Document 7kyyjrM6oLvgV7KzgdpmMjxV

FILE NAME Insurance Industry INS DATE 1943 Jan 14 DOC INSO05 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Article from The National Underwriter - Occupational Disease Is Main Problem of Future ~-- January 14 1943 NATIONAL UNDERWRITER Underwriters Expect Increased Burglary Losses in Some Lines Scarcity and Rationing of Many Commodities Having Adverse Effects NEW YORK of 22,000 pounds of butter valued at 12,000 from a cold storage 10,000 to warehouse here is apparently the forerunner of large scale burglaries which burglary underwriters for some months have been pedicting would result from com- modity shortages As a result every food warehouse in the city was placed under police guard When they are not business open for a patrolman is sta- tioned on the premises and during work- ing hours radio patrols and the police- man on the post give special attention to every food storage establishment Guards are being supplied for all food trucks entering or leaving the city Jewelry cigarettes and liquor are also a source of losses While there are instances of sugar and coffee trucks being hijacked it does not appear that there have been substantial losses from warehouses Apparently the close con- trol exercised by the governinent over tires and the stiff penalties imposed on tire thieves who have been caught are discouraging this type of theft Work of Experienced Thieves Most thefts occurring now are the work of experienced thieves The casual or amateur burglar has practically dis- appeared because honest work is plentiful and wages are good The fact that many younger men who might become burglars are serving in the armed forces is factor The food field is attractive to the experienced thief because of the culty in tracing down an article as butter after it has been stolen diffisuch It is difficult to identify and it is apt to be in the consumer's hands before it can be traced to the numerous channels through which it may be distributed Since the experienced thief almost always finds a market or fence before the crime is committed the difficulty of detection is further aggravated In the case of the pound butter theft detectives immediately established the fact that the thieves had been experts and probably included a locksmith as the front door lock had been cleverly restored after it had been forced Companies writing a large volume of burglary business on creameries receive an increase in claims from that source even in normal times whenever the price of butter is high its burglary underwriter stated and this with the present scarcity may push losses higher than ever Jewelry Thieves Are Active A gang of jewelry thieves is very active in the middle west The proce- dure is to have one of the gang engage the attention of the clerk as a prospective buyer while another expertly removes the screws from a door jamb The work is so well done that nothing unusual is detected but the next morn- ing the thieves have entered the build- ing and made away with their loot There are always a certain number of clever crooks who are carefully study- ing current conditions to determine the most profitable field for their activities commodity With a general rationing program due very shortly their attitude will undoubtedly be largely influenced by the attitude of the government and Occupational Disease Is Money Main Problem of Future The next 25 years must see a great awakening to the importance of controlling the elements that cause occupational disease Henry D. Sayer general manager Compensation Rating Board New York declared before the Congress on Industrial Health in Chicago Although great strides have been made in the prevention of industrial accidents the surface has only been scratched in the field of industrial health The dangers and hazards of industrial processes must be continuously studied in order to establish measures for their control and cure Compensation rates are probably the most scientifically established of any form of insurance Mr. Sayer stated in explaining the need for doctors making complete reports On these reports depend in a large measure the position of the insurer in accepting liability and in determining its preliminary reserve Medical reports are a prime necessity if the compensation law is to be fairly and adequately administered Difficult to Define Coverage and any of the other toxic or harmful substances enumerated in the law Given exposure if sufficiently prolonged and intense the disease is presumed to be characteristic of and peculiar to the employment without exposure the disease cannot be considered to be occupational Nor can an exposure to toxic substance in itself be deemed sufficient to make a diagnosis The diagnosis must be definite and determined by medical observations and procedures including necessary laboratory and pathological findings And when diagnosis is made the condition may then be considered as to the degree and extent of exposure and the relationship of one to the other as a cause The other common method of pro- viding coverage for occupational dis- cases set forth in some laws is the general or inclusive coverage under which method specific diseases or disease conditions are not named in the law but the law provisions include occupational disease by vague general language or by attempted definition WDC C Are Lag Hope Ja Meeting Results Some of th cussed with b damage mon have profited it has promp their values a experience is Connecticut a ing the curities first war available Ea to get the cov covered that Although compensation for specific orcupational disease is the natural corollary of compensation for accident with- out fault almost insuperable difficulties in defining the coverage have been en- countered due to the impossibility of exactly defining the term occupational discase Not all diseases affecting or acquired by workers are occupational diseases not even all diseases that occur in the course of employment That cannot be too strongly emphasized Nor is an occupational disease law to be regarded as the employer's contribution to a general health law for workers In an ef- fort to define and delimit properly the occupational disease coverage there have developed two general methods one the called schedule law and the other the open or inclusive law The sched ule law sets forth in a list embodied in the law all the diseases or disease con- ditions for which liability is sought to be established under the law These in diseases are frequently related the law to specific working conditions or processes in which there is a characteris- tic hazard of the specific disease Thus for example lead poisoning is a disease occurring among men who work with or handle or are exposed to lead in some form If a man who works with lead develops lead poisoning it will be conclusively presumed that he got the poisoning in his employment If perand however develops lead poisoning and it is conclusively shown that he does not handle lead or work with it and is in no way exposed to lead or lead fumes it cannot be said that his lead poisoning is an occupational disease and it must be caused by some exposure out- side his employment Definite Diagnosis Needed What has been said of lead may be said equally of arsenic mercury benzol the severity of the penalty imposed on culprits who are convicted of stealing rationed articles Demand Is Reputed Brisk Experienced thieves will concentrate in one particular area for a time and when it gets too hot for them they move on to greener fields Demand for burglary coverage is reported brisk This is said to be due to two reasons Merchants through no action of their own may have an increase in the value of their stocks from 10,000 to 15,000 with replacement very difficult The larger amount of money in circulation and good business is causing many to give more attention to their insurance coverage and they do not hesitate to lay down the money for the necessary premiums Broader Law Has Drawbacks Seemingly this type of law would be more easily administered for the administrative authority would not seen to be bound by the rigid restrictions and limitations of the schedule form of law But that is not there are other necessarily the case as tests that must be ap- plied when discases do not fall within the common category of occupational Such common and deadly diseases as pneumonia tuberculosis and heart dis- ease occur among workers just as they do among the industrial people When then if ever may such diseases be regarded as occupational The ques tions that may arise in connection with such diseases are very difficult and may lead to long expensive and discouraging litigation In the one case both employers and workers are fully informed of the disease conditions for which the one is permitted to claim and for which the other is liable The coverage is not so broad because nature of its certainty and definite In the other case the coverage may be theoretically more broad but it is shrouded in such vagueness and uncer- tainty that the right to compensation may not be determined until after lengthy hearings and protracted legal process All Are Concerned These seem to be the alternatives that present themselves in the develop- ment of occupational disease legislation up to the present time The medical profession can contribute to the study of the fairest and most satisfactory method of providing coverage for oc- cupational diseases in the shape of things to come It is a question that should not be left wholly to the lawyers or to the industrialists or to labor although the views of all these parties must be taken into account Those views should be based upon informed opinion and the information to be supplied by the doctors could be most impressive In one jurisdiction the state law has provided for a medical board of three physicians having special qualifications and this board makes its findings of fact and conclusions upon all medical questions arising out of claims for occupational disease compensation That board has performed a notable service Perhaps in the shape of things to come such medical boards shall have a most re- sponsible part Industry and insurance serving in- dustry do not fear the granting of compensation to workers who fall victims to real occupational diseases such as I have tried to describe But it seems to me that industry cannot be made to carry the financial burden of compensation for CONTINUED ON LAST page erably greater vious survey made for insu agent will ge tional the burgla from the bank What cover largely along on the Paci west the rest One of the p in banks insu a list of abou prospects out the money a Dec. 22 available the It sponse and t were from sn Feel Vaults I The bankei tions of cities vaults are in ence for inst ers National on Halsted s involved in ' years ago , deposit box h that was not writers as a ment largely The underw safe deposit | after the fire Despite the attitude on th attitude some ac board meetin banks these ( surance witho their boards program was ber and prob few directors Banks Attitud The attitud somewhat bo prospects for and bond ho dividual inves have been in matter with t vised that thi the insurance ing so themse In the sal damage insur quite an ind tions that wo bracket knew premium ernment wo Th apply to bani bank or othe how it will the year and periotdo act sideration CONTIN ehesineeneennns... cteneemnn em = _* a * * - NATIONAL UNDERWRITER 832 832 832 January 14 1943 states They state has de- efits are best ns The same enefits to some hat conditions are such that ituation to im- - if they take they t may cannot be some veridge report as exist in any try rather than to reduce his earnings and his standard of living Americans want not the freedom of a dependent but the freedom of opportunity and the American level of earnings America's entire industrial and social system is predicated on that fact We or our ancestors came to this country because of opportunity and because of the sys- tem which gives opportunity and we are not going to be mesmerized into going back under a system which to avoid we have made many sacrifices d to the fact h of the Bev- y foreign to the American the plan are dole An at- over the dole enefits by proom all classes tain This is . to have this g that a selfin may accept it will do so judge ButI at it will not to the average it is true that made by all rs where such Beveridge plan butor namely imates submit- that the gov> the benefits omething over ost and there- d will increase e cost It is say that this ent dole prop ich a thing as ultimately be- ; the price that 1 apparently is ontinuation of els now in ex- r too it is what willing to ac-ork under the levels aaa enaad dole as proort with bene- ning American many billions ell over 15 bil- only a guess ative one It billion dollars ings of citizens se in taxes of year and from es are intended entire nation idered individ- hat would seem > it for reasons ccording to the e report itself of say 10 mil- approximately in addition to o be the con- of nearly the efits of the plan _n standards by ase in benefits Illinois would a year heart of this = way to make in workable if ages were re- Bringing them ht very easily it program de-doubt that the | much rather ing levels and urance that he chase of social it in this coun- Occupational Disease Is Main Problem of Future CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 all kinds of illness and are the common lot of disease all and which which are traceable to employment only in the matter of time and not in the matter of causal relation to conditions fairly incident to and characteristic of the em- ployment Mr. Sayer also covered the difficulties in handling occupational diseases such as silicosis due to the inhalation of harmful dusts As it requires years of exposure before there is disability it is difficult to devise a practical plan for determining legal responsibility where the worker contracting the disease has worked for several employers Discuss O. D. Laws There was a discussion of occupa- tional disease laws following Mr. Sawyer's paper which brought out much the same points that were enumerated by Mr. Sawyer Those present con- curred with Mr. Sawyer on the need for studying prevention measures and the difficulties of defining and determining the responsibility of the employer In discussing the employment of wo- men in industry Dr. H. C. Hesseltine Chicago reported that women are absent from work more frequently and for longer periods than men It is necessary to provide for competent medical supervision for women work- ers A fatigue problem is created by the fact that women usually do housework in addition to their work in plants He recommended that women not be allowed to lift and handle weights exceeding 35 pounds Zurich had an exhibit of its safety zone program and Employers Mutual Liability a display on prevention of ac- cupational disease WDC Cover Sales Are Lagging a CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 One question that some of the bankers have in mind is whether as a matter of fact a bank would be held responsible as bailee for hire in the event of war caused damage Urge Aggressive Selling Some surety executives feel that agents have not been aggressive enough in actively soliciting the coverage It is pointed out that every owner of securities even the individual who may own 5,000 to 10,000 worth is a pros- pect for coverage including such risks as banks public utilities insurance companies department stores manu- facturing firms liquor have revenue stamps concerns which on hand and trustees and others acting in fiduciary capacities A number of firms which have large payrolls have inquired about payroll coverage As was the case with war risk insurance agents find that in servicing prospects for money and se- curities coverage they obtain valuable leads to other business The agent is given an opportunity to earn new com- missions with the number of prospects limited only by the number of busi- nesses in his vicinity is in- is The commission paid producers the same as that paid for war risk in- surance 5 percent and there is a 3 minimum premium requirement simil- arly The agent has an obligation to talk to prospects and insured about the money and securities coverage because the government doesn't want people to say after a bombing occurs that they have never heard of the coverage Distribution of applications and other material to producers of fiduciary agents has been comprehensive and complete Each of the 87 member com- panies designated the central office as its branch office for the issuance of all in money and its behalf securities policies issued The name of the com- pany pears icy ment represented by the producer ap- as the fiduciary agent in the pol- Money orders or of premium are checks drawn in payto the order of War Damage Corporation and both application and payment should be forwarded directly to the central office All policies are issued by the cen- tral office and sent to the producer for delivery to the insured Avoid Geographical Discrimination In order not to discriminate against any applicant by reason of geograph- ical location with respect to the effect- ive date of the insurance available in any case in which the application and premium remittance are received at the home office of the fiduciary agent or the central office by mail the effective date is the post office cancellation date on the envelope enclosing the applica- tion or the latest possible date of mailing computed from time of arrival if the cancellation is illegible In case the application and premium remittance are received at the home office of the fidu ciary agent or at personal delivery the the central office by effective date is the date such application is received This provision is intended to give in- sured in California and New York for example equal benefit of the coverage if the application is acceptable The first policy was written Dec. 21 W. J. Kent is manager of the central office of the Money and Securities War Damage Group Policies have been is- sued on risks located in Pacific Coast cities York Texas Chicago Detroit New and other representative places Lloyd Named for Third Term Superintendent Lloyd of Ohio appointed to his third consecu- tive term by Governor Bricker has taken the oath of office and qualified for his new term He immediately reap- pointed J. Roth Crabbe deputy super- intendent and announced that there would be no changes in his staff He is the first superintendent in Ohio to be appointed for three consecutive terms He is now chairman of the ex- ecutive committee of the National As- sociation of Insurance Commissioners The Accident & Health Mulletins help got business For information write 420 E. Fourth St. Cincinnati frome A DIRECTORY OF RESPONSIBLE =memecey INDEPENDENT ADJUSTERS DIST OF COLUMBIA NICHOLS COMPANY INSURANCE ADJUSTMENTS Companies_only All Representing Companies_only Established Twenty hour Beryles Washington D. C. Woodward Bldg Phone Mat 0314 Richmond Va .. Phone Dial 3-6359 Balto Md Marcantile Tr Bldg Ph Lexington 6220 Winchester Va Mosonle Bldg Phone Win 9658 Hagerstown Md Wareham Bldg Phone Hag 798 ILLINOIS PHONE HARRISON 3210 THOMAS T. NORTH ADJUSTMENT COMPANY Adjusters All Lines Insurance Exchange Building 116 W. Jackson Blvd. -- -- --"-- J. L. FOSTER 314 First National Bank Building Springfield Illinois Fire - Automobile - Casualty INDIANA CENTRAL ADJUSTING CO Consolidated Bldg BRANCH EVANSVILLE 414 014 Nat'l Bank Indianapolls OFFICES HAMMOND 407 Lloyd Bldg Ind FORT WAYNE 685 Linseln Tower SOUTH BEND 711 Odd Fellows Bldg 344 MUNCIE Wastern Reserve RICHMOND 210 Medical Arts TERRE HAUTE Ball Bldg Building INDIANA ADJUSTMENT COMPANY AUTOMOBILE AND CASUALTY Other offices WAYNE WAYNE All Lines at EVANSVILLE EVANSVILLEEVANSVILLE PORT and TERRE HAUTE EUGENE MCINTYRE Adjustment Co. All Lines of Automobile Inland Marine Casualty and Eight East Market Street Branch Indianapolis Offices Muncie Ind Terre Haute Ind and KANSAS THARP ADJUSTING CO Fourth National Bank Building Business Phone 5-1668 5-1668 Night Phone 3-2598 5-0492--4-5684 Wichita Kansas AUTOMOBILE COMPENSATION Member National Association Independent Insurance Adjusters MICHIGAN WAGNER AND GLIDDEN INC TOPLIS AND HARDING INC INSURANCE ADJUSTMENTS ALL LINES Angeles Los Angeles Seattle New York Detroit OHIO HERMON N. GEORGE ADJUSTER For the Insurance Companies Appraisals Adjustments 24 Years Experience 714-715-715 MAHONING YOUNGSTOWN Phones Office 66540 14165. BANK OHIO Night BLOR Phone 11350 WEST VIRGINIA JOHN C. WYCKOFF CO INSURANCE ADJUSTMENTS MAIN OFFICE CLARKSBURG VA BLUEFIELD Building Natl 429-430BankEmpire HUNTINGTON W. Bldg YA WHEELING Bldg VA and Trust Building CHARLESTON W VA Buildi Capital City PARKERSBURG W. Union Trust Buliding WISCONSIN Nurnberg Adjustment Co. GENERAL ADJUSTERS Automobile Underwriters Exchange Bldg MILWAUKEE 820 N. Padway YO Autige Mailan stituc titud b for 1 ho inves n in ith t t th ance ems sal insun insun ind It w knev Wo T ban oth will and > C A. NTIA