The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-23

mems Compensation Bureau
Monopoly Causes Fight
Efforts to change the present in
surance laws probably will be made
at this legislative session II plans now
under consideration are presented to
the legislature.
Some OF the changes will have the
support Of the administration and OF
the state hall insurance department
Others will have to find support else
where.
Among the changes to be favored
by the administration Is an amend
ment to the state hail insurance Law
to relieve farmers In counties where
the state carries q small risk from
compulsory listing ct their land for
hail insurance purposes. At present
all land Is listed and farmers who do
not want the state insurance are put
to the trouble of withdrawing their
lend from the state protection.
The proposed bill probably will
provide that In counties where 80
per cent Of the land has been with
drawn for three consecutive years
the compulsory listing requirement
no longer will apply. Farmers In
such counties, however, would be able
to obtain state hail insurance on ap-
plication.
Department Opposed
It Is doubtful II this proposal will
meet with favor Of the state hail in
surance department. The depart.
ment opposed q similar proposal at
the last session.
Some changes In the law as recon-
mended by the hail insurance depart
ment will have the administration
support, however. These are change.
fil11onded to make easier administro.
ton OF the otate hail insurance act
and to correct defects which have
been developed by the last 10 years
| experience.
Z Governor Shafcr called attention
to these suggestions of the depart
ment in his inaugural address and
has indicated that he feels they
should be adopted.
Another major insurance battle OF
the session is expected to center
around the proposal to amend the
state workmen's compensation law to
permit the writing Of such insurance
by private insurance companies. At
present the state department has q
monopoly on this business and pri-
vate insurance companies are charg-
ing discrimination.
Encourage New Industries
Their argument Is that the change
would not lessen the protection Of
fered to injured workmen and that
the change would encourage new In
dustries to locate In North Dakota.
Opponents Of the change contend
that the department has established
itself - q success and that 1t would
be unwise to change the law. Its ef-
feet. they say, would be to seriously
handicap the bureau In It's work since
the bureau then would be forced to
solicit business which now comes to
It under compulsion Of law. The re-
suit, they say, would be to increase
the cost Of the insurance on the
same basis Of protection Is now Of
Tered. In some states compensation
bureaus have q monopoly on this bust
ness and In others such insurance "a
written by both the state bureau and
private companies. In other states
the rates Of compensation are set BY
the bureau and the insurance written
wholly BY private companies.
Prospects are that the North Da-
kota legislature will be asked to open
the business to competition Of private
companies with the present bureau.
Recommend Minor Changes
The compensation bureau has rec
ommended some minor changes IN
tho law which will be presented in
the form OF bill.
Although some talk has been heard
Of an effort to amend the state law
covering insurance on public build
ings, It i not certain that q bill win
b presented on this subject.
The fate Of the bill. offered by this
department.. to permit the DEPART
ment to carry III risks without out
side help may or may not have I'd.
mintstraticn support. Governor eha-
Ter has not taken any stand on the
matter and may not do 90. Under
the present law the state department
reinsures some Of its larger risks
with private companies. i contends,
however. that It has lost money By
this practice since the premiums paid
to private companies Tar exceed the
losses which they have been called On
TO bear.