The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-06-08
PAY INJURED $1,000 A DAY

PAY INJURED $1,000 a DAY
Liabilities for the first IL months
operation OF the compensation act
In Montana, ending May 81, aggre-
gated $3.50 ,021, or considerably over
$l,0O0 a day, according to state
ment members Of the board have
furnished Governor s. V. Stewart
rms money was distributed among
1,293 injured employees. Cost of
administration Of the act was 500
oo5.Ol, and the board estimates
II Will be able to return $4,000 to
the state treasury next March as the
unexpected balance of $4,000 ap-
proprlated to cover the cost of aG-
mlnlstrating the law the first two
years
The statement shows that 1892
employers elected to come under the
provisions OF the law. bringing with
them 42,764 employees, estimated
now at 10000.
Inc total number of accidents re-
ported" says the statement, 'efrom
July 1. 1915, to May 81. 1916,
amounted to $685., of which 800
were fatal; 3 permanently totally
dlsa bled; permanently totally dis
aDled, OF which number 1,173 re-
celVed compensation and 4,677 re-
turned to work before the expira-
ton OF the two weeks waiting period
ana as consequence were only
furnished the medical and hospital
attention provided by the act.
OF the 1,191 employers operat-
ing under the law, Ga qualified UNI
der plan number one to carry their
own RISK and pay compensation di-
rect 10 their injured employees. They
brought with them under the act 21.-
9o3 employees, (as reported for year
1914, now fully double that num-
her) and have paid out in compensa-
ito NOT al kinds, including pending
claims, 1922, SS36.9S, which. COM
puted On the reported annual pay
roll, (year 1914, now fully double)
OF S3l,l25,O 900 indicates a premium
cost OF less than one per cent of the
annual payroll,
If computed on the actual pay
ron for the past 1 months, it would
likely be less than one-half OF one
per cent OF the payroll, which indi-
Gates very cheap insurance and also
the gratifying fact of a low accident|
ratio.
Under plan two of the act, which
provides for insurance companies
carrying the risk, 953 employers
|6b employees, who through II diff
efent insurance companies, paid out
IN compensation, including pending
CLAIMS, l,76S.42, which, computed !
on the reported annual payroll |
(year 1910 Of s10,125, 900, indi-
Gates an actual premium cost of
about one-half of one per cent
which would indicate that the in
surance companies writing compen-
sation, would be justified in ma
terlally reducing their present prem
ium rates.
Plan three of the act, called |
state Insurance" has been selected |
by STA employers, with 6,O65 en-
ployes. In be half Of these employ
ers the state has paid out in COM
pensation of all kinds, $5,416.46.
Ihe pending claims will aggre-
gate about six hundred dollars, MAX
ing a total to date of $6,416.46,
winch computed on the reported
payroll of $51O,105, shows a premi-
UNI cost of a little more than one
per cent. This indicates that the
premium rates fixed by he legisla-
ture for plan three are lik the in
surance companies rates-tdd high:
but the equalizer exists in the auth
GRITTY given the board to pass the
monthly assessments when the
money is not needed.
SO far, or for the past Ill
months, only two assessments have
been levied and while the treasury
fund is still in good shape and
shows balance of three times the
amount that has been paid out, vet
the cost has been so ridiculously low
for the past II months that it may
be considered the part of wisdom
to levy an assessment for the
month of June, payable on the NAV
payroll, so as to increase the sur
plus and thus bring the gross cost
TO the employers under this plan up
to reasonable per cent of their an
nual payroll, from July /, 1915. to
June 80, 1916.
There has been collected total
OF $24,915.93, in premiums from the
two assessments and with total liza
blllty to date of $6,01O.46, it leaves
a credit balance in the fund of $18,-
s99.47, which, at the ratio of ex-
penditures for the past II months
would be ample to last for another
year."