Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-30
PULLING The INSURANCE LEG
Varieties Of Bogus Accidents Worked
by PolicyholderS.
CROOKEp CLAIMS AMUsE AGENTS
Man with Lame Back Who Carried
2OO-POund Pack with Ease
Made to order Injuries
Caabed In.

the opinion that relatives OF Diogenes
should have called the family physician
the minute old dog. began TO shine up
his lantern preparatory to starting on his
search for an honest man.
Some Of them are outspoken in their be-
belief that there was something wrong with
his head Others assert that, to say the
least, It was a bit peculiar of him to start
ON such a long and arduous journey.
Even II the noted sesrcher were to drag
an alleged honest man into such an in
surance mans office now, the couple might
receive an unenthusiastic reception.
Excuse me-" would likely be the agents
greeting, Il will be back in a minute"
So saying, he would step into his private
office TO investigate the insurance record
Of Diogenes catch II his record proved
clean, the agent might warm up to the
pair, but II is more probable he would
invite them to call again on the following
Tuesday, and in tine meantime he would
delve further into the past ne OF the ac-
oused.
For accident insurance men are so fire.
Quenuy thrown In contact with crooked
people that they become extremely pessi-
n1istic toward mankind in general.
Not that there are no honest people car
Tying accident insurance. There are many
OF them But of them agents see little.
Such clients pay their assessments regu-
larry and make few claims. None of them
u trivial Hence, the honest poncyhoder,
being seen infrequently, does not impress
himself upon the agent like the scheming
one, who fairly leaps at an opportunity to
cash in on a company
Companies Are Easy.
There is a class of persons that believes
an insurance policy should be made to pay
dividends like stock. They set UP claims
upon the slightest provocation, and some
times with none at all.
II Is not difficult TO fleece a reliable &C
cident insurance company a few times, The
bugaboo OF all companies Is the court
They want to keep out of litigation 1t is
poor advertising. Therefore, when It is
possible TO settle claim for a reasonable
amount OF money without taking recourse
to the law the company pays rather than
be put in the light of duibbling with a
policyholder. Knowing this to be the case
the wise and crooked owner of a policy
makes the most of It.
But because a company may be film
TANNED few times. It must not be taken
for granted that they will always submit
70 such injustice II client proves he is
&c possible, his policy cancelled and his
name put on the blacklist Once black
listed. 1t is impossible for a man TO get
restored to grace. Every reputable insur-
anoe organization gets his record and he
had a. we'll try to gain permission to hold
bull fight in the city hall as to have an
other policy issued to him
Physicians Help some,
Physicians frequently inadvertently as
sist In swindling accident Insurance com
panies. Before any claim for accident is
paid q phyBIcians certificate must be filed
by the claimant. If a person really is in
3ured or Ill II is not difficult to get this
certificate. Any physician is willing to
sign one under such circumstances And
he has to accept the patients word for the
cause of the accident. The real cause is
not always given.
Not all Of those who would graft from
Insurance companies wait for INJURIES
70 overtake them. Some rush will all speed
70 oVertake injuries. Many persons take
out policies for no other reason than to
profit thereby. They are willing to sub
init 70 hurt or partial Interpretation In
order to get some money. Usually, how
ever, q man will not risk permanent in
jury unless he is badly in need of cash.
Three men who in the last few years
have been insured by Kansas City agents
have tried to fleece companies by sacri-
ficing their left hands. Most companies
pay $500 for the loss of a hand.
The first man worked for lumber com
pany, He took out a policy and shortly
thereafter went south to work in a lumber
camp. One day he thrust his hand into
fire. The company paid the claim,
although 1t is believed the case could have
been beaten In court
Another man came and In one day took
out accident policies with six companies
To each companys representatives he
sWore he was not carrying a policy in any
other company. That night several agents
got together and, finding they had all in
sured the same man, Cancelled his policies
From Kansas City he went TO St. Louis
and insured himself with several com
panies. A few days later, while hunting
no shot off his left hand The ST. Louis
agents paid. The Kansas City agents
smiled.
Although this man was never positively
identified. he was supposed to have been
crook who travelled from city TO city,
taking out policies under different names
and recovering damages. OF course. he
never had worked the left handed trick
before.
Success and Failure.
A butcher almost chopped off his left
hand with a meat cleaver. He filed a
claim for damages, The insurance com
pany took the case 10 court He was
beaten, 1t being proved to the satisfaction
Of the court that he hacked his wrist in
tsntionally.
Three days after taking out policies in
four different companies in Kansas City a
man shot himself in the left ankle, necessI
tAting the amputation OF the foot. He sent
word to the companies that he was
handling rifle when the cartridge ex-
ploded. one organization Immediately
settled for 5000 second gave him 81, 500
The third one, believing the claim was un-
just intimated that court proceedings
would follow and got off for $500.
A laboring man notified an agent that
he had injured his back and would not
be able to work for a few days. He drew
benefits for four weeks and then the COM
pany thought he should begin to show some
Improvement So, when his friend called
for weekly payment the claim adjuster
asked him II the injured man had not