Imperial Valley press., 1919-08-26
MILLIONS PAID
OUT BY THE WAR
RISK BURE A j

WASHINGTON. Aug. %. The
Federal Government is conducting
four major business concerns, includ-
ing the biggest insurance company in
the world, in connection with the war
risk insurance bureau. Efforts are be-
ing made at the same time to gather
back into the fold the hundreds of
thousands of soldiers who have al
lowed their policies to lapse and to
broaden the work of the bureau by
increasing the advantages and facili-
ties to the policy holders.
Starting out with the Marine Insur-
ance Company, through which the gov
ernment unerwrcte $2,389, SAL ,525
worth of shipping in American bot
toms, the bureau branched out until
it became the clearing house for half
billion dollars worth of allotments
by soldiers to their families and rela-
tives during the war. Now the bu-
reau is paying compensations and
claims for men disabled in service In
the division of compensation and
claims $1,645,255 has been disbursed
in funeral expenses alone. Other
claims aggregating $1,652.279 are be-
ing paid to disabled men and their
families.
In addition to these businesses the
yoY, ricl- b,,ro,,, ie. bop,,l;,.r H. :,,o,,~.
ance policies of 4,539,O48 men who
were in the service during the war
Approximately 25 per cent of these
men have regularly paid their prem
iums, leaving at least three million
men who must be found and shown
what the government is willing to do
for them.
Recommendation have been made
to Congress that the payment of in
surance benefits in lump sums in
stead of in monthly installments and
that soldiers be allowed to name 9TH
ers than immediate members of their
families as ebeneficiaries. At present
policies may he converted into old line
policies of various characters, includ-
ink what amounts of old age pen
| sion, and that amounts of insurance
carried during the war may be in
creased or decreased as the insured
desires.
Through recent decision of the
Secretary Of the Treasury soldiers
may renew policies that have lapsed
over a period not to exceed eighteen
months, and in doing so will only have
to pay premiums for two months of
the lapsed months.
In the Marine Insurance business
the war risk bureau received SAC ,849,-
| 3H IN premium payments and paid
out 1910 ,296, showing a surplus of
SIT 7,50O,534 in receipts over expenses
during the three and a half years of
its existence, which ended last Janu-
ary. In the banking business of pay
ing allotments to dependents of men
with the colors during the war, the
bureau drew checks totaling $5O8, ,OOO,-
600. Approximately forty billion dol
lars worth Of insurance was written
in behalf of men with the colors dur
ing the war. Up to January 1, 1919,
the bureau had collected 100000 900
in premiums, paid only $4,000 600
on deaths during the war.
The war risk bureau has laid plans
for getting in touch with the soldiers
who have allowed their insurance to
lapse and has asked Congress for All
appropriation for this purpose. In
their campaign officials of the bureau
will explain to the discharged service
men the terms under which they may
continue or renew their insurance and
the manner in which policies can be
converted and payment changed to the
soldiers best advantage.
.