日本長期看護保險市場現況之探討A Study on the Current Market Condition of Long-Term Care Insurance in Japan

摘要
　　隨著國人生活水準改善、醫療技術提升及生育率下降，加速人口老化及少子化現象。有鑑於日本人口老化速度較台灣快速，且其已在2000年4月實施國民介護保險制度，保險業順勢推出多樣化長期看護保險，使保戶可選擇更高品質長期照護服務。
台灣目前積極規劃長期照護保險制度，本文除彙整日本國民介護保險制度，並針對商業長期看護保險之商品設計、承保方式議題，加以探討，提供我國保險業發展長期看護保險之重要參考，同時，期待透過長期看護保險，提供國人更完整長期照護之保障。
關鍵字：國民介護保險制度、長期看護保險、需要長期看護狀態
Abstract
　　As Taiwanese living standard and medical science improved, along with the decreasing birth rate, brings the phenomena of increased aging population and baby bust period. In comparison to Taiwan, Japan has a faster increasing aging population. In the April of 2000, Japan has implemented long-term care social insurance system. Japanese insurance industry has also developed various commercial insurance products for long-term care assistance. This has given policyholders more options on higher quality long-term care assistance.
Taiwan is now actively planning on long-term care social insurance system. This article will not only summaries Japanese long-term care insurance policies, but also discusses the product design and underwriting methods of commercial long-term care insurance. This article will also provide important reference in long-term care insurance in the development of the nation’s insurance industry, and expect to provide more complete long-term care protection for people in Taiwan through the long-term care insurance products.
Keywords: long-term care social insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term care assistance