3t> BULGARIA - INSUKANCK 



The damage caused by hail in 1912 was considerable, and in fact, the 

 year is held to have been one of those in which most damage was done in 

 this wa}-. There was hail even in spring and autumn, bvit it was most fre- 

 quent in June and July. 



Estimation of Losses. — • In accordance with article 8 of the law. the 

 damages are estimated by valuators chosen from among the farmers. In 

 choosing them account is taken of their general education, and their special 

 experience in the matter. These experts are appointed directly on the 

 proposal of the provincial councils, after consultation v/ith the local 

 scientific agriculturists. 



The number of policy holders to whom claims were paid in 191 2 was 

 2,560. The total amount paid was 1,037,726 lewa 10. The claims con- 

 tested amounted to 30,835 lewa. The largest claim paid was for 27,656 

 lewa and the smallest for r lei&a 30. 



The average amount of the claims paid was 405 lewa 30 per person. 



The experience of this insurance division in two years has rendered evid- 

 ent nmnerous inconveniences in the application of the law. And the Board 

 of Management of the Bank has proposed some modifications to be intro- 

 duced into it. Some of these, the realisation of which was within the 

 powers of the Executive, have been already adopted. Others, for which 

 the authorization of Parliament is required, have already been put into the 

 form of a bill to be submitted to the Chambers on their meeting after the new 

 elections. 



The principal amendments proposed are as follows : 



I St. Vegetables and market garden produce cultivated for sale and not 

 for seed may also be insured ; 



2nd. Vineyards may also be insured from Ma}- 1st., that is to say, while 

 in flower ; 



3rd. A reduction of 5 % on the amount of the premiums shall be granted 

 to co-operative societies constituted for the collective insurance of their pro- 

 duce, provided the amount insured is not less than 30,000 lewa and the 

 premium is paid before the ist. of September. 



Further to simplify insvirance still more and place it more within 

 the power of the poorest farmers, proposal has been made to the min- 

 ister to submit a bill for the following amendments to the law on hail 

 insurance to the Chamber of Deputies : 



1st. The contract shall come into force the day after that on which the 

 proposal for insurance is accepted and not the day after that on which the 

 policy holder receives his policy completely filled in ; 



2nd. The experts appointed to estimate the loss shall be nominated 

 by the college of scientific agriculturists and the itinerant agricultural lec- 

 turers ; 



3rd. Policy holders suffering losses shall be paid the claims due to them 

 even before the date fixed for this in advance, subject to a fair discount. 



There is little to be said with regard to the horned cattle insurance divi- 

 sion, for it only commenced work in 1912. Consequently, operations of this 



