report

Report of the Superintendant of Insurance
of the Dominion of Canada, 1896

This book is just a big ole book of statistics on Canadian insurance companies. I made it available in case anyone wanted to do some historical research, this is definitely not a reading book. it’s just the year end report to parliament of the various insurance companies.

Some stuff is worth scanning. First, back in 1896, we were still a Dominion :). Secondly, it’s interesting to note the number of British companies doing business. I bet that’s because back in 1896 we weren’t much more than a colony. I also noticed both how many companies are still around (e.g. Canada Life, ManuLilfe), but also how many are still around but don’t do business in Canada anymore – and many of them just in the last few decades. Aetna, Commercial Union, Metropolitan Life, New York Life, Equitable Life of New York, Mony Life (We have an Equitable Life in Canada, but that’s actually a different company that the one listed. The one listed below is a US company. Our current Equitable Life which is currently active in Canada is a fully Canadian company, founded in Waterloo Ontario in the 1940’s).

The really cool thing though is that there’s numerous companies who’s primary focus is on insuring plate glass. No Home Depot back then I guess. It must’ve been a real bummer to watch a 10X10 piece of plate glass get broken, particularly if it’s expensive enough to insure seperately.