INSURANCE SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 15

INSURANCE SYSTEM

GOODS NOT INSPECTED

"A POTENTIAL DANGER"

VIVIAN STKEET FIRE

"Insurance brokers no doubi Jkivo their reasons for the business methods they adopt, but it seems to me that ;i sytsonl which enables goods to be grossly over-insured, sis these goods were, places a premium on incendiarism, and creates a potential danger to all premises in the locality," said Mr. E. Page, S.M., in a written decision delivered this morning regarding the inquiry, at which he acted os Coroner, into the firo at' No. 122 Vivian Street, on June 17. Mr. Page was referring to the policy covering tho belongings of one of the tenants, P. G. Brazier, which was issued without an inspection being made by the brokers, who wore also without any previous knowledge of Brazier. Mr. Page's finding was that the fire was deliberately caused, but that there was nothing to show by whose hand. Tho coroner also said that the Fire Brigade succeeded in effecting a prompt and creditable save. SEPARATE OUTBREAKS. "The evidence regarding the origin of tho fire shows that separate outbreaks occurred simultaneously in three different rooms .of the house," said Mr. Page, '' that the fire proved stubborn and difficult to subdue; that when the brigade entered heavy petrol fumes! permeated tho whole building; and that tins, that had their tops torn open and contained petrol, were found to have been placed and to have been ignited in different parts of the house, two of | them being placed on differont parts of the staircase. "That the fire was intentionally caused there can be no doubt. "The whole of the premises (excepting one small shop) were in the occupation of one P. G. Brazier, who used tho main shop as a boot-repairing establishment and the balance of the premises as 'a -boarding-house. Ho had in tho premises furniture, stock, and effects which, according to a valuation made after the fireiby two valuers, one appointed by Mm and ono by tho insurance brokers, were worth prior to the fire £75 Is 3d, but which when this valuation is weighed along with other cvideneo' given at this inquiry, were probably worth considerably less than that sum. Ono month before tho fire ho had obtained an insurance over this furniture, etc., for the sum of £.200. \ "ONLY PERSON TO PROFIT." "Brazier, who was some two months in arrear with his rent, appears to-be the only person who would be liable to profit by the burning down of tlu>se premises. "The cover was issued by a firm of insurance brokers who, acting for English insurance underwriters, issued it without any inspection of tho furniture and without any previous knowledge of Brazier. They state that their practico is to inspect properties only in tho case of insurances ovor commercial undertakings, and that insurances are taken on residences and on furniture -without any inspection or any valuation other than that supplied by the applicant. They say that if there is a fire, even a total destruction of tho goods, the assured must still prove.his loss and can only recover the amount of his proved loss. "That may bo so, though, in the event of a total loss one would think that without an inspection or valuation prior to loss, insurance brokers might have difficulty in cheeking the nature and value of tho goods said to have been destroyed." Mr. Page concluded Svith the comments reported above. At the inquiry Detective-Sergeant L. Revell acted for the police and the Firo Brigade, and Mr. Stewart Hardy repre-, sented Brazier. _ ,