Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance said Thursday that it will sell to local governments a policy to cover property damage caused by bullets fired during wild bear extermination.
The move comes as the revised wildlife protection and management law, which allows local governments to use firearms at their discretion to cull dangerous wild animals in residential neighborhoods, is set to take effect in September.
The law revision is designed to cope with an increase in cases in which wild bears appearing in human habitats attack people and cause damage to properties.
The insurance policy will cover up to ¥30 million in compensation local governments pay for damage to buildings, vehicles and other properties from bullets fired to kill bears or other wild animals, including stray rounds, according to Tokio Marine.
The insurance premium will be set for each local government according to the number of sightings of bears, boars and other animals. Human injuries from such bullets will not be covered by the policy.
