The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-08-24
CLAIMS BUSINESS METHOD LAX
Company Engaged in Writing Health
and Accident Insurance is Brought
Into the Lime Light in Detroit
Meeting.

The Continental Casualty company
of Chicago, risk company, which has
written hundreds of health and acct
dent policies in this city during the
past fifteen years, was attacked in a
report submitted to the national con
vention Of insurance commissioners
now being held in Detroit.
The report was submitted by exami-
ners and was accepted by the presf-
dent of the company who said that his
company had already put in operation
some of the reforms suggested by the
committee and that all criticised claims
would be reUpened and full restitution
made under the personal supervision
of the leading officers of the company
The Continental company is the
largest Of those writing health and ac-
cident insurance among the laboring
classes. 1t is also a general casualty
company. The examination, sum
mary of which was given out, had to
do, however, only with the treatment
of loss claimants and benefciaries in
the so-called industrial health and ac-
cident branch.
This company industrial premiums
in the year 1910 were upwards of
81 100000, and its premiums from its
railroad policies through which it in
sures railroad employees Of all classes.
were upwards Of $1,200,000.
The examination includes an investi
cation of all specific claims in the in
dustrial department, such as death and
limb and eye loss for a period of
about eighteen months. Settlements
with policyholders for sick and acct
dent disability benefits were also
somewhat gone into.
Light on the company's methods and
policy may be indicated in the follow
ing phrases taken from its home Office
correspondence:
When we receive notice by the prop
er party interested in the matter, will
be pleased to give the same consistent
attention.
Disregard any notification which
may be made, directly or indirectly, to
your Office Ii. e., the agents Office
Certain requirements as to notice are
made by the contract, and the company
cannot take action in the matter until
these requirements are complied with.
Whenever you hear from your sub
agents that somebody has been acct
dentally killed, Immediately thank them
FOR it and wait for notice from the
beneficiary named in the policy before
taking any notice of claim
Concerning this policy of the com
pany the report of the committee
says:
"The policy indicated results in
numerous cases where this company,
lu1OTulGu OL Uu6 dCCIQCuL ny
agents or undertakers, escapes making
payment because the beneficiary is not
SO well informed, in change of accupa-
ton eases, where the change is more
shadowy than the real, and in large
number of instances where either
through technically late notice or fail
ure to notify the exact persons speci-
fed in the policy, salvage is ac-
complished which cannot be justified
save by the rule of thumb1 and in
some cases not even by that.
GAS in other company examined dur
ing this investigation, this company
also persistently evades the payment
Of accumulation benefits, evidently
considering the claimants right there
to in the same category as the right of
the claimant who does not know that
be is such and, therefore, makes no
claim