WORKERS’ INSURANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27275, 29 December 1949, Page 3

WORKERS’ INSURANCE

Payment Of Premiums Legislation laid it down that the premium in connection with assessments for workers’ compensation insurance must be paid at the branch offices of the State Fire and Accident Insurance Office, stated a letter sent by the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce to the Associated Chambers. In Oamaru there was no branch of the State Fire Office, and the office was unable to make any arrangements for payment of premiums through agents, of which there was one in Oamaru. It was the opinion of the chamber that through the State Fire having taken over the great bulk of the workers’ compensation insurance business, insurers should not be penalised by having to pay exchange in the remitting of premiums to branch offices. The State’ Fire Office insisted thdt exchange be added to cheques drawn outside of branch centres.

In reply, the Associated Chambers stated that in those towns or cities where there was a branch of the Bank of New Zealand cheques in payment of workers’ compensation premiums could be paid into the State Fire Insurance Account or the Public Account and the counterfoil of the lodgment sent to the branch office controlling the district of the State Fire and Insurance Office. This procedure was adopted by all agents for that office, and payment of exchange was thereby avoided.

There was nothing to prevent premiums being paid to State Fire agents, the letter stated, except that they might take up the attitude that it was not their concern, especially as no commission was allowed them by the State Office on this business