保險為一無形之商品，且具備在銷售時，其實際成本尚未能確定之特點。在自由競爭潮流的影響下，若有短視之保險公司一味擴大目前市場佔有率，進而採取削價競爭，可能導致未來清償能力的不足。有鑑於此，各國保險主管機關，無不設置保護消費者之安定機構，俾保險業經營發生危機時，降低保險契約者的損害。 從風險管理的角度來看，設置安定基金之目的，在於以風險控制的手段來減少倒閉之保險公司對於整個保險業之衝擊，以維持保險市場之安定。 本文首先概觀日本保險安定基金之制度內容，其次針對美日兩國之安定基金制度的異同加以比較。最後對於目前國內保險安定基金組織及管理辦法之規定提出建議，期以作為主管機關在管理保險業之經營風險時參考。

　　　　　Insurance involves a future performance contract in that prices are set before costs are known. Under the circumstances of competition, the characteristic of the uncertain insurance cost may cause some myopic insurers to enlarge their market share through cutthroat price competition. This might lead insurers into insolvency. To protect policyholders against loss due to insurer insolvencies, insurance guaranty funds have been adopted in most countries. From the viewpoint of risk management, guaranty funds protection can be classified as a measure of risk control as it not only reimburses policyholders but also reduces entire social losses to the minimum level. This paper investigates guaranty funds in the USA and in Japan. Several different features of guaranty funds between these two countries can be identified. The objective is to point out the better way to design guaranty funds that is incentive compatible for both insurers and policyholders.