New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-05
HOPES TO CUT DOWN
C0UNTRY'S ASH HEAP
State Insurance Superintendent
Urges Less Arson Insurance
and More Strict Laws.
LOSSES DECREASED IN 1912
Fires Cost United States and
Canada 1925, 1000 Last
Year, Carelessness Causing
Heavy Percentage.

Albany. MAY i.-"The annual ash heap
Of the country" can be reduced 20 much
smaller dimensions than a present with
in a reasonable time. in the opinion Of
superintendent Emmett of the State In
surance Department, with even par
tiai elimination of arson insurance. So
called with stricter building laws. rig
idly enforced and with the means of fire
defence in all communities brought up
to the most efficient standard possible.
Superintendent Emmett figures that the
lash heap" OF this country and Canada
accumulated during 1912 represented a
fire loss OF approximately s225.OO0.00o.
about s9.000.000 less than in 1911 and
$1,000. 900 less than the average for the
last five years.
certainly it is self-evidcnt,' he de-
clares in the Insurance Departments an
nual report. that any measures that
will result in materially reducing the
physical and moral hazards Of the are
insurance business must operate toward
lower premium rates.
~ large percentage of the national hrr
loss is due 10 gross carelessness and
negligence. and II IL were possible %
punish by law all such proven offenders.
as is done i'm some European states, ~
would be OF great benefit. not only as "A
matter Of example To others, but IN us
ultimate results as a money saver to the
community at large.
Another matter that deserves more
then passing attention Is the lesson
taught by the con1agrations OF tho pas'.
which show that q recurrence Of similar
conditions is liable TO be met at any
time and in the natural course OF events
is sure To hc presented some time. "
therefore stands the companies IN hama
to so conserve their resources by care
full writing and economy OF administra-
tion that when the call comes ,as II
surely wild they may be i'm a position
to successfully Withstand the financial
strain that will be necessarily placed
upon them"
According 20 the report. the fire COM
panies in this state during 1912 wrote
s5.S35.115,l1S of insurance. an increase
of more than s2lS.50O.O00 over the
amount written in 1911. The excess II
fire premiums received over fire losses
incurred and estimated expenses Of New
York state business for the year was
S5.56l ,000. The fire premiums received
increased $1,000 600 while the incurred
losses decreased about 100000. The
marine and inland risks written in the
state in 1912 by fire and fire marine
companies show an increase Of $500
600. 900
4 summary Of the business Of fire,
fire marine and marine insurance com
panies operating In this state during
1912 shows that at the close of the year
the 23i companies were possessed Of
sG79G591S4 of admitted assets. not in
Guiding assets held abroad or the pre-
MUM notes Of mutual companies. an in
crease of s51.5l7. 500. as compared with
the financial returns Of the companies
for 1911 The liabilities other than cap
ital were S363.0i9.lfi. an increase or
's2663i46S over those of the preceding
year The total income was s3sl12f,687
and disbursements s3ii,25S.13S, an IN
crease. as compared with 1911. OF s2I-
47i,92O i'm income and s23.9i4,il3 in dis
bursements The premiums written IN
creased s265OO.00o.
Losses paid show an increase over the
previous year Of about s1,000,000, the
unpaid losses being somewhat in excess
of those outstanding on December 81
1911. The total insurance in force at
the end Of 1912 was slightly more than
452.374, O0O. 600. an increase over the pre-
vious year Of about $4,000. 100000. The
underwriting gain. as shown by the un-
derwriting ana investment exhibits fled
was about $1s. 100000. while the total net
gain in surplus from all sources was
so 37S.225. decrease from 1911 Of near-
IL 81 600 900 Twenty-one more COM
nanies rcported in 1912 than in 1871.