海上保险合同的保险金请求权诉讼时效起算研究

Research on the starting point of the time bar concerning the claim for insurance compensation of marine insurance

对于海上保险合同的保险金请求权诉讼时效起算点“保险事故发生之日”,域外法多通过主观解释、客观解释等方法对其作出有利于被保险人的解释。对《中华人民共和国海商法》第264条规定的起算点,学界争议基本也可归纳为主观解释与客观解释之争。在中国现行法及理论框架下,第264条所规定的“保险事故发生之日”作为向保险人请求赔偿的时效起算点之合理性有待商榷。结合诉讼时效起算的基本原理以及海上保险的特有性质,该起算点应界定为“权利人的救济权可以行使之时”。对于保赔保险这类特殊的海上保险合同,应结合其性质的界定、约定索赔时限、先付条款等因素确定其诉讼时效起算点。

As for the starting point of the time bar in marine insurance claims which is the occurrence of the peril insured,foreign jurisdiction always gives the interpretation in favor of the insured through subjective interpretation,objective interpretation and other methods.Various approaches also exist in the interpretation of the starting point of the time bar provision in Article 264 of Maritime Law of the People’s Republic of China,which can be either subjective or objective.In the current legal and theoretical framework in China,it is still open for discussion to use the date of the occurrence of the perils insured as is stated in Article 264,to serve as the starting point of the time bar of the claim for insurance compensation.Combining the basic rules of limitation of action and characteristics of marine insurance,the starting point should be defined as the date when the obligee’s right of relief can be exercised.As for the protection and indemnity insurance,the starting time can be determined by considering the definition of its nature,the agreed limitation of the claims,the pay-first rule and other factors.