Industrial Assurance and the State The Economic Section of the
British Association was well justified in devoting an hour or two of its time on Tuesday to the subject of industrial insurance, and in particular the waste the system encourages on unnecessarily elaborate funerals. Professor Levy, who introduced the subject, emphasised (as several writers in these columns have done in recent years), the high proportion of lapsed policies, and the heavy expenses, amounting to between 30 and 40 per cent. of the premiums paid. When the system grew up National Health Insurance was still among the reforms of the future. Today it provides for the needs of 19,000,000 persons, and includes practically all who are at the same time making weekly payments for funeral benefits to some company or society dealing with industrial assurance business. Common sense would suggest that burial insurance should be included, on either a voluntary or a compulsory basis, in the National Health Insurance scheme. With all the cost of canvassing and collection cut out, better benefits could be given for lower payments.
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