Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-01-18
HATS OFF,

TN the life insurance field in the United States It Is
Il now case Of hats of 90 the Continental Life In
surance Company OF this city, and its able and enter
prisng president Philip Burnet Both the company
and its chief executive young but they are setting
the pace for many older companies ana executives IN
all sections OF the country.
We publish elsewhere in our paper today the ninth
annual statement Of the Continental Accompanying II
is an analytical discussion Of what Il has done not
only during the fiscal year ended December d. 1916
but also since II was organized. That advertisement
makes good reading Local interest is aceen-
tuated By the fact that it is Delaware company,
working upon Delaware plan, differed in the main
by Delawareans and recognized in all places as
phenomenon in quick growth and stability
The annual statement TO which we have referred
above shows that the oompanys insurance in force
was increased during the year from Sl4s96OsI to $751;
825e54 gain OF s132s557 The assets increased from
S1641584s4 TO S21447754s as compared with only
ss75s5151 of total liabilities at the close OF the year.
thus giving the company more than 81 OF assets Tor
every dollar OF liability, ratio OF strength shown by
few other companies. The assets OF the large com
panies for instance equal to only about $l2O per
dollar Of liability.
Then when it comes to earning power, there is the
significant that although the Continental is paying
dividends to its pollcy-hoders which put # on par
with the four or five dividend payers In the ooun-
try yet its actual net earnings last year were more
than three times those dividends, ratio Of earnings
nowhere approximated by any company whose diVi-
dends are as liberal as those OF the Continental
The usual ratio Of earnings policy dividends instead
Of being than 800 per cent in the Contnenals
case averages less than 100 per cent.
This large margin OF earnings over and above IT'S
policy dividends affords a tremendous leeway not
merely to maintain but still further to increase the
generous returns which the policyholders have been
receiving Such an has already been author
lied for 1917 for the fourth year in succession.
In spite OF the fact that the Continental's policy
dividends are unusually large its earnings in addition
thereto have been sufficient enable it to pay stock
holders regular dividends the rate OF ~ per cent
per annum in each Of the last four years extra
dividend Of per cent and then to add to surplus al
most as much has been paid in dividends to the
stockholders.
The company has $515,22o Of capital, $685.
7O997 OF surplus s21447754S Of assets and S16325-
e54 OF insurance in force representing gains for the
year Of 20 per in surplus per cent in assets and
per cent. in insurance. while the net earnings for
the year. and above dividends to policyholders,
were 80 per cent greater than for 1915.
The following figures show. in concrete form. the
progress OF the Continental Life in FIVE years:
Year Income Assets Insurance
1911 1891 1881 ssO17823 75o96ss
1916 67993553 21147754S 16.S25.654
While Delaware is admittedly a small State, the facts
md figures cited above show that life insurance
many other lines OF endeavor it can DO big things.