Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-11
WE|DEROLTZ TO BE
SPEAKER TONIGHT At
INSURANCE MEETING
Chief of Underwriters District
Office to Explain Change
i'm Local Rates.
MANY OPPOSE THE RAISE

city officials with officers of the
Chamber OF Commerce. merchants and
| insurance brokers. are expected to at.
/ tend in large numbers the conference
to hc held tonight at the Chamber Of
Commerce for the purpose Of discuss
ing the proposed increase in nre in
surancc rates, that went into effect
today. There will be no increase in
rates on residences insurance hrok-
ers saN. The increase affects only
those establishments in tho business
section Of the city. which have un-
usual fire hazards or evils that viii
when their present policies expire cost
more money to insure
According 70 the insurance brokers
the rates fur Wilmington insurance
have been much lower than other
cities of its size and in the same
general class. The brokers say that
the city has been on the iusura nee
blacklist for many years. that the sur
vcy which has Just been completed
and which is resulting in raising the
rates on some buildings was not IN
liucnccd hy The installation of paid
fire department. but that IL such a
department had not hecu installed
the rates would be much more dra site
and possibly the pink slip. with
drawing insurance. might have re-
suited
IS matters stand now. the only
thinE that can bc done is "a make 4
protest with little likelihood of this
proving successful. Wilmington is
uud,r the supervision ~ what is
known as the Middle Department of
tht National Board Of Fire Under
writers and the man at the head or
this section is Lewis Wcidcroltz. with
oiliccs ID Philadelphia. sually the
board cf local frc insurance brokers
meet and tiN the rates. but in the case
u this city. several counties ~ Mary
land and Delaware. the rates for this
section are made ~ by the board that
has i headquarters in Philadelphia.
MIR. Weidcroltz has promised to at
tend thr meeting tonight and will h.
the one authorized to speak FOR the
underwriters
Tho threatened strike uf th,, vol
uutcvr firemen last September ana the
heavy loss ~ S2,o0o ,ooo entailod IN The
tire ~ the Wilmington Leather 90.
last December. FASTENED the survey II
the underwriters here. Their con
teniion that Wilmington has been en-
joying a lower rate, coupled with the
severe losses. made the association
expedite its inyestiga atinn and tht. fact
that il was completed al IN. time when
the city i Installing paid dcpar,
ment is but q coincidence. il is as
serted ~ the insurance mon
Insurance Mems Argument.
IN the wear 1919 the nre loss III this
City VAS Sl2.95 per capita, insurance
mrn say. IN twenty ether cities az
the country of 4 similar size the loss
was not more than S. and IN most az
them il did not total more than 81
the underwriters say. With such
figures as these to base their claims
of inadequate fire protection and pre-
Nenti0n. the insurance brokers feel
that thcy have solid foundation for
their raise or equalization in rates. as
they always prefer L. style it. The
brokers point q certain risks as in
dicating the need for a housecleauing
one establishment in the heart Of
the city. they point cut. has gasoline
which the establishment uses exposed
ia way that endangers lives and
property. Places on King street and
on Fourth street. where the cellars
are cluttered with rubbish. are other
examples cited
In other cities the fire marshal stops
such violations IN Wilmington the
Department of Public safety may
designate an assistant fire chief TO
make inspections. with authority to
stop all insurance il hc found rubbish
littering cellars and other violations.
the same as in other cities. However.
the directors do not have authority
oyer FIRE matters until September.
When a store is insured the rate is
made up from a number of fixed
charges There is first a fiat charge
and to this is added charges for i'm
proper and inadequate walls and other
fire hazards. The extra charges that
Iessees cause through rubbish, etc,
are known as occupancy charges.
while the faulty walls. etc. making up
deficiency charges. and both are con
sidered in making up the insurance
rate Thus. if a lessee. has his land
icrd make the building more safe and
removes his own fire dangers there
should he reduction in the
rate But. according TO in
formation available today, there is
small chance Of the rate being lowered.
now that it has once been advanced.
-s------