10

Above Average

Risks"

We were very happily surprised when our attention was called to the new revised edition of Risk Appraisal by Harry Dingman, M.D.

In the past, the general insurance practice has been to flatly decline or highly extra-rate suspect or known homosexual applicants. There are so very many Inverts -those with "records"-who just cannot acquire insurance coverage for this reason.

Most people would not have any interest in the matter or even be aware of it, unless directly connected with the field of life insurance. But we would like to point out that this is a book which might easily be called a literal "Bible" for many insurance underwriters.

True, the author's comments may seem rather typically hackneyed and "cornysounding" to us; but accepting that, this is still a tremendous advancement.

The fact that such an authority as this man should establish a comparatively "unprejudiced" trend, we believe, is a most favorable sign.

Quoted from Risk Appraisal, by Harry Dingman, M.D. Vice President Continental Assurance Company. Revised Edition, 1954

Chapter 17, Morals: (Last four paragraphs of Chapter)

Sex urge, normally, is male for female and female for male. Abnormally it is male for male and female for female. Sex deviation is more prevalent than generally realized and ordinarily is a subject taboo for discussion. So was syphilis not so long ago. Today we are more realistic and discuss conditions as are, not as we wish they were.

Many sex deviates are bisexual with 50-50 urge, 50 for one sex, 50 for other. Others may be 60-40, 80-20, a few 100 per cent. They are unfortunate. They are born that way, and they have no more control over their sex desires than over their temperaments. They have blue eyes or brown, blond hair or dark, and their sex urge is as it is. They learn to control themselves socially, but physically! their sex urge is as is. Male-male type is called homosexual. Female-female, lesbian.

Insurance companies are insuring sex deviates every day. They are being insured without company awareness of their peculiarity. Inspection companies seldom get the story for the simple reason that informants, even as applicants, don't talk. Sex deviation is considered a hush-hush matter. Which might make it appear that dangerous risks are being put on the books. Apparently not. Death by violence because of sex is seldom recorded in insurance claim files. Perhaps we may conclude as Army has concluded, that they are good soldiers, law-abiding, hard-working, and above average in education, intelligence and rating.

From insurance standpoint sex deviates who are safely adjusted in social life are satisfactory risks. It may be desirable to hesitate to accept them in their 20's, especially if frequenters of night clubs and saloons. Jealousies often arouse frenzied passions. In their 30's adaptation is usually achieved. In 40's adjustment is almost surely established with promiscuity eliminated. So also in 50's with caution in this age group that there is no infatuation for teen agers.