海上保險在國際經貿易體系的交易中扮演了舉足輕重的角色，不僅爲海上商業活動與國際貿易提供了基本的保障，也爲人類得以克服各種海上運輸風險，利用海洋拓展經貿市場領域，建立國際化與全球化的經貿一體環境奠定了重要的基礎。海上保險旨在爲從事海上貿易與運輸活動者提供交易的保障，這種保障幾乎是穿透了海洋事務的每一個面向，其重要性甚至可以說，如果缺少了海上保險，人類的海上商業活動幾乎會因爲交易風險過高而使其面臨停滯且難以發展的狀態。 由於海洋爲國際貿易的重要場域，海上商業活動往往也就成爲跨越疆域的國際活動，這個跨國性的特性使得海上保險也同時具有國際交流的相互影響特色。本文以探討國際海上保險制度及其當前之立法趨勢爲宗旨，分從海上保險制度的起源與發展、海上保險制度的重要性、國際海上保險的立法與發展、國際海上保險立法一體化之趨勢等面向，說明國際海上保險法制的發展及其趨勢，以助於理解當前海上保險的制度運作。

Marine insurance plays an important role in international trade. It facilitates the development of marine commercial activity and trade between countries as it covers risks involved in transportation of cargo overseas. In fact, marine insurance pervades every aspects of maritime affairs. Without marine insurance, human beings' fear of high risks in sea voyages would have hindered the development of overseas trade and globalization. Since oceans divide countries, ocean-crossing is transnational. Overseas commercial activity, an important area in international trade, involves transaction between countries. Marine insurance, which covers transportation risks in such transactions, is thus transnational in nature. This paper discusses trends in international marine insurance legislation. It analyzes the origin of marine insurance, its significance, and current developments in international marine insurance policies and system.