The Life - Insurance Agent's Trade - Hecum. Compiled by James Wilkie. (Waterlow and
Sons. ls.)—This is the seventeenth annual issue. Many interesting facts and figures might be selected from it. The premium rates, it may be observed, vary from 22 4e. 5d. to 41 16s. at the age of twenty-one, and from 47 lls. 7d. to 26 11s. 10d. at sixty. (We leave out of the comparison all societies which offer compensating advantages for higher premiums.) It is difficult to compare bonuses; but there is a useful table which shows "what an Annual. Premium of 210 will purchase." X insures his life at forty (next birthday) and pays 210 annually. At the end of twenty-five years the value will vary from 4390 to 4486. Closely connected with this is the proportion of expenses to premium income. Here the variation is very large. Seven industrial companies appear in the list, and show these figures: 71-5, 69.3, 57-1, 56.4 (excluding "establishment expenses"), 52.3, 511, 20. Of the other companies, the lowest four are 4-3, 6-8, 7-2, 77; the highest four are 30.2, 26.9, 26-7, 205. (Only British offices are compared.) Would it not be well if all offices were to agree on the principle adopted by some that a policy does not begin to participate in profits till the premiums paid, with compound interest, amount to the sum insured ? At present in most offices policies which bring a great loss to the company are credited with profits which they have not earned. A considerable reduction of premium would be possible.
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