New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-05

In the office Of the company asking any
questions or suspecting any irregularity.
! owing TO applications having been filed
sane property.
EASY MONEY.
Had a gang of frebugs been planning
haul, they would have been able to
procure $1,000 worth OF policies from these
companies
with such a large sum OF insurance
issued upon less than 81 worth Of effects,
is II any wonder that incendiarism is rife
in our city?
quite large number Of policies on the
meagre effects mentioned were obtained
without any payment whatever on the
part OF the applicants In fact. out OF
total OF slH.5OO worth of insurance for
which actual policies were issued nearly
two-thirds. or 1880 worth. were granted
by the companies or their agents "ithoet
any payments whatever.
The only questions asked were OF
perfunctory character, owing to the fact
that the application was made Directly
and not through an agent Most ques-
tons PUT to applicants who obtained m
surance on behalf of the Fire Depart
ment arose simply from curiosity. OWING
TO the fact that the insurance was no,
taken out through an agent None OF the
questions hinged on what the househoio
effects actually consisted OF, or on the
nature Of the risk on which insurance
was desired.
Some difficulty was encountered by
those who obtained the various pohcies
| for the Fire Department owing TO the
! fact that not infrequently the same
agents represented several different COM
panies. and il was thought that these
agents might look with suspicion upon
several different persons securing poll
cies on the same property at the same ad-
dress
"If 'firebugs' intended to burn up their
property. IL would seem that they would
at once arouse suspicion IL appASing for
5000 worth of insurance on the same
property. Despite the fact however that
several policies were issued by the same
agents on this property, no inference
seems TO have been drawn.
Parties applying for insurance do not
have to be known in any way.
DOUBLE SERVICE.
After obtaining $1,000 worth OF insur-
ance on the property" located at NO E's
East 10Ist street the effects were removed
10 No. GO West l0lst street 10 ascertain
whether rates on the west side or the
city would be different from those on the
east side: and also further to investigate
the matter OF the issuance OF poilcies
without previous inspection. The report
continues:
Much difficulty was experienced in OBJ
tanning rooming accommodations for the
brief period of a month or two; particu-
larry I'm view Of the fact that no furniture
10 speak of was moved into the premises
at any Of the addresses named.
Previous inquiry OF the janitor on the
part of the insurance companies or their
agents would have revealed the fact that
no adequate amount OF furniture had been
carried into the premises II Is true that
one or two OF the companies did send
man I'D to the place 10 look II over but
with a single exception all these alleged
inspectors took little trouble TO ascertain
the true facts in the case, and none in
sisted upon actually seeing the contents
OF the premises.
zone or two applicants from the Fire
Department suggested that IL might be
well for the company 10 send some one
to look over the property, but this offer
was not taken up, and. Invariably, the
policy. or a 'binder'--a covering note until
the policy could be written up-was given
10 the applicant without hesitation.
ION the g A worth OF property installed
in the new premises at No. 80 West l0lst
street--for which rental OF Sl8 per month
was paid-s49,000 OF insurance In forty-two
different companies was obtained. while
on the same household effects at East
1O1st street the sum Of $1,000 Of insurance
was issued In the form OF eighteen diner-
ent policies, with $1,000 at wrong adj
dress where there were no effects at all,
and where the applicant had not even
rented an apartment, making total In
surance Of $4,000 In both East and west
lolst street, and No. 10l West 6sth street
| I'm fifty-eight companies, several OF them
Issuing more than one policy on the SELF
| same property.