European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Insurance National Union could Cut rates dropping 5% fax official says by Bill Walker projects editor one company is acting contrary to the american Way of doing business in not immediately dropping Auto insurance rates for customers in Germany by five per cent Usa eur s Auto insurance offi cer says. The German finance ministry has con firmed for the second time that National Union All and its agent Greico insurance company is free to drop the five per cent insurance tax charged its approximately .15.000 customers in Germany provided the firm meets certain provisions Muj. Thomas Burns said. National Union is aware of the possibility of dropping the tax but there arc prob lems that arc holding the company Bac from offering the Price Cut Bob Dorman Aiu military division manager for Ger Many explained. Burns said that because of fixed Auto insurance rates for the . Forces there Isno Competition an the marketplace and a five per cent drop by National Union would put Competition Back in and give National Union the Edge companies usually arc seeking. Dorman counters that his firm is concerned that it would get the worst risks and that a required change in the method of payment would pose problems. The German finance ministry Accord ing to Burns has made it Clear that nation Al Union can drop the five per cent tax for its customers so Long As All payments after the first one Are made directly to the . The first payment May be accepted bythe agent Here in Germany and forwarded to the ." Burns  would mean a yearly saving of $10 to $30 on most  said his firm sends out 350 to 400 letters each month to policyholder who do not pay their Bills on time and he said this could mean real difficulties forthe firm if All payments had to go to the .he did say that nearly 97 per cent of National Union customers pay their Bills Reg continued m Page 21, col. 3 decline unlikely in rates paid by gis report says vol. 36, no. 37 tuesday May .24, 1977 lie doily and sunday if 21855 a by Bill Walker projects editor few changes could be made in the cur rent system to offer lower rated for . Forces motorists paying the most for Auto insurance in Germany according to a report prepared for Usa eur. The privately owned vehicle Povi insurance office at Usa eur has released findings of a report it commissioned by r. Terrorists seize 140 in school train raids Ommen the Netherlands up moluccan terrorists took More than 140 per sons hostage in twin attacks on a school and a train in Northern Holland monday two Days before the dutch general elections. At least 105 of the hostages were Young children held captive with six of their teachers when armed terrorists burst into the elementary school at  the town of Assen shortly after classes  earlier other South moluccas had hijacked a northbound express train afew Miles away and were holding Between 25 and 50 passengers hostage. Justice officials said none of the terrorists had made any  200 persons were held captive when the sieges began but 34 passengers mainly children and old people soon left the  the school. 15 Young South moluccan children were set free. 11 was a replay of similar situation 17 months ago and police were prepared for a Long wait. When moluccan gunmen hijacked a train in the area in december 1975 and took Over the indonesian consulate in Amsterdam the sieges lasted 17  yellow four coach express stood out conspicuously against the Green Meadow some six Miles South of the University town of  passengers were herded into one coach by terrorists armed with Slen guns who had pulled the alarm curds to halt the train. The blinds were drawn on most of the window Blue helmeted dutch police armed with rifles and sub machine guns kept a Low pro file taking up positions behind buildings and  a id sightseers who jammed roads in the urea were not allowed within half a mile of the scene but cows grazed peacefully in the Fields  officials said they believed there might be As Many As eight terrorists inboard the train. About six other South moluccas were holding the children and teachers hostage at the elementary school in the Small Vil Lage of Bove Smilde about 19 Miles South of  identities arc known to  a Justice ministry spokesman said but gave continued on Page 28, col. 21 shipping Over Inland when a Sailor re enlists it s called shipping Over. But when it came time for stars and stripes staff writer Brad Murfee right. Who s in the Navy to ship Over the nearest thing to a ship to do it on was a Rhein River Barge. Soul ref was shipped Over on dry land in bad Kreuz Nach Germany by . John r. D. Cleland. 8th inf univ cd. I Story Page 2. Is. Schuelter Watson & sons a consulting actuarial Firmin London. The firm was paid $18.550 by Usa Eurto examine the current rates for . Forces motorists in Germany to see if the charges were fair and to determine if a new rating system minus the military ran Structure could be set up. Watson & sons actuary Howard Grace concluded in his report that elimination of the rank Factor at this time probably would mean hefty Price hikes for Young military motorists and possible reductions for offi cers senior enlisted personnel and some  Pov insurance officer maj. Thomas Burns said such a change in rate would not be in keeping with Usa eur s Effort to lower rates or those now paying the most. About Jisoo per year single e1-e7 enlisted personnel noway about $500 per year for Basic liability insurance on their pos in German the report said analysis of the current arrangement shows that although Low rankers arc paying the most they Are still being subsidized by better Drivers paying higher rates than they  has never really bothered us that officers were paying More than they  Burns said repeating his explanation that the major Effort by Usa eur is to find a Way to relieve the insurance Burden on those now paying the most Low rank  the current system in Germany nearly All enlisted personnel pay More than officers regardless of driving re cords. Under the German Tariff  military members receive a rate reduction for serving their  is no rank system for Auto insurance in the other countries where . Forces Are  statistics from which Gracey pre pared his report were provided by the insurance companies which control the Market a fact cited by critics of the cur rent system who say these firms have the ability to alter or shape the statistics any Way they please. Likely to continue the findings in the actuarial report and .1reluctance by Usa eur to change rates and give the companies an Opportunity to increase prices probably Means the cur rent system will continue at least two More  does t foresee any rate increases next year by the firms. Based on the Atti tude of the German insurance commis Sion. I would say there will be no rat increase for 1978." he said. Current rates Are set through dec. 31.1977.the rates have been unchanged for seven years despite several increases inthe German Tariff rates. Bums was asked if the companies had negotiated excessively High rates in 1971 and if there had been no need to raise rates because profits were extraordinarily High. That s looking  he said. It does t do us much goo to complain to the companies about some cont med on Page 28. Co 2