Show THE INSURANCE PROBLEM Figuring on the restoration of San Francisco the question of total insurance insurance insurance ance carried and the probable amount which will be paid in settlement of claims is a most important factor From data furnished by local under underwriters underwriters writers t it may be estimated that the total risks carried on San Francisco is somewhere in the tine neighborhood of The extent of the fire area including all the business district indicates a loss of at least SO 80 per cent probably about Judging by premiums paid in 1905 none of the companies has an insurance liability of over with possibly one exception The problem therefore comes down to the likelihood of failure on the th part of any company to meet its liabilities for lack of funds While there may be one or two little companies which cannot meet their losses it is comforting to look over oyer the official figures of assets and see Bee how perfectly able to pay the insurance companies of this and other countries are The American Am companies for Instance show assets of over while the ore companies did a large business in San Francisco carry a total of ot in assets besides the liability of individual indi individual indiVidual vidual stockholders which is a source of additional strength Whether a fire loss can be collected on buildings which have been de destroyed destroyed destroyed by earthquake Is a moot question Ordinarily no insurance could 4 be e collected but In this case it would be difficult to prove by specific evi evidence evirl evidence dence rl nce that the earthquake ke injured many of the buildings before the fire turned burned them up and since the companies would have the burden of proof on them most if it not all aU of the losses will be settled without contest The same reasoning applies to those buildings destroyed by dynamite to protect lh the rest r st of ot the city While the underwriters in the Oakland meeting yes yesterday yesterday es took no position on the dynamite losses they left the impression that claims on this account would be bo resisted Apart Avart from the policy of such a proceeding ding they will find that the courts hold such a loss to be a al salvage l ge measure in the interest of the insurance companies and that such losses loses Io ses are collectible in every case It may be assumed therefore ther ore that the policy polley holders will collect at least which is assurance that San Francisco will be rebuilt on better lines than ever though the process of re rebuilding building buDding will of course be slow and costly For the comfort of local policy holders Tho The Herald publishes herewith a list of the larger fire insurance ins rance companies doing business in San Francisco Fran Francisco Francisco cisco and the amount of their gross fire assets which is the principal item of o interest to policy holders American Companies Aetna elna of Hartford 00 Agricultural of New York 00 American Fire of Philadelphia elphia y 00 American of or Newark N J 5 00 American Central of St Louis Mo 00 Colonial Fire Underwriters of Hartford 00 Connecticut of Hartford Hartfod 00 Continental oC ot New York Y ork 00 Underwriters 00 Fire Jre Association of Philadelphia 00 Franklin of ot Philadelphia 00 German American of t New York f 00 Germania Firo Piro of New York DO 00 The German of Freeport 00 Glenns Falls 00 Globe Rutgers 00 Hanover of ot New York 00 Hartford of oC Hartford Conn 00 Home of New York 0 4 00 Insurance Company of oC North America 00 Milwaukee Mechanics OD 00 National of or Hartford 00 Now New Hampshire 00 New York Underwriters b 00 Niagara of or New York Fork 00 Northwestern National 3 00 Pennsylvania Penns Pe Fire of Philadelphia 00 Phoenix of ot Brooklyn 00 Phoenix of or Hartford 00 Philadelphia Underwriters 3 00 Providence Pro Washington of Rhode Island 00 Queen of New York 6 00 Springfield of Massachusetts 1 00 Pt jt Paul Fire Marino Marine Insurance Co o 4 00 traders Of Chicago Chicag 00 of New York 00 h CIty CUr of New York 00 t Total b 00 Foreign Companies f Aachen Munich of or Germany n 5 g 00 Alliance of o London L n on England 18 00 I Atlas of England E nd 00 Commercial Union of England n 00 Caled of 17 tbt r h S tl J nd Ham rb y m n b G erm ny u r t 0 c 7 I Helvetia Swiss of Switzerland a Law l aw Union Crown of England 00 Liverpool London Globe of England 00 London Condon Lancashire of England DO London Assurance of England 00 oo Manchester of England 00 New Zealand of New Zealand Zealan 00 North British and Mercantile of England 20 00 North Assurance of England 00 Norwich Union of England 00 Palatine P of England 00 Phoenix of London England 00 Royal of ot England 00 Royal Exchange of England Jo 00 Sun Insurance office of England 00 Union Assurance of England 00 Total 3 04 Note N Most of these figures are taken from statements published In the tha th year 1905 and nd companies with less than of ot assets are axe not mentioned In almost every Instance each company has added materially to Its assets during the year Just eloped cle sed ed The omission of smaller companies Is no reflection on their fi financial financial financial strength as most of them carry ample reserves in proportion to their fire risks |