The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-10-07
u. S. Insurance Cues
tons and Answers


The farms of the country contri-
buted about one-fourth of the man
power of the forces Of the United
States engaged in the war.
1t is estimated that 4 zoo. 900 men
who served Ill the army the navy and
the marine corps were born and
reared on American farms.
A total of 4,539,048 men took out
war risk insurance, their aggregate
policies totalling nearly $40,O0O,-
vOO,OOO and eacn policy averaging
$500. OF this total insurance, SER
vice men from the farming districts
carried approximately $IO,420, 0Q0,-
0OO. and by far the grealel percent
age of this insurance was made pay
able to wives, mothers, fathers and
other relatives VINO reside ON farms.
The average age. of the men who
fell in action, died Of wounds or from
Uther causes during the war, was
twenty-tnree years land because OF
their youth, by tar the greater per-
centage were unmarried men. Which
explains why AZ per cent OF the pvli-
cieS taken out named mothers as
beneticiaries, l6 per- Cent named
fathers and only 7 per cent named
wives.
In the original war risk act pro-
vision was made for the policies writ
ten on service men during the war
10 be continued as permanent gov
eminent insurance. 10 avail them
selves Of the opportunity to convert
their war risk insurance into per-
manent United States government in
surance it Is necessary that the men
discharged from service continue to
pay their monthly premiums. and at
some time during the five years fol-
lowing the formal declaration of
peace that they convert into a per-
manent policy.
From the record it appears that
only ABOUT twenty-five per cent of the
men who had insurance during the
war are continuing to keep up their
insurance. This is largely due to the
TACT that the men were unfamiliar
With the provisions Of the act, or that
hey have not felt financially able to
carry their insurance at this time.
To guard against any man losing
his right to government insurance
because of this condition the secre-
tary of the treasury recently issued
a ruling allowing every man eighteen
months in which he has the oppor-
tunity to reinstate his insurance after
he has allowed it to lapse because of
non-payment of premiums.
This reinstatement privilege should
be clearly understood. So long as
man is not paying his premiums
he is not insured. His. reinstatement
privilege merely gives him the right
to again have government insurance
without undergoing physical exam
ination, and upon the payment of
two months premiums.
A nation wide campaign has been
inaugurated for direct personal con-
tact with former service men thru
which they may be informed of their
rights to permanent government in.
surance, and in this campaign have
been enlisted the American Red
cross, the Y. M. G. A., the Knights
of Columbus, the Salvation Army,
the Y M. H. A., the boy scouts and
numerous other National social well
fare organizations. In addition more
than $4,000 life insurance agents
have been enlisted. The volunteer
roll further includes thousands of
bankers, doctors, lawyers, manufac-
turers, other business men and repre-
sentatives of all associations which
come in contact with discharged SER
vice men and their dependents.
The former service man who lives
on the farm will be reached to a
large extent thru banks which have
volunteered to serve as clearing
houses for information on war risk
insurance.
There are six permanent forms of
government insurance, as follows:
/. Twenty-year endowment.
2. Thirty-year endowment.
8. Twenty-payment life.
4. Thirty-payment life,
5. Endowment at age sixty-two.
6. Ordinary life.
Applications are being received by
the bureau of war risk insurance for
changing the present term insurance
which was issued at the time of en-
tering the service, into the perman-
ent forms.
Ten features which prominently
stand out in the government policy
are as follows:
1. The total permanent disability
clause is granted without cost to
the insured and it is free from all
restrictions.
2. Government insurance does
not charge its policy holders any
overhead expense.
8. It contains an extremely lib
eral definition of disability.
Z 4. 1t gives very substantial pay
ments.
5. 1t contains no age restrictions
6. It is unrestricted as to travel,
residence or occupation.
z. Premiums paid in advance are
refunded down to the month, in case
of death.