PRUSSIAN FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES FOR THE INSURANCE OF CATTLE 37 



operations of 1916. Two other societies were founded at the end of 1915 

 {Bledan and Schwanis) and these also became active on i January. The 

 twenty-six active societies comprise altogether 931 members and 1,082 

 heads of cattle insured for 369,649 marks. These figures show retrogress- 

 ion in comparison with those for the previous 5"ear (1914) ; but it is right 

 to note the difference in this respect between the movement of business 

 within the societies during the year, and the total cessation of the activity 

 of societies fnlh^ active in the previous year. In the case of the former the 

 reduction in the number of members was one of only tliirty-one, that of ani- 

 mals was of forty-five and that of the insured sum 4,875 marks. As of 

 these fortj'-five heads of cattle indemnities were paid for thirty-nine the re- 

 trogression should be expressed as one only of six. In the second case, in 

 which we include societies not yet active and those which had ceased to 

 be so since the preceding year, the retrogression is certainly very marked, 

 the reduction being one of 150 members, 211 heads of cattle and 33,400 

 marks. 



The difference between the number of members and of heads of cattle 

 shows that it is not only owners of single cows— for whom tliis organization 

 was especially intended - who have adhered to the various societies. The 

 statistics allov/the further conclusion that small societies, insuring only 

 twelve, fifteen or eighteen heads of cattle, have been founded. The princi- 

 ple of admitting small societies, on wliich the federation rests, has entirely 

 withstood proof. 



The federation has adopted an important principle — that namely 

 which obliges members to insure with their societies all the cattle they 

 possess on the land within the society's sphere, of course in the measure in 

 which the animals allow of insurance. Although this rule is not always easy 

 to apply, and is often an obstacle to the foundation of new societies and espe- 

 cially to the adherence of existing societies insuring cattle, the federatioti 

 judges it necessary not to depart from it because only its unerring and in- 

 flexible observation can ensure to the small landowners all the advantage 

 which insurance is capable of affording them.. 



Insu'/ed Value : 



The total sum insured was 393,064 marks in 1914, that is 327 marks 

 per insured animal which gives a reasonable standard. The same may be 

 said of 1 91 5 when this average was 342 marks It is however to be antici- 

 pated that it will be much raised owing to the increase in the price of cattle. 

 We here touch on a question as to which it is not always easy to give weight 

 to the federation's principle in the model by-laws of the societies 



On the one hand live stock must not be insured above its value lest too 

 great risks be assumed ; on the other it must not be insured below its value 

 if it be desired to give to the insurer real help which will allow him, if a 

 casualty occur, to procure an animal to take the place of that lost. The 

 case of undei-insurance is met with most frequently : people tend to insure 

 their beasts below their value because they are unwilling to pa}- a premium 



