THE following list of Insurance Offices is not corresponding advantages are offered, and they Persons wishing to insure their own lives are furnished with a paper containing questions respecting their age, habits, state of health, and other matters, all which questions must be answered truthfully; for if any wilful misstatement be made the policy may be vitiated, and the office can refuse to pay when a claim is made; thus all the sums contributed will have been thrown away. If the application for insurance be rejected on account of illhealth or a tendency to hereditary disease, offices are to be found which will insure unsound lives, of course at a charge proportioned to the risk. In the following Offices, at the age of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55, to secure the payment of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS at death; the assured participating in the profits in all named, except the Post Office. The first column of figures gives the amounts returned as Assets,' by the various Offices, in accordance with the provisions of the Act 33 & 34 Vict. c. 58, and the last column shows the number of years the Office has been established: OFFICES. Assets. Age, 25. Age, 30. Age, 35. Age, 40. Age, 45. Age, 50. Age, 55. Alliance British Empire 682.990 2 4 2 2 62 32 9 10 2 16 I 6 10 2 13 II 8 5 2 15 5 3 34 13 4 5 16 3 14 10 4 9 10 5 12 23 12 4 4 7 4 5 IO 4 5 0 3 15 6 4 10 33 17 44 II I 5 8 8 71 British Equitable Clerical, Medical, & Gen. 2,266,350 2 Commercial Union 675,405 2 I 931,643 2 2,497,637 2 22 6 4 2 13 62 8 9 2 15 1,711,589 2 82 3333 4 20233302 +031 3 18 2 4 14 3 14 3516 659 6 4 25 74 5 13 16 10 4 12 5 3 16 6 4 II 56 23 93 2,492,793 2 4 02 9 2,894,000 2 5 1,811,052 2 4 3 3 519,170 2 3 1,906,109 2 5 7 2 9 O 2 II 2 9 3 2 16 O 2 9 62 19 6 3 6 4 10 3 15 33 4 11 3 16 O 3 17 O 4 9 4 58 36 I 6 183 2 5 8 11 59 659 6 13 4 5 14 8 9 5 7 6 33 17 4 4 II 25 27 O 5 10 56 25 95 II 43 4I 4 II 3 5 14 8 43 8 8 33 5 4 II 7 55 II 5 159 73 26 4 3 18 11 4 12 6 94 O 2 Life Assocn. of Scotland 2,055,361 2 4 O 2 10 66456. 33 16 03 OFFICES. Assets. Age, 25. Age, 30. Age, 35. Age, 40. Age, 45. Age, 50. Age, 55. Some of the younger offices, not included in the above list, are strong and healthy, and will some day be admitted. A young office, if properly and inexpensively conducted, may in reality be stronger than some of the older ones; but until the office has succeeded in putting aside assets equal to the amount of several years' premiums, and can reduce its working expenses to a very moderate percentage upon the receipts, its condition can scarcely be considered quite satisfactory. STATISTICS OF LIFE ASSURANCE.-During the year 1877 the number of new Insurances effected in sixty-two offices was 53,293, the amount insured was £24,221,973, the average of each being about £478, and the amount of new premiums paid £891,135. The total amount insured in all the offices was £386,545,070; the annual charge to policyholders for premiums about £12,000,000; and the total income of the offices from premiums, interest on investments, and other sources, about £17,150,000. The amount paid for claims in 1876 was £9,560,034. The total life assets of all the offices is about £130,690,120, and the expense of management varies from 3'31 per cent. to about 50 or 60 per cent.; but the latter rates are quite exceptional, the average expenses of all the offices being 16'66 per cent. upon the amount of premiums. THE following table, constructed by Dr. Farr, F.R.S., at the General Register Office, Somerset House, from the Census enumerations and the registered deaths in England and Wales, shows the number out of every million persons born who remain alive at the end of every year; also the number of deaths, distinguishing males from females. From this table the rates of payment for Post-Office Insurances are deduced. The table now printed differs materially from that of Dr. Finlaison, hitherto printed in this Almanack. If the returns made to the Registrar-General respecting the real ages of persons deceased may be depended upon, it shows that a much larger number than is generally supposed reach the age of one hundred years and upwards : NOTE.-The rate of mortality of males of all ages is 1 in 39°91, and of females 1 in 41°85. 6321 GOVERNMENT ANNUITIES.-Immediate or deferred Annuities, not exceeding £50 a-year, o 4. 38. 4d. a month, may be obtained through the Post Office. The rates charged are to be seen in the tables published by authority. As examples of the rates, a man aged 65 may obtain an imme. diate annuity of £10 on payment of £88. 188. 4d., and a woman of the same age for £103. 98. 8d. DEFERRED ANNUITIES are also granted. Thus a man aged 30, by an immediate payment of £21. 38. 4d., and a woman by a payment of £32. 88. 4d., may purchase an annuity of £10 a-year, to commence on reaching the age of 60. Another feature in the Government system of Deferred Annuities is that by a somewhat higher payment-viz., for men £40. 98. 2d., and for womer £47. 08. 1od.-an annuity of £10 is secured on reaching the age of 60, or in the event of their dying before reaching that age, or their wishing to have it at any time before reaching the age of 60, the whole of the purchase-money will be returned. 369,827 182,350 187,477 11,338 96 2,153 833 1,320 713 548 892 500 940 352 598 220 378 588 342 228 370 134 236 147 100 223 79 144 131 46 85 49 27 15 8 The mean lifetime of boys at birth is 39'91 years, and of girls 41'85 years. Fire Insurance. RATES.For merchandise at the principal ports, and for mills and manufactories and other leading industries throughout the United Kingdom all the offices charge the same, whilst for minor risks, each office makes its own estimate, and charges the premium in its judgment applicable. The following is a digest of the scale put forward by some of the oldest companies, and the rates and classification are those which are generally adopted. Common Insurances.—At 18. 6d. to 28. per cent. per annum, with certain exceptions. 1. Buildings covered with slates, tiles, or metals, and built on all sides with brick or stone, or separated by party-walls of brick or stone which are carried through the roof, and used for residence, or non-hazardous purposes. 2. Goods in buildings as above, such as household goods, plate, wearing apparel, and printed books, liquors in private use, and personal effects not comprised in the following categories:Hazardous Insurances.—At 28. 6d. to 38. per cent. per annum, with certain exceptions. 1. Buildings of timber and plaster, or not separated by partition-walls of brick or stone, or not covered with slates, tiles, or metals, and thatched barns and outhouses, having no chimney, nor adjoining to any building having a chimney; and buildings falling under the description of common insurances, but in which hazardous goods are deposited, or hazardous trades are carried on. 2. Goods.-The stock and goods of bread bakers, tallowchandlers (not melters), chemists, innholders, grocers, drapers, stationers, &c. Doubly Hazardous Insurances.-At 48. 6d. to 58. per cent. per annum, with certain exceptions. 1. Buildings.-All thatched buildings having chimneys, or communicating with or adjoining to buildings having one, although no hazardous trade shall be carried on, nor hazardous goods deposited therein, and all hazardous buildings, in which hazardous goods are deposited, or hazardous trades carried on. 2. Goods. All hazardous goods deposited in hazardous buildings, and in thatched buildings having no chimney; also china, glass, mathematical and musical instruments, pictures, and jewels in private use. CHIEF FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES. CHURCH OF ENGLAND, 9, King Street, Cheapside. LAW UNION, 126, Chancery Lane. LONDON ASSURANCE, 7, Royal Exchange. Persons Dying Intestate are Distributed. Wife, and mother Brother or sister of whole blood, and brother or sister of half blood Posthumous brother or sister, and mother Posthumous brother or sister, and brother or sister born in lifetime of father Father's father, and mother's mother Uncle or aunt's children, and brother's or sister's grandchildren Grandmother, uncle, or aunt Uncle by mother's side, and deceased uncle or aunt's child Nephew by brother, and nephew by half-sister Nephew by deceased brother, and nephews and nieces by deceased sister Brother and grandfather Brother's grandson, and brother or sister's daughter Brother, and two aunts Brother, and wife Mother, and brother.. Wife, mother, and children of a deceased brother (or sister).. Wife, brother, or sister, and children of a deceased brother or sister Brother or sister, and children of a deceased brother or sister..... Grandfather, no nearer relation........ His representatives take in the proportion following: One-third to wife, rest to child or children: and if children are dead, then to the representatives (that is, their lineal descendants), except such child or children, not heirs-at-law, who had estate by settlement of intestate, or were advanced by him in his lifetime, equal to other shares. Half to wife, other half to the Crown. *That is, taking individually and not by representation. Thus, if A die, leaving three brothers or sisters, they each take an equal part of his effects in his or her own right. But if either of them die, leaving children, his children would take his share per stirpes, that is through him, and not in their own rights. By the Act 19 & 20 Vict. all special local customs relating to intestates' estates are abolished. |