The Daily Intelligencer

INSURANCE FOR THE WEALTHY.

The benefits of life insurance were intended primarily for the poorer classes, among whom its patrons have hitherto chiefly been sought. It was argued stoutly that poor men, with families, could not afford, in justice to their loved ones, to do without insurance which rich men, with their money, securities and property, could dispense with without especial risk. Of late years, however, a new condition of affairs has been inaugurated. An insurance of ten thousand dollars on a man's life was a remarkable thing not more than twenty years ago, quite as much so, we may add, as is an insurance of fifty thousand dollars on a life today. Large as the latter figure may seem to some, it is greatly exceeded in occasional instances; men of vast wealth here and there, having on policies in many companies aggregate of one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand dollars, and once in a while even more. In England it is very fashionable among the aristocracy to carry heavy life insurance policies, one company losing, for instance, $50,000 by the death of the Marquis of Aylesford, and other companies losing in the aggregate more than a half million. The Earl of Fife is said to have insured himself for over a million dollars. By means of insurance they are enabled to generously endow their successors. In this way many wealthy can arrange to spend during his own life about all he possesses in ways to suit himself and at the same time leave to his heirs a vast fortune, greater, perhaps, than that controlled by him during life. This manner of insurance must continue to gain in favor and be more generally benefited. What its effect will be on the Companies remains to be seen; but disastrous effects resulting therefrom are not to be apprehended.