Surge in school violence insurance coverage in Japan = South Korea

Since the 1980s, the word "bullying" has been a social problem in Japan.

On May 16th (local time), according to local media such as the Yomiuri Shimbun, a major newspaper, major insurance company Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire plans to sell bullying insurance from October.

The official name is "Trouble Countermeasure Cost Compensation Special Contract".

If you are a victim of school violence, you will be compensated up to 200,000 yen per incident, including the cost of hiring a lawyer, psychological counseling, new uniforms and teaching materials after transferring schools. We also provide a service that allows you to consult with a lawyer over the phone. This will advise you on how to gather evidence and negotiate with the school.

Insurance premiums range from ¥1,000 to ¥4,000 (about US$7 to $29) per month.

In order to receive this compensation, documents that can prove the damage, such as a complaint letter and the content of the consultation with the school, are required.

Also, on the premise that the school is enrolled in Tokio Marine & Nichido's education-related group insurance, it is possible to enroll only with a special contract. The additional cost that an individual must pay for this special contract is 120 yen per month.

An official at Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire said, "In the past, we used to sell products that guaranteed legal consultation fees for claiming compensation for victims of bullying. We didn't have one, so we decided to sell a special contract."

A Japanese insurance company also sells similar products, but it was found that the number of subscribers increased 7.3 times this year compared to the first year. Subscribers are mainly concentrated in March, just before the semester starts.

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the number of cases recognized as bullying in Japan last year was 615,351, the highest ever.

In particular, online bullying using smartphones has surged 16% year-on-year.

It is worth noting that the number of online bullying incidents among elementary school students increased 2.6 times year-on-year compared to junior high and high school students (1.3 to 1.4 times), and there are voices of self-reflection that we should thoroughly educate children against school violence from an early age.