x   DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE--INSURA\"CE BRANCH.

BRITISH FIRE COMPANIES.

The total cash receipts from premiums were 84,816,07 2, being an increase of $213,325 as compared with the previous year; the payments for losses were 83,402,769, being 8307,908 greater than for 1894; while the general expenses amounted to $1,374,080, being 838,299 greater than in 1894, thus leaving a balance of 839,223 in favour of the companies. In the previous year there was a balance of $172,105 favourable to the companies.

Paid for losses   8 3,402,769

do   general expenses    1,374,080

Total    4,776,849

Received for premiums    4,816,072

Balance in favour    8   39,223

The following detail gives the balances for the different companies :

Balances in javoeur.—Atlas, 816,281 ; Caledonian, 816,121; Imperial, 816,277 ; Liverpool and London and Globe, 82,544; National of Ireland, 816,280; North British, 844,624 ; Norwich Union, 3,741 ; Pho'nix of London, 875,111 ; Royal, 85,737 : Union Assurance, 879,457 ; Total, 8276,176.

Adverse balances.—Alliance, $6,649 ; Commercial Union, $29,516 ; Guardian, $27,271 ; Lancashire, 821,463; London and Lancashire Fire, $28,043; London Assurance 826,032 ; Manchester, $37,985 ; Northern, 823,557 ; Scottish Union and National, $14,515 ; Sun Fire, 83,488 ; United Fire, $18,434. Total, 8236,953.

Total balance in favour, $39,223.

For every $100 of premiums received there were spent, on the average, 870.66 in payment of losses and 828.53 for general expenses.

In 1894 the loss rate was $67.24 and the general expenses 829.02 for every 8100 of premiums received.

For the fire business the rate of premium was $12,452 per 81,000 of risks taken, as against $12,282 in 1894.

Hence these companies have clone a larger volume of business than in 1804, at a higher rate of premium and a lower rate of expense, and at a higher rate of loss.

Collecting the results for the twenty-one years from 1875 to 1895, as regards the receipts for premiums and the expenditure of the British companies, we find :

Paid for losses (1875-1895)    8 47,232,371

do   general expenses    17,732,287

Total payments    $ 64,964,658

Received for premiums    68,619,514

Excess of receipts over expenses    $ 3,654,856

It will be seen, from an examination of the table given below, that an adverse balance was in existence from the year 1877 till the end of the year 1886, due to the exceptional circumstances of the conflagration at St. John in the first mentioned year—when the losses paid by British companies amounted to almost five millions of dollars;