The Introduction of the Prudential of London
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By :
Ruca Martin
Submitted
2008-11-06 23:55:09 |
It is a matter of record that both President Dryden of the Prudential and President Knapp of the Metropolitan were close students of the Prudential of London. Both went to London and witnessed the functioning of the business at first hand. In fact, Mr. Knapp and the Metropolitan’s Attorney, Stewart L. Woodford, and an expert they took with them, were shown every courtesy. They brought back with them a clear conception of the details of management, and implemented this with a complete file of the forms essential to a business as intricate as industrial insurance.
The records of the company show that the procedures and the forms of the Prudential of London were followed to a large degree, and these undoubtedly contributed to the immediate success of the venture. Of course, important adjustments to American conditions had to be made. There was a fundamental difference, for instance, in the basis on which the reserve liability was computed. To be permitted to transact business in the United States, regardless of whether it is life insurance or cheap car insurance, a company was required to maintain reserves computed on the net premium basis, which made it necessary for American companies to maintain larger reserves than those on similar business in England.
The computation of premiums in the earlier days, before the mortality experience on this class of risks or the expense rate of conducting such business was known, was not easy. It was due to the good sense and skill of James M. Craig, Actuary of the Company, that the business was launched properly and safely. The Metropolitan’s industrial business was begun with the issuance, on November 17, 1879, of 34 Industrial policies for weekly premiums totaling $3.95. Before the end of that year a total of 5,143 policies for $516,618 face amount were on the books, and those at the helm knew that their new venture was meeting a real need. By the end of 1880 the industrial business of the Metropolitan had already out¬stripped that of the two other companies then operating.
There was no sign of uncertainty as the new enterprise expanded in many directions. The greatest advantage which the Metropolitan enjoyed arose from the decision to bring from England a large number of men already well trained in the business of life insurance and home owner’s insurance, a decision of historic interest, as the most direct transfer of old world marketing methods in the history of the industry. The first contingent of 21 men appears to have arrived early in the year 1880. All the men were expertly trained, most of them having previously been with the Prudential of London. (http://cheap-insurance-rates.com/home/)
Among these were the vigorous old timers Goldthorpe, Higginbotham, Booth, Selkirk, Shackleton, Roberts, Staniland—men who made Metropolitan history in the early days. Most of them were placed as superintendents or assistant superintendents of district offices in the larger cities of the country, and set to work at once to build up a solid field organization. The importations from abroad rapidly increased in number. Brice Collard literally commuted between New York and London, signing up more than 800 likely field men in the old country.
Altogether, including their families, it is estimated that some 2,000 persons came over in this directed migration. As Mr. Craig said in his company history of 1897: "To these, in addition to its own home force, was assigned the task of laying the foundation; of educating a body of efficient coworkers; training them to the best methods of house to house canvassing and collect¬ing; perfecting them in the intricate matters of bookkeeping, accounts, and the numerous forms inherent to a business of so much detail." |
Author Resource:-
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in finance, business, and home owner’s insurance. For cheap car insurance, please visit http://cheap-insurance-rates.com/
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