Evening star., 1914-11-21

INSURANCE AGENTS
ADJUST FIRE RATES
Continued from First Page.o

ments. Thus. a merchant may complain
that his premium OF $500 Is too high and
will visit the office of the board, where
he will be told something like this, for
example:
"Our inspector says you keep rubbish
in your cellar and that you have no
sprinklers. If you will install sprinklers
and keep your waste and rubbish in tight
covered cans your rate can be reduced to
$3.50"
The New York association has a
schedule used by inspectors in making
UP rates which covers about 125 points,
and every conceivable element that
could enter into a risk by fire Is con-
tanned in that schedule, from dispost-
tion of waste paper to the character OF
the roof
In speaking Of the work Of the asso-
citation to insurance men in this city
particular branch OF the associations 8
activities, calling it waste prevention
work" They say that merchants OF
the city who have been interested in
surance men would do to their pocket
books are very happy to learn of the
inspection service that has been tnau-
gurated, and will cheerful1y cooperate
il they can be shown how their rates
can be lowered.
Cards to Show Rates.
cards showing the rates on every piece
Of property in the District Of Columbia
will be open to inspection in the office
Of the association and in fifty local in
surance offices. Any interested person
can find out what any insurance COM
pany doing business here ought to
charge for his fire insurance policy /;
and he can also ascertain how the rate
Is formed and whether he can reduce 1t
by complying with the association's 8
fire-waste prevention regulations in
any way.
There will no doubt be complaints
that rates have been jumped" Man
ager Hardy of the association in an
swer to this states that without the
slashed regardless of propriety, re-
gardless of whether or not they were
profitable, all done to get the business
IN merry rate-cutting war.
Il know OF one house that was in
| sured here for 10 cents for FIVE years.
just the cost Of postage stamp per
year, for a hundred dollars When that
rate Is placed at Is cents, the normal
and proper rate, the owner will COM
plain. perhaps" Instances are given
| where churches. which are regarded
| as unsafe as fire insurance risks have
| been insured at cents a hundred. The
| insuring of jewe1ry and hardware al
| the same rate was another curious in
stance of a lack of organization These
examples are put forward by men who
defend the creation of the association
! and say 1t Is needed.
| The underwriters did not organize
with freedom from difficulty, as one OF
| the big companies refused TO sign any
| agreement for a long time.
| The most recent bulletin from the
association covers stocks Of merchan
disc, contains scores of items and Is
five and a half large pages In length
The items include automobile supplies
| poultry. beer and liquor supplies, eggs
manicure shops and just about every
| King a person can think of. The bull
| letin is in the hands of every fire in
surance man in the city, and because OF
the diversified list it is impracticabie
to say what is raised and what is de
creased, but comparison of the pol
lev and the bulletin will easily show
| any one Interested