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4 Automobile liability security system
The Automobile Liability Security Act (Act No. 97 of 1955) is designed to protect victims who are killed or injured in automobile accidents by establishing a system that guarantees compensation for damage. Automobile third-party liability insurance and automobile mutual liability insurance (hereinafter referred to as “automobile liability insurance, etc.” in this subsection) constitute the core of the automobile liability security system.
In order to complement automobile liability insurance, etc., the government operates an automobile liability compensation system. The government uses the system to provide compensation for damage to victims of “hit-and-run cases” where the perpetrators cannot be identified or accidents caused by “uninsured” automobiles because such victims cannot receive any compensation from automobile liability insurance, etc. The amount of compensation is determined in view of the criteria of the benefits under automobile liability insurance, etc.
In FY 2007 the system covered 2,310 victims of hit-and-run cases and 507 victims of accidents caused by uninsured automobiles. The system paid approximately 20.95 million yen per person killed and approximately 690,000 yen per person injured on average (Source: The Road Transport Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport).
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