生保大手、８社中７社減益　コロナ給付金、支払い響く―９月中間

　大手生命保険８社の２０２２年９月中間決算が２５日、出そろった。本業のもうけを示す基礎利益は、明治安田生命保険を除く７社が減益。新型コロナウイルスの感染「第７波」を受け、医療保険の入院給付金の支払いが大きく膨らんだ。
　生保各社は新型コロナ感染者への入院給付金について、自宅などで療養する「みなし入院」にも支払ってきたが、９月２６日以降は６５歳以上の高齢者や妊婦など重症化リスクが高い人に対象を限定した。ただ、感染してから請求するまでに一定の期間があるため、今後も支払いによる影響はありそうだ。（2022/11/25-20:17）

Seven of Japan's eight major life insurers have reported drops in core profits for April-September, citing massive insurance payments due to the seventh wave of coronavirus infections in summer.
   Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. was the only one to log profit growth in the first half of fiscal 2022, powered by strong investment gains reflecting higher interest and dividend revenues from foreign securities thanks to the yen's weakness.
   Insurance payments ballooned as life insurers distributed hospitalization benefits to a wide range of policyholders infected with the novel coronavirus even if they self-isolated at homes or hotels in accordance with government guidelines instead of being hospitalized.
   The industry, however, started limiting the payments of the benefits to COVID-19 carriers at high risk of developing severe symptoms, such as people aged 65 or older and pregnant women, on Sept. 26.
   The move is expected to push down hospitalization benefit costs over time. But the levels of payments will remain high for the time being given that it takes some time before infected policyholders file their insurance claims, industry people said.