The Executive Yuan has passed an amendment to the "State Compensation Act." In the future, for natural public facilities in open mountainous and water areas, if the government has already set up warnings and signs but individuals still choose to take risks, the state will not bear liability for compensation. Officials from the Insurance Bureau pointed out that mountaineering insurance is something individual climbers assess and purchase based on their own risk tolerance to mitigate related risks, and it is not directly related to state compensation. However, officials also reminded that there are eight scenarios where mountaineering insurance does not provide coverage.
According to statistics from the Insurance Bureau, currently five property insurance companies — including Fubon Insurance, Cathay Century Insurance, Shin Kong Insurance, Mingtai Insurance, and Want Want Youxian Insurance — have launched mountaineering insurance policies. In recent years, both the number of insured individuals and premiums have increased year by year, rising from 904 people insured and premium income of NT$836,610 in 2014, to 55,183 people insured and premium income of NT$11,462,270 in the first nine months of this year.
Officials from the Insurance Bureau explained that mountaineering insurance covers "emergency rescue expenses," but there are eight exclusions where claims will not be paid. These include intentional acts by the insured, criminal behavior, war, civil unrest, and armed rebellions, as well as explosions caused by atomic or nuclear devices. Other exclusions are when "the insured enters without required permission" or enters restricted or prohibited warning zones as defined by the Disaster Prevention and Rescue Act or other relevant regulations. Additionally, search costs incurred due to the insured not carrying legally required positioning equipment and emergency communication devices, arbitrarily changing the mountaineering plan, or climbing without a guide are also not covered.
As an example, Insurance Bureau officials said that if a mountaineering insurance policy includes coverage of NT$2 million for death or disability, NT$200,000 for medical expenses, and NT$500,000 for emergency rescue, the premium for three days is NT$389 — but this only applies to domestic mountains, not foreign ones.
However, compensation is also not provided in five scenarios involving death, disability, or injury. These include intentional acts by the policyholder or the insured, criminal behavior by the insured, driving under the influence beyond legal limits, war, civil unrest, and armed rebellions, as well as explosions caused by atomic or nuclear devices.
Will it become mandatory for all hikers to purchase mountaineering insurance in the future? Officials from the Insurance Bureau stated that insurance companies are merely providers of insurance products, and whether such insurance should be made mandatory is a decision to be made by local governments and relevant authorities based on policy needs.