direct to the head office or by applying to the
several agents of the companies who abound in
all towns; and carefully compare one with
another. It will be found, perhaps, that one
office charges a less annual premium for an in-
surance than another, but this may be compen-
sated for by the latter declaring larger profits, or
giving advantages in other ways. For instance,
a certain "Mutual" office charges for an insur-
ance of £1,000, on the death of a person begin-
ning to insure at the age of thirty, a pre-
mium of £26 16s. 8d. per annum, whereas a
certain Joint-Stock Company's demand is only
£24 14s. 3d.; but the advantages offered by the
former in the shape of larger bonuses, though
deferred, are greater, while the benefit of a less
annual payment is of course immediate. Where
the insurance is effected at the same age and
for the same amount, but with no other benefit
or profit prospectively than the bare amount,
the premium in the former case is £21 4s. 2d.,
and in the latter £21 15s. 10d. There are good
offices, however, where the premium charged is
less than this.

There is at least one office which insures upon
what is called the half-credit system. One-half
the usual premium is paid for a certain term of
years, and thereafter the full premium is
charged. This may be useful in a case where