becomes of age the latter would be left without
the means of subsistence. In such a case the
prudent mother would insure her own life for the
four years which must elapse before the child
could come into the fortune, for such a sum as
would keep it from want, so that in case the
mother died the insurance money would provide
the means of living. The premium charged on
this class of insurance is moderate; about £2 6s.
for a person aged fifty; and the outlay by the
mother could be subsequently repaid when the
child was in a position to do so.

There are other special modes of insurance to
prevent loss or damage in cases of remote risk;
indeed almost any chance of loss through the
possibility of something improbable occurring
may be guarded against by insurance. For
instance, a lady aged forty-five has been married
for twenty years and has had no children. If she
has a son her property will descend to him; if
she dies childless it passes to a nephew. The
chance of the lady having a son is extremely
remote but still there is a possibility, and it is
against loss by this possibility happening that
the nephew takes out a policy of insurance for
any reasonable amount, the premium charged
being surprisingly small and payable in one sum
down.