The Fireman’s Fund was one of the first insurance companies in America to write insurance on automobiles. It has long been a leader in this field on the Pacific Coast and occupies a prominent rank throughout the rest of the country. With its strong agency plant in all parts of the United States, it is able to offer the policy holder facilities for easy and quick settlement of a loss sustained while touring. Even more important, however, is the fact that the company’s policy and reputation for promptness and fairness stand behind this department as behind all others.

It is well for agents to keep these advantages in mind, especially as the present indications are that this season will be a record breaker in the sale of automobiles. The company stands ready to give prompt and efficient service to the agent in handling this class of business, as well as in the adjustment and settlement of losses. Please make known your wants if you are in need of supplies, and remember that the company will be glad to reply to any inquiries.

There is a big field here for active agents. The automobile industry is growing rapidly. Some factories are turning out a hundred thousand or more cars a year, and one of these is now planning an increase in capacity to five hundred thousand cars annually. In 1915 there were over 2,423,000 cars registered in the United States. This is approximately seventy-five per cent of the world’s total.

The automobile progressed rapidly from the experimental stage; it is now one of the most important factors in our industrial and social life, as well as in history’s greatest war. There is only one conclusion to be drawn: the auto is indispensable to men of all lines of activity, from farmer to banker.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually for motorcars, and as their value is considered a part of the assets of a business, the same protection should be secured on an automobile in the way of insurance as on buildings, stocks, shipping, dwellings, household furniture, farm property, growing grain, etc.

In soliciting insurance on an automobile, the owner should not be approached with the idea that he is being asked to protect an article that is only a plaything or a luxury, soon to lose its value, but rather with the firm conviction that the owner should have protection on an investment which is essentially a necessity to his business and social life, just as he would secure protection for his investment in his business property or home.

It is not infrequently said by an agent that there have been no automobile losses in his particular community, and the owners will not insure. The sequel is usually that told in the proverbial phrase, "locking the stable after the horse is stolen." The list of actual causes of loss printed on this page is a pretty strong argument, even without the comment that might be added by any insurance man experienced in writing automobile business.

Here is a list of causes of automobile losses, compiled from the records of the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. It covers the most common causes as well as the most unusual. Keep it where it will be handy the next time a prospective policy holder tells you he doesn’t think he’ll insure his machine because he’s never heard of one getting destroyed in his neck of the woods:

Collision with another auto.
Collision with runaway horse.
Collision with street car.
Collision with other vehicle.
Fire ensuing from collision.
Collision because of broken axle.
Collision because of broken steering knuckle.
Collision because of defective brakes.
Striking obstruction in road.
Running into wagon in garage.
Hitting telegraph pole.
Running into fence.
Overheated exhaust pipe.
Explosion of muffler.
Theft.
Cigarette smoking in garage.
Fire from adjoining automobile.
Defective circuit wire.
Explosion of acetylene gas generator.
Burned while aboard steam-boat.
Explosion while filling tank.
Ignited through upset.
Defective magneto.
Washing with distillate.
Stolen and ditched.
Gasoline ignited while cleaning engine.
Friction of brake.
Defective prestolite tank.
Defective commutator.
Explosion of gasoline in pit.
Spark from nearby burning building.
Ignition of bucket of gasoline.
Explosion of batteries while being charged.
Open stove in garage igniting gasoline vapor.
Leaving controller in first speed with brakes set (electric).
Back fire into carburettor.
Defective tail lamp.
Burning of garage.
Igniting from backfire through muffler.
Leak in gasoline pipe.
Striking match in garage with gasoline tank open.
Combustion of oily waste.
Shipwrecked during transportation.
Burned on street – driver used lamp to look for gasoline leak.
Passerby throwing match near standing car.
Sparker struck while cleaning car.
Gasoline running too fast into generator.
Ran off road, breaking gasoline connections.
Oil pumped through air valves caught fire from pipe.
Cleaning magneto by forcing gasoline.
Overflow of gasoline.
Struck by lightning.
Cleaning spark plug with gasoline and testing before gasoline evaporated.
Explosion in crank case.
Ignition of gasoline vapor under hood.
Electric light placed on seat.
Acetylene tubing became detached.
Match dropped in apron.
Turning lamp too high.
Lighted cigarette thrown in tonneau while the machine was on the road.

[Fireman’s Fund Archives: 4-1-3-4-27, 0405]