Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22

lis. In the few months Just before the
expiration of the original time limit,
more than $780, ex-service men had
filed applications. -.
Under the law as amended by Con-
greSS in 1928, the insurance rights Of
the ex-Service man are clearly de-
fined. He can choose among seven
forms u policies against death or per-
manent total disability. He may take
out q policy for $1,000 or $4,000, or
for any multiple Of $500 between those
two sums. But to get insurance now,
the ex-service man must supply salts
factory evidence of good health.
He cannot take out a policy larger
than $4,000. II he already has q pol
icy from the Government Of $4,000 he
can apply for enough additional In
surance to bring the total to the
$4,000 maximum. The ANAL require
ment is that he must have served in
the military or naval forces Of the
United States between April Is, 1917,
and July 2, 1921.
Procedure Is Stated.
A standard form is provided by the
Veterans Bureau for applications.
Nevertheless any statement in writing
is held sufficient to identify the appli-
cant, the amount and the plan Of the
Of a physical examination and o re-
mittance to cover the first months
premium. Any regional once of the
veterans Bureau, or any Of its hos
pitalS, will give the necessary physical
examination without charge.
The Veterans Bureau has Just put
into eject decentralization Of Its &C
tivities. The decentralization has been
completed for policyholders east of the
Mississippi, covering approximately two
thirds of the insurance accounts, and
will be complete west of the Mississippi
by the first of the year. Hereafter a
man may pay his premiums to the
nearest district ONCE, and in the case
of death his beneficiary may file q
claim in that Office.
Director Hines believes that this plan
will not only make the administration
OF the insurance business easier, but
Will prove boon to the more than
100000 policyholders. Decentralization
of its activities will enable the bureau
to conduct its insurance business with
standard of service comparable to
that Of the leading insurance companies
and Will bring about a closer contact
with policyholders.
Better Use Of Funds.
Decentralization has q further adj
vantage. Premiums will be collected
through the regional ofices, instead Of
the central office of the bureau. And
in this way the funds collected will be
made much more rapidly available for
investment. The interest return on the
Governments life insurance fund will
be correspondingly increased.
:. The policies offered are similar 70
those offered by commercial companies.
The forms are 20-payment life, ordi-
nary life, 30-payment life, 20-year en-
dowment, 30-year endowment, endow-
ment at 81 and five-year convertible
term insurance. Without any appro-
priations that could be used for this
purpose the government has never been
able to conduct a selling campaign as
a commercial company would carry It
on.
1t has, however, undertaken TO give
fulI information about Government in
surance in a simple form. 1t publishes
a booklet, Information Regarding Gov
eminent Life Insurance" setting forth
all the necessary information In the
different kinds Of insurance and the
premium rates for all ages
The Government Is behind every
policy issued, so the insurance Is held
TO be the safest in the, world. The
premiums are the lowest called for by
any insurance of the same kind, one
reason betpg that the Government has
taken over the entire cost Of admins
tering the system.
The premiums charged by private
companies for insurance Of the corre-
spending type cover an amount to
include not only the estimated sums
needed to meet death claims and ma
tured policies, but also an extra amount
to cover the expense Of conducting the
business.