The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1917-10-26
FARMERS
NOT TO GIVE IN

against the National Union Fire In
surance company should allow any
gllbtongued adjuster to swerve him
in the least, but should stand pat
in his demand for fair adjust
ment."
This warning was issued to farm
ers of North Dakota by State In
surance Commissioner s. A. Olsness
after a thorough investigation of
reports that adjust1rs of the Ma
tional Union Fire Insurance COM
pany have resorted to questionable
tactics in making adjustments with
farmers in the state. The Nation
al Union Fire Insurance Company,
Pittsburg, Pa, strong reliable
company with capital and sur
plus of $1,750,000 wrote what was
called Especial crop insurance
policy" during the past season.
Under this contract, they guarantee
the farmers $500 per acre. for Il
premium rate of ten per cent,
against any damage, except flood,
fire and bad husbandry.
Owing to the extreme draught
over entire western North Dakota
and Montana, this company has dis
astrous losses to meet, and the
question is now to extricate them
selves. 'The company now has a
large force Of field men on the ter
ritory endeavoring to make settle
ment," says Mr.. Olsness in a state
ment to the press after thorough
investigation of the situation. land
in this effort, some over-zealous
adjusters, spurred, no doubt, by an
unholy desire to create for them
selves undying fame as faithful
servants with the company, they
evidently have resorted to question
able tactics.''
'The chief implements used are
two, namely: First, threatening
to put the farmer in the peniten-
tiary for having obtained his in
surance under false representations
as to the condition of his crops
when taking out his application.
Second. working on the farmers
sympathy by pleading bankruptcy.
These astute agents know that the
farmer will yield to these pleadings
because of two reasons; first, out
of sympathy, having huoke or near
broke himself so often; secondly,
because he feels that there, is moth
ing to gain in suing bankrupt
company"
"But the most damnable of all
their. underhanded work Is when
they go so far as to even tell the
claimant that they are settling all
losses at ten per cent, or by giving
back the premium note, and that
this is done accoi ding to a fixed
understanding with the insurance
commissioner"
In order to clear the name of the
National Fire Insurance company
and also to- disprove any possible
fixed understanding with the in
surance commissioner, Mr.. Olsness
conducted an exhaustive investiga-
ttOn in which he took the matter
up with the head Office of the Ma
tional Fire Insurance compan>.
Nathan H. Chase, president of the
company. in response to Mr.. Ols-
ness query, stated: "that no Of
ficer or representative of the Ma
tional Fire Insurance company has
ever been instructed" to settle crop
policies on the basis of returning
premiums by claiming the company
Is bankrupt Mr.. Chase claims
that lit was thoroughly and fully
understood that no bankrupt talk
was to be made" and "that when
settlements were to be made on the
basis of return premiums it was to
be done because Of the fact that
the adjusters. were convinced, by
good and sufficient evidence, that
the crops were not in good condi-
ton at the time the application
was made and that the company
had been deceived by the applicant"
In view of all these circumstances
Insurance Commissioner Olsness
issues the following warming: I'm
fairness to the company and for the
benefit and protection of the policy
holders who have not settled their
claims with the company. I wish 10
make this explanation and warn
ing: No one with an honest claim
should allow any glibtongued ad-
juster to swerve him in the least
but should stand pat in his de-