The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-10-02
CONVERT POLICY TO
GOVT INSURANCE
Special Appeal Mado To Men On
Farms - Keep Up War
Insurance

The farms OF the country contribut-
cd about o~ne-fourth OF the man power
of the forces of the United States en-.
gagged In the War.
1t is estimated that 10000 men
who served In the Army the Navy
and the Marine Corps were born and
reared on American farms.
A total of 4.53s,04S men took out
Wal Risk Insurance, their aggregate
policies totalling nearly 100000. 000,-
900, and each policy averaging $500.
OF this total insurance. service men
from the farming districts carried APP
proximately $10.42o. 00O. 900. and by
far the greater percentage Of this in
surance was made payable to wives,
mothers. fathers and other relatives
who reside on farms.
The average age of the men who
fell in action, died Of wounds OF from
other cause during the war, was %
years, and because of their youth, by
far the greater percentage were un-
married C Which explains why
AZ per cent of the policies taken out
named mothers as be~neficiaries, l6
per cent named fathers and only Z
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
to be continued as permanent Gov.
eminent Insurance. To 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 cue 10 the
fact that the men we're unfamiliar
with the provisions of the Act, or that
they have no felt financially able TO
carry their insurance at this time.
To guard against any man losing
his right to Government Insurance Do-
cause of this condition the Secretary
OF the Treasury recently issued a rul.
ing allowing every man eighteen
months in which he has the oppor-
tunity to reinstate his insurance after
he has, allowed 1t to lapse because
of non-payment of premiums
This reinstatement privilege should
be clearly understood. So Tong as a
man is no paying his premiums he is
not insured. His reinstatement priv.
ilege merely gives MIN the right tc
again have Government Insurance
without undergoing physical examin.
alton, and upon the payment of two
months premiums.
A nation wide campaign has beer
inaugurated for direct personal con.
tact with former service men through
which they may be informed of their
rights to permanent Government In
surance, and in this campaign hav.
been enlisted the American Red Cros,
the Y. M. C. A., the knights of Colum
bus, the Salvation Army, the Y NJ
ii. a., the Boy Scouts, and numerou.
other National social welfare organi
zations, In addition more than $4,000
life insurance agents have been en-
listed. The volunteer roll further in
cludes thousands of bankers, doctors
lawyers, manufacturers, other bust
ness men and representatives OF al
associations which come in contac'
with discharged service men and thei,
dependents.
The former service man who live.
on the farm will be reached to {
large extent through banks which
have volunteered to serve as clearine
houses for information on War Risl
Insurance.
There are six permanent forms O.
government insurance. as follows:
1. 20-year Endowment
y. 30-year Endowment.
8. 20-Payment Life.
4. 30-Payment Life.
5 Endowment at Age So.
6. Ordinary Life.
Applications are being received BY
the Bureau of War Risk Insurance
for changing the present term insur.
ance, which was issued at the time
Of entering the service. into the per.
mnent forms.
Ten features which prominently
stand out In the government policy
are as follows: