[april, 1904.] Insurance of Live Stock in Bavaria. 27 



land. These small farmers form about 80 per cent, of the whole 

 agricultural population of Bavaria ; consequently, the loss of a 

 single animal is keenly felt. It is true that the State helps in 

 case of epidemics, and special laws have been enacted with 

 this object : e.g., the pleuro-pneumonia and glanders law 

 of 1 88 1 ; the anthrax law of 1892; and the rinderpest law 

 of 1896. 



2. Private Cattle Insurance Companies. — In 1896 there were 

 nine large private cattle insurance companies in Bavaria, 

 insuring over 10,000 horses, or 2 '8 per cent, of the total number, 

 and 3,644 head of cattle, or oti per cent, of the total ; the 

 whole insured for ^905,800. The high premiums charged by 

 these private companies were the cause of the small percentage 

 of cattle, being insured. In 1902 only 0*15 per cent., viz. y 5,118 

 head of cattle, were fhus insured, for a total sum of .£76,387. 



3. Local Insurance Associations. — On the other hand, local 

 insurance associations have been far more successful. These are 

 affiliated to a State Cattle Insurance Department, which has 

 been in existence since November 1, 1896, and conform to its 

 regulations. In the year 1896, 355 such local insurance associa- 

 tions were enrolled. In 1902-03, there were 2,304 cattle 

 insurance associations of all kinds, with 119,805 members. 



The State Insurance Department pays annually a sum of 

 .£5,000, besides a special grant of ,£1,250 in order to assist the 

 local associations, which only work at a loss, in paying the 

 premiums. The State Department insures only cattle and 

 goats, and undertakes to make good half of the losses, the other 

 half being paid by those local insurance associations in whose 

 districts the losses occur. Each cattle-owner must insure the 

 whole of his cattle, single animals not being admitted. The 

 animals must be over three years, and less than twelve years old, 

 when first insured. Professional cattle-dealers are not admitted 

 as members of the associations. Inspections take place in 

 spring and in autumn. Cattle may not be insured in several 

 associations simultaneously. In case of war, revolution, fire, 

 lightning, bad feeding, or ill-treatment, the insurance is void. 



The rates of compensation are, in the event of death from 

 natural causes and obligatory slaughter : seven-tenths and 

 eight-tenths of the value in the case of cattle, and 1 5 shillings 



