Chapter 1 : 1920s
The Roaring Twenties was a period in history of dramatic social and political change . For the first time , more Americans lived in cities than on farms . The nation ’ s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929 , and this economic growth swept many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar “ consumer society .” Twenties fashions , major advances in technology , start of the mass production of cars , radios for homes and pop culture - a time of radical change . The decade is often referred to as the Roaring Twenties .
• Insurance Commissioner Frank Travis ordered certain rate reductions on business and farm property . The insurance companies contested the order without any success . It then went to court for eight years until 1930 .
• Two bills were introduced during the 1922 Legislative Session : 1 ) House Bill # 314 was designed to prevent corporations from insuring property in the state of Kansas by non-admitted companies ; this did not pass . 2 ) House Bill # 348 Agent Qualification Bill , this bill also failed to pass .
• There were on-going congressional discussions about the Monopolistic Compensation Fund Insurance Bill ( Fitzgerald Bill ) that began in 1922 . The Fitzgerald bill was to keep the government out of the insurance business . The association was against this bill as it was detrimental to the interest of all insurance agents . It was defeated in 1924 .
• Members of the association requested that the state organization operate under the companies that National recognized to preserve the American Agency System so that its guidelines were met .
• A Board Resolution was adopted in 1924 to make hail damage covered under regular tornado policies , and a simple explosion clause was included in Fire Policies .
• A critical issue for agents was when Chrysler Automobile started offering insurance policies when selling a new car . The offering violated all state laws regarding insurance . A case was filed in Federal Court and then the Supreme Court . It was deemed illegal on November 3 , 1926 .
• During the 7th Annual Convention in Wichita , October 27-29 , 1927 . Frank Chandler , vice president of the New Indemnity Company and father of the Indiana Insurance Day , requested the floor . He recommended that the association inaugurate an Insurance Day in Kansas . Every agent in attendance liked the idea so much that it was presented as a motion and passed immediately . The Executive Committee appointed a committee to accomplish the task and set the date for a Kansas Insurance Day which was observed May 8 , 1929 .
• The National Union Fire Insurance Company had repeatedly done business that violated the principles of the association . It had been requested that no member of the association do business with them . All members that continued would have their membership canceled . It was the right of agents to do business with any insurance company they choose , but in doing so , they ran the risk of being nonmembers .
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