UNDERWRITERS TO MEET

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 34, 10 February 1931, Page 10

UNDERWRITERS TO MEET

In reply to a question as to wherthe^ any policy had been adopted by^ thai insurance companies in respect to earthquake insurance claims in .view; of the anonuncement made on.Friday; that tho Government had decided' that the State Fire Office would inako ©si gratia payments at the discretion of the general manager to poliey-holdera whose injured property had suSerjed by) fire damage, the manager of a local insurance company stated that there wai nothing to report at present. "A meeting of the Council of "the Underwriters' Assocition is to be held to-morrow afternoon," he added, "and :at- that meeting the policy adopted TbyVV tM'sj State Fire Office, and the -whole,;, question of our big commitments, "will b<! discussed." PRIME MINISTER'S OPINION. "Do you not think that the .decision; of the State Fire Office to make ex« gratia payments in respect to earth* quake insurance claims is a most generous one?" a Palmerston North'reporter asked the Prime Minister last night. ■'•.■■■;■■ : 4 "Yes," replied the Prime Minister^ "but it is only to be expected that the Government should take the lead in,' such matters." Mr. Forbes explained that following the disaster at San Francisco in 1008 all British insurance offices had paid out on claims, despite the fact that, the Americans did not do so. "It is a national disaster aiifl it.must therefore be treated in a different way," said Mr. Forbes. "Where th« people have nothing then everything possible that can be done should b» given under the circumstances."