86 Insurance under Workmen's Compensation Acts. 



Insurance against Liabilities under the Workmen's 

 Compensation Act, 1900. 



The Board of Agriculture have recently made enquiries with 

 regard to the character of the policies issued at different rates 

 of premiums by the leading insurance companies in connection 

 with the insurance of farmers and others against the liabilities 

 imposed upon them by the Workmen's Compensation Act 1900, 

 and other Acts. Soon after the introduction of the Act of 

 1900, farmers' insurance policies were offered at as low a 

 premium as 3s. per £iod of wages paid. But there has since 

 been a readjustment of these premiums, and the rates now 

 charged by the leading insurance companies range from 5s. for 

 every £100 of wages paid. This premium (5s.) is for a policy 

 which provides for compensation, on the basis of the Workmen's 

 Compensation Acts, 1897 and 1900, for all accidents occurring 

 to workmen in the course of employment in agriculture, and 

 which covers in addition the liability of farmers and others in 

 connection with accidents to their servants under the Employers' 

 Liability Act 1880, the Fatal Accidents Act 1846, and at 

 Common Law. In some cases the rate charged for a policy of 

 this kind is 5s. per £100 of wages paid, with a minimum of 

 7s. 6d. ; in others it is 6s., with a minimum of 10s. 



In cases in which it is desired that the policy should cover 

 compensation for accidents for the first two weeks' disablement 

 (which is not provided for by the Workmen's Compensation 

 Acts), the premiums range from 6s. per £100 of wages paid. 

 Some companies charge a premium of 3s. for this class of policy, 

 with a minimum of 12s. Policies are also issued which not only 

 afford protection against the legal liability of employers, but 

 also provide compensation where there is no legal liability. In 

 the latter case, however, the weekly payments in cases of dis- 

 ablement are limited by some companies to 26 weeks and the 

 amount payable at death to ^"100. 



In taking out a policy, therefore, insurers should make careful 

 enquiry as to the extent of the liability covered by the 

 policy. In this connection the following hints from a leaflet 



