Insurance companies are offering policies to cover victims of bullying and harassment as these social problems have multiplied with the heightened use of the internet.
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. plans to sell a product starting in October specializing in troubleshooting difficulties facing children.
If a child is bullied, harassed or stalked, the policy will cover expenses for counseling and items related to transferring to a new school, such as enrollment fees, new uniforms and learning materials.
The coverage can go up to 200,000 yen ($1,480) per case.
Damage reports filed with police are required for eligibility.
The insurance product will be offered for schools and parent-teacher associations that already have group insurance contracts with the company.
Parents and guardians can take out an option for an additional 120 yen per month that covers children’s injuries and illnesses caused by bullying and harassment and includes a special benefit that compensates legal fees.
“We provide safety and security for children and their guardians when school bullying and online troubles have become a social issue,” a Tokio Marine representative said.
Since April 2022, AIG General Insurance Co. has been offering a special benefit that covers costs related to counseling and school transfers when a child is bullied or harassed at school or on social media.
The company said about 40 percent of guardians who have group insurance covering their children also pay for the benefit, which costs about 120 yen per month.
Although they are not required to submit damage reports to police to receive compensation, they must consult with a lawyer, clinical psychologist or other expert.
Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. has set up a service counter to provide free consultations about bullying or online abuse and defamation in its accident and medical insurance policies sold to companies and groups.
They must sign up for the special benefit included in their policies to be eligible for the service.
Sompo Japan since last year has also given advice on how to deal with violations of personal rights.
According to an education ministry survey, the number of bullying cases at elementary, junior high and other schools hit a record high of more than 610,000 in the 2021 academic year that ended in March 2022, nearly twice the number from the 2016 academic year.
Cases involving abusive and slanderous comments made from personal computers and cellphones also reached a record 21,900, nearly double the figure from five years previously.
In addition, there were 705 “serious matters” in which bullied students developed mental or physical health problems or were forced to be absent from school for a long time.
The ministry said it is possible that students were experiencing mental and physical health difficulties, as well as stress, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
