1089 
3 x 
tom the 
SHORT ACCOUNT 
OF THE 
LONDON ASSURANCE OFFICES 
Tur evils arising from the uncertainty of human life in depriving 
individuals and families of their sources of income and support so con- 
stantly occur, that any means by which they may be provided against 
must be regarded as an important benefit to society. Extensive ob- 
servations have fortunately shown that this uncertainty, so proverbial 
as regards individuals separately considered, does not exist as regards 
large masses of individuals; or at least that the fluctuations in the 
proportion of deaths to the number of living are sufficiently limited to 
admit of large establishments undertaking upon secure principles to 
guarantee the payment of an annual sum of money during the life of an 
individual, in consideration of one present sum, or to insure the pay- 
ment of a sum at death in consideration of a sum or sums to be received 
during life. 
Such are the objects of the various assurance offices; and the cases 
in which it is of importance to individuals to avail themselves of the 
existence of these institutions are numerous—some of which we will 
describe. 
Every person engaged in a business or profession, depending on his 
future exertions for the accumulation of a sufficient amount to provide 
for the support of his family, may attain the object by an assurance on 
his life. This applies to gentlemen in the learned professions, public 
offices, and to those engaged in the army or navy. 
Life assurance presents an eligible mode of providing for the younger 
branches of a family where the estate js entailed ; where there are no 
children the wife may be provided for by assuring one life against ano- 
ther, which materially reduces the premium. 
Persons holding lands by lease on lives, renewable by payment of a 
fine as the lives may drop, can provide against the inconvenience of 
sudden demands by assuring the lives on which the lease depends : the 
same object may be secured where the possession depends on the life