The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-03-01

of in fine shape and all losses are
being paid in full.
1t is the wish of the state board
that the farmers read the report and
the information carefully, in Iorder
that they may have a complete I'M
derstanding of the conduct of the
business. 1t is hoped that they will
feel free to ask for information or
to offer suggestions for the better
ment of the service.
With the idea of aiding. the farm
ers of Montana the state inaugural
ed a hail insurance law in 1917. I'm
der this law the. state nail insurance
department has since distributed al
most one million dollars on losses.
| Risk of damage by hail is very great
in most of Montana, excepting the
northwestern part west of the main
range of mountains. The purpose of
the state hail insurance department
was to enable the farmers to carry
this risk for themselves at actual
cost.
This department is simply an ar
arrangement where the farmers mutual
ly submit their lands to a tax which
is pooled in the state fund. The as
SCISSORS receive and record the appli-
cations and the county treasurers
collect the levies charged for the in
surance. The funds are held by the
state treasurer and and paid out for
losses as directed by the state board
of hail insurance, which is composed
of three farmers and two state Off
Gals. The three farmers are appoint
ed by the governor from among
names of farmers submitted by farm
organizations; the two ex-officio
members are the state auditor and
: the commissioner of agriculture.
) Moneys collected for the hail in
surance fund are used only for op-
Grating the hail insurance department
and paying hail losses.
During the five years OF operation
I less than s cents of each dollar placed
i in the hail fund has been used fol
4 operating purposes each year. The
1 great saving effected is evident wher
e it is considered that this is only
0 about one-half the amount used fol
IL local agents commissions under th'
common methods of writing hail in
L surance.
It Application blanks may be obtaine'
from any county assessor of from tn
IS State Board of Hail Insurance a
IS Helena, Montana. Under the hail in
4. surance law it is made the duty o
each county assessor to explain tn
}. law TO each farmer taxpayer and t
V. inquire of them if they wish to tax
ID out hail insurance. If the farme
Il taxpayer desires insurance he can oh
tain it at the time of assessment b
d. signing a hail application before
is deputy assessor or he can retain
lg blank which must be filed with til
county assessor.
Hail insurance may be taken froI
the field deputies, as explained abov
g. or may be taken by appearing in pc
to son at the assessors office, or b
re mailing applications to the county a
b. SCISSOR not later than the 18th of Aus
he ust in each year. All grain insure
ne will take the same rate as all otht
nd grain in the same zone, regardless
he the length of time insured, unlel
10 an application for production of lev
ar is made. Farmers are advised
Is make their applications at any tin
Ike after their crops are sufficiently a
'er vanced to be subject to hail damag
Any owner of land, or tenant wi
at owners consent, may insure withol
ed a cash payment, the hail levy beir
all payable with other taxes at tax-pa
les ing time. Notice that any owner
ng land who wishes hail insurance
ky crops growing on land on which the
of are more than a years delinque
1e- taxes will have to pay cash with h
ely application or reduce the amount
his back taxes to one year. A buy
IN of land on contract must have t
Ich signature of the title-holder.
oil Within 40 days of the occurren
IRE of any loss the State Board of H;
Insurance will have a warrant issu
payable to each claimant for so p
' cent of the amour t of the adju;
ment, less any amount owned for h;
Y Insurance. a u-ar~on+ for +ha =.