A NORWEGIAN FOREST FIRE INSURANCE 

 ASSOCIATION. 



By J. A. Larsen. 



The first annual convention of the Norwegian Mutual Forest 

 Fire Insurance Association, which has already a capital of fif- 

 teen million dollars and a reserve fund of eleven million dol- 

 lars, was held in Christiania, Norway, February 25, 1913. The 

 association is the result of the initiative and concerted action of 

 forest owners throughout the land. It has for its purpose the 

 reimbursement to individual owners for loss sustained by forest 

 fires in immature timber and the prevention of forest fires by 

 means within the scope of the association. 



Since this is a mutual association, all excess payments go into 

 the reserve fund which is the property of the members and is to 

 be used in regulating, and if possible, reducing the annual prem- 

 ium payments. In case of a series of heavy losses each mem- 

 ber may be called upon to pay assessments amounting to three 

 times their regular dues. No insurance is issued on mature tim- 

 ber but only on young and immature stands which, according to 

 law, must not be cut. This law varies somewhat in different dis- 

 tricts, particularly regarding the diameters and heights ; but in 

 districts where there is no such law the minimum diameter is 

 put at 15 centimeters (6 inches) and the minimum height at 5 

 meters (17 feet). 



The reason for not including the mature timber is due to the 

 fact that such stands suffer less damage than younger forests, 

 and if burned and accessible they may soon be sold. On the 

 other hand if inaccessible mature stands are destroyed, their 

 future values and the time of cutting would be somewhat prob- 

 lematical. Furthermore, should mature stands be insured the 

 cost would run very high and entirely out of proportion to the 

 value received ; in short, it would render the work of the as- 

 sociation much less eft'ective. 



Advance payment of $1.25 per $1,000 of insurance is required 

 in those districts which have enacted forest fire laws, and $1.75 

 per $1,000 where there are no such laws. Valuation is based 



