PERSONAL INJURY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1939, Page 10

PERSONAL INJURY

INSURANCE RATES INADEQUATE.

[PEE PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND, July 16.

A general tendency all over the world for higher damages to be awarded in cases of personal injury, was commented on by Mr T. Wallas, deputy-general manager of the London and Lancashire Insurance Com-. pany, Ltd., who arrived by the Mataroa yesterday on a. visit to the com-, pany’s branches in the Dominion. This, he said, applied both to workmen’s compensation and traffic cases. A' result was that in New Zealand, as in other places, the rates were inadequate tor the risks that were being covered-

The outstanding feature of the year’s fire insurance had been the Australian bush fires, Mr Wallas said. Referring to marine insurance, he said he thought the days had gone by when war risks were thrown in with a normal policy for nothing. On the whole, however, he thought the underwriters had given merchants very fair treatment over ,var risks, and had been quick to reduce the rates when there were improvements in the int e r n ati on al situ ati on.

Employment in England was increasing and trade generally was on the up grade, largely through the. heavier armament expenditure. France' also was showing a definite improve-: ment both financially and in trade. Although there might be criticisms in detail, people in Britain were showing remarkable unity in support of the Government’s general policy.