萬國法律事務所

While visiting Taiwan as an independent tourist, Mr. Guan Yi Lee from China was involved in a traffic accident. He was hit by a motorcycle while walking to his hotel and died in the ambulance. The Hualian Branch of the Crime Victims’ Protection Institution assisted his family to apply for crime victims’ compensation. If his application is accepted, it will be the first time visitors from China will have been protected by this institution. Mr. Lee had purchased an accident insurance policy, which included compensation capped at NT$ 2,000,000. In addition, Mr. Lee’s family may also receive compensation capped at NT$ 1,600,000, which would be paid from the statutory liability insurance policy owned by the wrongdoer.

Since Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed amendments to Articles 30 and 33 of the Crime Victims’ Protection Act last year, foreign nationals, including people from China, who are victims of crimes in Taiwan, will be eligible to apply for statutory compensation.

An official at the institution stated that after a review by the Crime Victims’ Compensation Commission of the Hualian District Public Prosecutor’s Office, a decision regarding the an amount of compensation will be made. If the person who has been adjudicated as criminally liable does not have any social insurances, such as any of the statutory liability insurances, the victims may receive compensation up to the amount of NT$ 2,100,000. If Mr. Lee’s family receives the highest amount of the compensation, which is NT$1,600,000 from the liability insurance of the person who has been adjudicated as criminally liable, the Commission may decide on compensation at an amount less than NT$ 500,000.