Pushing Thrift Week; Life Insurance Prominent: 100 Years Ago in Insurance

Here is an article that appeared in the Dec. 29, 1921, issue of The National Underwriter Life Insurance Edition.

In the “National Thrift Week” to be observed Jan. 17-23, life insurance is given a prominent place, the third day of the campaign being “Life Insurance Day.” This movement is fostered by the YMCA in cooperation with 42 civic, national, commercial, educational and religious organizations.

Its purpose is to stress the importance of wise spending and the urgent necessity of giving attention to the vital thrift needs.

The week will be devoted to the budget, life insurance, home purchasing, prompt paying of bills, giving and one day to the making of wills. It is planned to educate the public generally on all questions of earning, spending, investing, saving and giving. Each will be urged to make a budget, record expenditures, have a bank account, carry life insurance, own a home, make a will, pay bills promptly, invest in safe securities and share with others.

Life Insurance Day

Life insurance has been given a day on the program.

That the public may pay attention to this vital subject and receive a true understanding of thrift as linked with life insurance, Jan. 19 has been put aside as “National Life Insurance Day.” All life insurance men have been urged to assist in the publicity and furnish facts and figures as well as expert counsel in support of this work. They are urged to take a major responsibility for local programs and the promotion of National Life Insurance Day locally.

Big Results Last Year

The results of last year’s life insurance day are estimated by Winslow Russell, chairman of the special committee promoting that day, at $75,000,000 in new business.

The life insurance men were the most active field cooperators that the YMCA had in its campaign last year, and they did a tremendous amount of good for the entire movement as well as for the life insurance business. Such individual results as 72 applications during last year’s “National Thrift Week” by one man were recorded.

The Chattanooga, Tenn., underwriters wrote $600,000 in new business during the week following that thrift week.

The work unquestionably brought large results last year, and its value is especially great in the ability to link thrift with life insurance.