The Insurance Cartel's War on Competition

Since the old Pacific Insurance Union has been succeeded by the Underwriters' Union, a struggle has been going on between it and the agents of the several insurance companies. Most of the trouble has been over the 'non-intercourse' rule. The Underwriters' Union has tried to enforce the rule to compel the agents to only take risks for companies inside the combine. For instance, the Bailey block might be insured in half a dozen different companies, and three of these might be non-union companies. The combine desired to have all the risks in union companies, but the agents refused to accede to the demand. Meetings of underwriters were held in Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, Spokane, and Butte, and resolutions adopted in opposition to the enforcement of the non-intercourse rule. All the agents are keeping up the rates of the Underwriters' Union, for no disposition is shown to reduce rates. What they seek is uniformity of rates. At the same time, it is claimed that the rates have been reduced, inasmuch as buildings that are provided with conveniences for putting out fires will be charged a lower rate than those which have no such apparatus.