Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914

Abstract This article analyses the establishment and successful diffusion of fire insurance mutuals in the Norwegian countryside between 1816 and World War I. Prior to the establishment of fire insurance mutuals, the only means of fire insurance of farm houses and farm outbuildings for N...

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Main Author: Harald Espeli
Format: Article
Language:Norwegian Bokmål
Published: Scandinavian University Press 2018-01-01
Series:Heimen
Online Access:https://www.idunn.no/heimen/2018/01/lokale_organisasjoner_uten_en_nasjonal_overbygning_brannka
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author Harald Espeli
author_facet Harald Espeli
author_sort Harald Espeli
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This article analyses the establishment and successful diffusion of fire insurance mutuals in the Norwegian countryside between 1816 and World War I. Prior to the establishment of fire insurance mutuals, the only means of fire insurance of farm houses and farm outbuildings for Norwegian peasants and farmers was the state fire insurance company, Norges Brannkasse. Although the Norwegian fire insurance market was the most open in Europe, foreign insurance companies restricted themselves to insurance of chattels and stocks. However, their premiums were too expensive for peasants and farmers, who developed local fire insurance mutuals based on apportioned liability. They were mostly run by unpaid or symbolically remunerated elected representatives creating small administrative costs. The fire insurance mutuals also proved effective in coping with the challenges of moral hazard and asymmetric information. Thus, fire damages were lower than in Norges Brannkasse. From 1890s the fire insurance mutuals insured larger values than Norges Brannkasse in the countryside. Thus, the fire insurance mutuals played an important role in the economic modernization of the countryside until World War I.
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spelling doaj-art-06d808380924409da61e3d49b3b0e80b2025-08-20T01:51:27ZnobScandinavian University PressHeimen0017-98411894-31952018-01-015573010.18261/issn.1894-3195-2018-01-0218948693Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914Harald EspeliAbstract This article analyses the establishment and successful diffusion of fire insurance mutuals in the Norwegian countryside between 1816 and World War I. Prior to the establishment of fire insurance mutuals, the only means of fire insurance of farm houses and farm outbuildings for Norwegian peasants and farmers was the state fire insurance company, Norges Brannkasse. Although the Norwegian fire insurance market was the most open in Europe, foreign insurance companies restricted themselves to insurance of chattels and stocks. However, their premiums were too expensive for peasants and farmers, who developed local fire insurance mutuals based on apportioned liability. They were mostly run by unpaid or symbolically remunerated elected representatives creating small administrative costs. The fire insurance mutuals also proved effective in coping with the challenges of moral hazard and asymmetric information. Thus, fire damages were lower than in Norges Brannkasse. From 1890s the fire insurance mutuals insured larger values than Norges Brannkasse in the countryside. Thus, the fire insurance mutuals played an important role in the economic modernization of the countryside until World War I.https://www.idunn.no/heimen/2018/01/lokale_organisasjoner_uten_en_nasjonal_overbygning_brannka
spellingShingle Harald Espeli
Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
Heimen
title Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
title_full Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
title_fullStr Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
title_full_unstemmed Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
title_short Lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning: Brannkassene 1816–1914
title_sort lokale organisasjoner uten en nasjonal overbygning brannkassene 1816 1914
url https://www.idunn.no/heimen/2018/01/lokale_organisasjoner_uten_en_nasjonal_overbygning_brannka
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