By Stephen Adler, Special to JTNews
Would you knowingly deal with a company that owes you or your parents money? Would you knowingly deal with a company that owes members of the Jewish community money on their insurance policies?
Large European insurance companies sold insurance to Jews in Germany, France, Italy and other countries before the Holocaust. Those policies were written on the lives, property and other assets of the policyholders. Many of those lives were lost in the ovens and gas chambers of the camps. Virtually none of the money due the children of those who died and their survivors has ever been paid. In the years since the war the policyholders and now their children have tried to establish the facts so the rightful persons can collect on those policies.
The insurers have refused to honor their policies. They have also refused to publish lists of policyholders. This is essential so the children of the Nazi death-camp victims and the survivors can make claims for insurance payments due them. The companies mainly involved are: Allianz, AXA, Generali, Winterthur and Zurich. All these companies operate in the United States and in the state of Washington. They operate mostly under the names of subsidiaries.
You may have a clear claim to payment by one of these firms under a policy held by your father or mother, and, at the same time, you may be paying a premium to a subsidiary on insurance you have on your life, your house, your business or your car. You may be in business or involved in a Jewish communal organization or have no direct connection with the events of the Holocaust.
Perhaps you or your organization has property or liability insurance from a subsidiary of one of those European companies.
How can you find out? The office of the insurance commissioner of the state of Washington has compiled a list of the subsidiaries of the five major insurers. This list is accessible on the Internet at www.insurance.wa.gov.
You owe it to yourself and those you serve to get the facts about your insurance company. Once you know, you may decide to find another company with whom to do business. If you opt to cancel your insurance, you should write and tell them why you made that decision.
(A list of the insurance companies is also available from Stephen Adler at [email protected] or by calling 206-283-8589.)