司法監理對保險消費者之保護－－以美國經驗為論述中心

The Protection of Insurance Consumer under Judicial Regulation -Focusing on the Experience in the United States-

司法監理為保險監理之一環，雖然司法監理與行政及立法監理比較之下較不主動積極，但其扮演著無可取代之角色，具有導正保險公司不當行為，保護保險消費者契約上權利之功能。透過司法機關監理，保險公司能改正其未來的行為，以符合司法機關之意旨，使得市場發揮應有的效率。美國的法院因有英美法系司法機關之特殊功能即「法官造法」之功能，故除了在契約的解釋上發揮了對於保險公司不當行為的導正作用，亦充分利用「法官造法」的功能創造了新的請求權，使得司法監理發揮了效果。從美國學者的實證研究即可得知，美國法院善用造法之權創造了新的請求權，確實增加了保險消費者的談判能力，並使得保險公司減少了不當行為的產生。我國司法體系雖屬大陸法系之系統並無法官造法之功能，但是從美國法院創造新請求權的過程及內涵中觀之，我國法院似可透過契約解釋之方法達到效果，故美國之經驗仍有作為我國司法監理借鏡之處。

Judicial regulation is part of the insurance regulation. Although judicial regulation is not as active as administrative and legislative regulation, it still plays an important role in guiding misconduct of insurance companies and protecting contractual rights of insurance consumers. Through the judicial regulation, insurance companies can improve their conducts in the future, so that they comply with the court's opinions to ensure the market efficiency. The United States federal, state and local courts have functions and powers in judge-made law, categorized as one of the Anglo-American legal system that provides guidance in misconduct of insurance companies with the method of contract interpretation, and the effectiveness of judicial regulation is also implemented by creating the new cause of action under the method of judge-made law. Based on the empirical studies conducted by American scholars, the United States courts create the new cause of action with judge-made law that indeed enhances the bar gaining power of the insurance consumers and decreases misconducts arose from the insurance companies. The legal system in Taiwan is categorized in the civil law system that does not have the functions and powers of judge-made law. However, in view of the development and context of creating the new cause of action, the effectiveness of judicial regulation can be achieved by the Taiwan courts through the method of contract interpretation in refer to the experiences in the United States.