Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-21
VETERANS OPEN RUSH TO RENEW
WAR RISK INSURANCE POLICIES
More Than Million Dollars Worth Written i'm Month
at Washington District Office as Deadline
Rapidly Approaches.

A marked rush on the part Of
veterans to renew their wartime in
surance is reported by local officers
of the Veterans Bureau. The appli-
cation and inquiries during the last
few weeks are said to approach in
numbers the mass of activity in the
field in the days just after the close
of the war, and are from veterans
who want to take advantage of their
insurance opportunity before the
limiting date set by Congress.
More than million dollars worth
of insurance was rewritten or convert
ed during January through the Wash
ington offices of the bureau alone, and
figures for February are expected to
greatly exceed that amount The
reason for this activity lies in the fact
that veterans have been notified that
the present laws governing Federal
wartime insurance require reinstate-
ment and conversion from term to old
line policies before July of this year
and many veterans are apparently
hurrying to protect their insurance
privileges.
1t Is surprising and very pleasing
to note the amount of insurance bust
ness that is flowing into this office
daily" said Col NJ. B. Macmillan
manager of the Washington regional
office. Recent figures indicate that
an average OF so or more letters a day
have been received in this office alone
from points all over the country, in
addition to the amount of protection
that has been written on persons who
nave come in personally, and in addi
ton to insurance being written by
other offices. These letters come from
men and women in all walks of life
and the work of our insurance person
mel is back to proportions approx
mating the activities Immediately
after the war"
Response to Broadcasting.
large number of inquiries from
to the Washington office through the
Navy and postal service, Postmaster
General New having broadcast a
notice on the early closing date of
term insurance through the postal
publications and a similar notice
having been sent out through the
Navy Department. The letters com.
ing from these services are from
postmasters and admirals, as well as
mail clerks and gobs.
This load is expected to increase be-
tween now and July. Some effort has
been made on the part of the bureau
to broadcast information to former
service men so as to protect them in
their rights, and both the daily and
magazine press of the country have
made extensive effort to carry this
information to the veterans concerned
One article broadcast by the
American Legion through the State
of West Virginia called attention of
members Of that body to the advan-
tages that would accrue to the COM
munities in their State through the
protection of otherwise dependent
widows and orphans, in addition to
the potential fortune that would be
brought into the State from a COM
mercial point of view, if all veterans
would renew and continue their Gov
eminent insurance.
Provisions for Renewals.
Officials at the Veterans Bureau
stated yesterday that the provisions
covering the renewal Of Federal in
surance that has lapsed are as fol-
lows: The veteran must be in good
health, according to the affldavits Of
private physicians or of Veterans
Bureau examiner at the time of appli-
cation, and he must pay the premium
covering the month Of grace allowed
by the Government at the time the in
surance was lapsed, in addition to the
premium for the month in which it is
desired to renew the insurance. Vet
Grams who have suffered a disability
affecting their insurability since date
of lapse are not eligible for reinstate
ment except in the case of those
where the disability is the result OF
World War service and where the
period Of lapse has not exceeded two
years. Such insurance may be re-
newed by the payment of all inter-
vening premiums with interest at 5
per cent per annum, compounded from
the date the premiums were due.
The present situation respecting in
surance renewals and conversions
was explained by officials as being due
to an act of Congress which extended
the date for term insurance, such as
LWaS carried by the soldiers during the