The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-10-02
STATE VENTURE SUCCESS

The first year of the states handling
of hail insurance has been fully fig
ured out, and some time ago the Reg
lister published a preliminary synopsis
of what might be expected. This
statement from Pierre is even more
favorable than had been expected.
Those who took out state hail in
surance for this year will soon receive
payment on the certificates issued to
them, since the state hail department
has disposed of $780, 900 worth Of bonds
for this purpose. AS the season for
adjusting hail lisses in this state Is
closed, the total amount to be paid out
is practically known at 1920, 000. The
receipts for the season were over a
million, placing the surplus at approx
mately 5000, 900. The rate is to re-
main at the present one from rs cents
an acre east Of the Missouri river to
45 cents west OF the stream, until this
surplus reaches 50, 500, 900, after which
the rate can be lowered until the sur
plus is drawn upon. This surplus
draws interest all the time. The sea-
son for the first effort at state hail in
surance has been a very favorable one,
allowing a larger accumulation Of sur
plus than was expected. The situation
over the northwest Is "a enough
closed so that comparisons are being
made with other states trying out
the plan. In Saskatchewan, which
has been carrying hail insurance for
a number OF years, the rate is fixed
on the total acreage at six cents per
acre, and this year with losses of
81, 900, 900, it is found necessary to
levy an additional tax Of % cents an
acre on all seeded land to meet then
losses.
In Montana the assessment is $3.50
on seeded acreage to meet their losses.
While South Dakota was not hard hit,
North Dakota losses run to near three
million dollars, and they will need at
least 35 cents per acre on all seeded
land in addition to the regular assess
ment of three cents an acre on all
tillable land in the state. Another
feature of the difference between this
state and North Dakota is found IL
the fact that the adjusting in this
state was done by fifteen men, with
not more than ten out at any one
time. In North Dakota over 200 ad-
~justers were out drawing pay from
the fund. Under their system the
farmers in the western part of the
state who lost their crops by drouth,
are assessed just the same as those
in the eastern part who had good
crops. Also under their law, there is
but $750,000 available to pay losses
this year and holders of certificates
over that mount have to wait for
their pay.
The main features Of the difference
between the hail plants OF Saskatche-
wan and North Dakota, and that OF
South Dakota, is that in those states
the land owner is called upon to pay
a part Of the assessment even though
he farms none of his tract, and the
cropped land is only assessed II the
general fund does lot meet the losses.
In South Dakota, the man who will
get the benefit in case of hail is the
one assessed, as the whole assess
ment is placed against the cropped
land, and this the crop raiser can
avoid by the filing Of a statement OF
withdrawal with the county auditor.
Nebraska, while it does not have a
complete state hail insurance law, is
looking into the South Dakota plan
as a possibility for that state, the in
surance commissioner Of that state
having recently visited the South Da-
kota department to secure data as to
the workings of the law in this state.