Accident insurance - shogaihoken

This is insurance that pays benefits when the insured suffers bodily injury due to a sudden and unexpected external accident, and as a direct result, the insured dies, has a permanent disability, or experiences an impairment to daily life functions or ability to work. The payment of benefits is as follows:

(1) Death Benefit: If the insured dies as a result of injury within 180 days after the date of the accident, the full amount of the benefit will be paid to the designated beneficiary or legal heir.

(2) Permanent Disability Insurance Benefit If the insured loses a part of the body or suffers a serious impairment of its function due to an injury within 180 days after the date of the accident, a set percentage (3-100%) of the insured amount will be paid to the insured depending on the part and the severity of the impairment.

(3) Hospitalization Benefits If the insured is hospitalized based on a doctor’s instructions and is unable to engage in normal work, or if the insured falls into a similar condition as specified in the insurance policy, the insured will be paid the daily hospitalization benefit stated in the insurance policy per day, up to a maximum of 180 days from the date of the accident.

(4) Outpatient insurance benefits If a patient's daily functions or ability to work are reduced and the patient receives medical treatment from a doctor without being hospitalized, the outpatient insurance benefit amount specified in the insurance policy will be paid per day, up to a maximum of 90 days for the number of outpatient days and 180 days from the date of the accident. Personal injury insurance benefits are paid regardless of other benefits (health insurance, workers' accident insurance, compensation, life insurance, etc.).

Accident insurance was first introduced in Japan in 1911 (Meiji 44) by Nippon Accident Insurance Co., Ltd., a company that specialized in accident insurance. Many non-life insurance companies entered the accident insurance field during the Taisho era, but the development of this insurance remained insufficient, and it did not become a major type of non-life insurance until after World War II. However, the rapid economic growth that began around 1960 (Showa 35) brought about the development of transportation and the spread of various leisure activities and sports, and at the same time, the demand for accident insurance became apparent. Moreover, this demand was very diversified, requiring protection that could be applied to a wide variety of injury risks. In order to meet this demand, many types of accident insurance contracts were established one after another, such as traffic accident insurance, domestic travel insurance, overseas travel insurance, income compensation insurance, and fishing insurance, in addition to ordinary accident insurance, and it has grown into a central type of insurance among new types of insurance.

[Takuji Kaneko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

被保険者が急激かつ偶然な外来の事故によって、身体に傷害を被り、その直接の結果として、死亡、後遺障害、または生活機能もしくは業務能力に支障を生じた場合に保険金を支払う保険。保険金の支払いは次のとおりである。

(1)死亡保険金　被保険者が傷害によって事故の日から180日以内に死亡した場合に、保険金の全額を指定保険金受取人または法定相続人に支払う。

(2)後遺障害保険金　傷害によって事故の日から180日以内に身体の一部を失いまたはその機能に重大な障害を生じた場合、その部位、程度に応じて保険金額の定められた割合（3～100％）を被保険者に支払う。

(3)入院保険金　医師の指示に基づき病院などに入院し、平常の業務に従事できない場合、またはこれに準ずる約款に定める状態になった場合に、事故の日から180日を限度として、1日につき保険証券記載の入院保険金日額を被保険者に支払う。

(4)通院保険金　生活機能または業務能力の減少をきたし、かつ入院によらずに医師の治療を受けた場合、通院日数90日、事故の日より180日を限度として、1日につき保険証券記載の通院保険金日額を支払う。傷害保険金は他の給付（健康保険、労災保険、賠償金、生命保険など）と関係なく支払われる。

　わが国において傷害保険が開始されたのは1911年（明治44）に設立された傷害保険専門会社である日本傷害保険株式会社によってである。その後大正時代に入り多くの損害保険会社が傷害保険分野に進出したが、この保険の発達は不十分なままに推移し、第二次世界大戦後まで主要な損害保険種目とはなりえなかった。しかし、1960年（昭和35）ごろから始まる経済の高度成長は、交通機関の発達、各種レジャーやスポーツの普及をもたらし、それとともに傷害保険の需要も顕在化した。しかも、その需要は多種多様の傷害危険に適応する保障を求めるものであり、非常に多様化したものであった。この需要に対応するために、傷害保険には、普通傷害保険のほかに交通事故傷害保険、国内旅行傷害保険、海外旅行傷害保険、所得補償保険、つり保険など数多くの契約種類が順次設けられ、新種保険のなかでも中心的な保険種目に成長するに至った。

［金子卓治］

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