National Life's First Claims: Claim #2

On November 8, 1850, William C. Bradlee of Charlestown, Massachusetts fell ill. He was the owner of policy #212 having a face amount of $2,000 and costing $44.80 annually. One has to assume that Bradlee was a man of means to afford such a large policy in 1850.

Bradlee’s health continued to spiral until he died of a fever on November 20. The policy was less than one month old, having just been issued on October 28.

During December following his death, the administrator for Bradlee’s estate found the National Life policy in his effects and seems to have contacted an attorney. It is not clear exactly what happened over the next three months but it would appear that witness and physician’s statements were being forwarded to support the claim.

Bradlee appears to have been single and the benefit of $2,000 was eventually paid to the administrator of the estate on April 4, 1851.

After the crisis caused by the claim on Rowland Allen’s policy, it is surprising to see that National Life had no apparent problem in having ready cash to pay Claim #2 in its entirety.