SOLDIERS' LIFE INSURANCE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 12

SOLDIERS' LIFE INSURANCE.

Sir, —May I bo allowed through, your columns to draw attention to tho fact that an extra premium of £7 10s. is being charged by certain insurance companies'on men of the Expeditionary Force? Thus, if a father wishes liis son insured for, say,_ £200, under the table for whole life insurance without profits, instead of paying £2 los. 4d. no will have to pay no less a sum than £17 15s. 4d. per annum I When I asked the reason for this I was told many companies are declining Expeditionary risks altogether, as they were unremunerative. - .But surely,, sir, at a time ilike. this, when men "are leaving the ioountry and risking all-they have ill the world, to -fight: for their country, tho shareholders of these wealthy corporations might well liavo met together and arranged to meet the men in- some way, even if-by. so doing-they had to forego some'of their usiial bonuses and profits. As it.is-tho sum-demanded is too great for any but an officer to afford from his pay, and thus many a. man who might othcrwiso leave hie'wife and family something as A set off in caso of his death, is debarred. What, sir, may I ask, would these insurance bonds, shares, and bonuses, -etc., |;e worth if the Germans .win.this fight? And surely at a timo like this, when the youth of this country are laying down "their lives in its behalf, some consideration and sacrifice should also be sliown them by wealth and moneyed interests. Otherwise What am wo fighting for?— I am, etc., ' PARENT. September 7, 1915. [The position with regard to war risk policies is that in all new policies taken up a clauso is inserted providing for an 1 extra charge of, in the .case of one or two large offices, £5 extra, per £100 insured,. and in others £7 10s. extra per £100 insured, on tho lives of all persons joining, tlio military, forces. In some cases the oxira premium is reckoned from the ■ time a man goes' into camp, and ill others from blie time he goes on board the transports—a point worth noting. On ordinary policies iaken out before the war .no extra charge is made .by the companies in the event of the policyholder enlisting.] '