4 o 



Insurance of Live Stock. 



[APRIL, 



Switzerland. 



Compulsory Insurance. — The Swiss Federal Law of 1893 

 for the improvement of agriculture provides for the assistance, 

 by means of subsidies, of any efforts made by the Cantons them- 

 selves for the compulsory insurance of live stock, but leaves 

 the particular system to be adopted to the discretion of the 

 provincial authorities. At the same time they have issued a 

 pamphlet of instructions and advice as to the methods which 

 may be adopted with advantage, and also a set of rules. It 

 is suggested that the Cantons should provide by law for the 

 establishment of district insurance societies by a vote of the 

 cattle owners in the district. If a majority of the owners or 

 a number representing more than half the total head of cattle 

 in the district are in favour of such a society, the decision is 

 binding on all the owners of live stock in the district, and all 

 cattle must be insured. 



Method of Insurance. — The rules which have been adopted 

 by the Canton of Berne are stated to be fairly typical of those 

 generally in use, and these provide for the insurance of all 

 healthy cattle above two months and under ten years, except 

 those temporarily introduced. For this purpose a list of all 

 cattle is kept by the bureau, and all changes must be reported 

 to the Secretary. An entrance fee for each animal is required 

 at the rate of J per cent, of its value. The maximum value 

 insured is fixed at £28 for cows and bullocks and £40 for bulls. 

 The premiums are fixed by a general meeting of the members 

 according to the state of the funds. When an animal falls ill 

 the owner must inform the committee and call in a qualified 

 veterinary surgeon. Compensation is paid at the rate of 80 per 

 cent, when the meat is saleable, or 75 per cent, when it is not. 

 Some of the societies also include sheep, goats and pigs. 



According to the report of the Federal Department of 

 Agriculture for 1906, 14 out of the 25 Swiss Cantons have 

 adopted the system of compulsory insurance. Compensation 

 to the extent of £78,712 was paid on account of 14,285 head of 

 cattle out of a total of 547,518 insured. Towards this sum 

 the Cantons and the Federal Government each contributed 

 £24,510. 



