• Denjin@lemmings.world
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      1 day ago

      Correct, it’s also the birth of insurance. People would pay a subscription style fee to the fire brigade so their house would be protected in case of a fire.

      It’s something satirised in The Colour of Magic, the first Discworld novel.

      • ThePyroPython@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        Precisely.

        There’d be fire markers on the outer walls to indicate which fire protection company covered that building and whichever firefighter turned up would bill that fire protection company who’d then bill the customer/customer’s insurance company.

        Edit: typo, damn these supposedly opposable thumbs!