Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-10
MANY CAUSES FOR
INCREASE IN FIRE
INSURANCE RATES
Chamber of Commerce Commit
tee Reports on its
Investigation.
POSITION OF UNDERWRITERS

That city departments are partly to
hlames that really owners and lessees
OF property are open TO censure. but
that, with fire hazards which influence
the underwriters in making up the rate
of fire insurance eliminated insurance
rates may be materially reduced. is the
gist of the report of the Fire Rate In
surance Committee named by the
Chamber of Commerce, and which re-
port WAS submitted 10 A. ID. Warner.
Jr.. president OF the Chamber OF Com
merce. today.
The Water Department. Fire Depart
ment, Street Department, Police De-
partment. overhead wiring. deficient
building laws and deficient inspection
acts and regulations governing inham-|
able fluids, dry cleaning establish
ments, garages and motion picture
theaters, all enter into the rates paid
by owners OF realty on their proper
ties. the committee points out, accord
ing TO statistics and information re-
ceiyed from the underwriters.
The committee criticixes the fact
that the underwriters charge a PEN
atty to realty owners because there is
a volunteer fire system still in opera
ton here. The members of the com.
mittee discussed this detail with thel
underwriters. and received the assur-l
ance from them that as soon as the
paid fire department was in operation
there would be a reduction in rates tol
mercantile establishments.
No private homes. churches or
schools are effected by the raise in
rates. which went into effect, July IL. |
this year, unless their close proximity
TO fire hazards made IL necessary.
wilmington has, the underwriters
state, been enjoying lower rates than
any other city in the Middle district
OF their association for many years.
other cities in the district have been
paying higher rates than Wilmington,
and the readjustment Of July, here,
places Wilmington on par with all
other cities its size in this district. ac-
cording TO information obtained from
the-undefwriters. Ali of these details I
are gone into in the report. and the
suggested that il be in
structed to enter into conference with
the proper city authorities to discuss
with them the defects found by the
10 ascertain II some OF
these could be remedied, resulting ii,
lower insurance rates.
The report in fun follows:
August 5. 1921.
Mr.. a. u. Warner. Jr.. president,
Chamber OF Commerce.
Wilmington. Delaware
Dear Sir-2The committee appointed /
by you in accordance with resolu-
tion adopted at meeting held in the
Chamber OF Commerce rooms on the
..~~r~ sxf Ix.1. \ L
NIT the following report bearing upon
its investigation Of the matter of the
rerating for fire insurance of proper
ties in the city Of Wilmington.
Your committee. consisting of
Messrs. Alex r. Abrahams. Albert
Bird. C. T. BRIGHAM. r. ID. Kempd
John S. Afullin. Ralph Saltzman and
Charles II. Ten Weeges, held a meet
ing for the purpose of organizing on
July 10, 1927, when il was decided. as
A first step, TO obtain information as
20 what was the effect of the new rat
ng OF Wilmington by the Under
writer's Association OF the Middle
Department. insofar as the increases
or decreases Of the rates in force
prior TO July II, 1921. the date when .
he new rates became effective, and
how such new rates compared with
'ther cities of similar size in this
erritory.
With this thought in mind, the COM
nittee arranged a meeting with the :
,fhcials of the above-mentioned rate !
making bureau and on Tuesday, July
z. met the president, Capt H NJ.
,weig and the secretary. Mr.. Louis
Jr.. at their office, No :
I6 Walnut street. Philadelphia, where :
three-hour conference was held !.
nd several salient points developed. :
s follows:
That the general level of rates prior
o July II. 1921, We're lower in Will
nington than obtained in any other
ity of equal importance in the ter
itory under the Jurisdiction OF the
fiddle Department which comprises
loutside of Philadelphia
md suburbs and Pittsburgh, the
tate of Delaware and the Eastern q
hore and a small section of the West
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