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Show THE QUIBBLING ADJUSTERS. The leaving of tottering walls and cornices in threatening position in San Francisco is commentod upon unfavorably unfavor-ably by tourists. In a few cases thoro are said to havo been narrow escapes from loss of life and destruction of property by the falling of some of these trembling remains of tho great catastrophe. In tho natural order of procedure these would all havo been do-molishod do-molishod long ago but for tho insurance insur-ance disputes, tho agents and adiustors insisting that the remains from tho fire be left as they stood, for the purpose oi settling tho dispute as to tho origin ot the loss, whethor by firo or by earthquake. earth-quake. But it seems to take an unconscionable un-conscionable timo to get at the settlements. settle-ments. An Austrian company has recently announced that it will pav nothing on its San Francisco losses, bocnuse of a clause in its policies, expressly excepting except-ing loss by earthquake from tho risk insnrod against. Other companies are contesting payments on this general ground, and also on the poiut that they wish to make a distinct lino of difference differ-ence between earthquake loss and fire loss Whenever theso companies are foreign companies thero is no way to reach them, and they can repudiate at pleasure. The only penaltv that can bo imposed is that no householder will ever ngain insuro in any repudiating company. But tho attitude of some of the companies com-panies brings forward the whole question ques-tion of insurance. If insurance does not pay lossos, then it is useless to huv it no person wants to buy a gold bricli, nor to hand out money without pretty good assurance that wnon tho oven't occurs against which he supposes himself him-self to bo providing, he will get what ho has, bought. The quibbling of so many insurance companies in regard tp the San Francisco fire has shaken tho foundations of insurance, nud tho public is viewing with" a favor never beforo dreamed of tho idea of State insurance. But should nothinc bo done to meet the faults developed in the present system sys-tem of insurance by the San Francisco tiro? Cannot some grip be taken upon tho companies that will render thorn accountable in greater degree than they now are, whether they arc will mg or not?. So far the willingness of the companies to settlo appears practically prac-tically to limit their liability. Should not tho law; be invoked, and statutes passed rogulattng the timo and method of adjustments and payments? Would it not be well to requiro the companies to deposit with tho State a reserve to meet lire losses, on tho same nriu-ciplo nriu-ciplo that banks are required to keep reserves to meet money demands of various kinds? Evidently something is needod to cure the remissness of certain companies; com-panies; and the public should bo protected pro-tected by law againBt incautious dealings deal-ings with companies which prepare forms of policies, that contain provisions provi-sions calculated to free them from liability, clauses which are not much, if at all, regarded by tho policy-holder when ho pays his premium, but which may, and in this cnBe do. eome in to cheat him out of -his expected protection. |