百年變革－－論英國海上保險擔保條款之修正

A Centenary Revolution: Study on the Amendment of Marine Insurance Warranty in UK

倫敦保險市場於國際海上保險市場具領導地位，英國於1906 年制定之海上保險法，對全世界海上保險實務運行暨海上保險法制有舉足輕重之影響，各國保險法或海上保險法之制定或修改就此亦多所參酌。擔保條款為海上保險契約要求或禁止被保險人從事某行為之條款，目的為對保險人之賠償責任加以限定。於英國海上保險法，就擔保之要件暨被保險人違反擔保之法律效果頗為嚴厲，因此遭致諸多批評。於2014 年7 月17 日，英國法律委員會提出保險法修正草案予英國國會，並於2015 年2 月12 日經其審議通過，即－英國2015 年保險法，本法於2016 年8 月12 日正式施行。本法對百年來之英國海上保險法為重大變革，就擔保條款而言，其將被保險人違反擔保之法律效果改變、並廢除保險契約基礎條款之規定。鑒於英國保險法制對於全球保險市場有重大之影響，本文即就英國新訂保險法有關擔保之部分加以深論。

London insurance market is the world’s leading market for marine insurance. The role of Marine Insurance Act 1906 in UK is dominating marine practice worldwide. In marine insurance warranty clause, the assured undertakes that some particular thing shall be or not be done. If a warranty is not complied with, the insurer is discharged from liability as from the date of the breach of warranty, which has attracted much criticism for the strict compliance. On 17 July 2014, the Law Commissions presented a drift Insurance Bill to Parliament. The Bill received Royal Assent on 12th February 2015 to become the Insurance Act 2015 which comes fully into force on 12 August 2016. After nearly a hundred years, the Act has made a significant change and focuses on the basis of the contract clauses and remedies for breach of warranties. Since the new Act would have deep influence on the international insurance market, this paper would make further discussion on these relevant legal issues.