this proposition,
but | am sure that he will favor some
action along these lines. as he is deep
~ interested in seeing the working
men protected in case of injury.
THE amount of fraud practiced by
the casualty companies doing an in
dustrial business has been appalling.
With few exceptions, the practice of
the companies has been to see how
much they could reduce legitimate
claims instead of attempting to give
the actual insurance against accident
their policies call for
while it is hardly likely that the
committee which investigated the cas-,
ualty companies will report i'm favor
of state industrial insurance at the
convention in Milwaukee next weel.. |
personally believe that is the only sol
ution of the problem"