文 / 李 健
工程合同译评(19)
我们已经讨论了中国示范文本(GF-2017-0201)中“18. 保险”子条款18.1 工程保险Insurance for Works、18.2工伤保险Work-related Injury Insurance、18.3其他保险Other Insurances翻译中涉及的语言、法律或工程问题。今天我们继续讨论中国示范文本(GF-2017-0201)中“18. 保险”的其他子条款。
原文1:18.4 持续保险
合同当事人应与保险人保持联系,使保险人能够随时了解工程实施中的变动,并确保按保险合同条款要求持续保险。
试译:18.4 Maintaining the Insurance
The Insuring Party of the Contract should keep in contact with the Insurer, keep the insurer informed of relevant changes to the execution of the Works, and ensure that the insurance is maintained in accordance with the clauses of the insurance contract.
点评:1.本款规定了投保人两项义务:一是通知保险人有关变动relevant changes to the execution of the Works的义务,二是持续保险Maintaining the Insurance的义务。
2.工程建设实践中,往往工程施工周期长、施工环境复杂多变,随着工程的推进,工程的风险因素和事故概率也会出现动态的变化,保险人有权了解工程实施中的相关变化情况。投保人应当及时通知保险人有关变动的情况——这本是保险合同当事人的权利义务关系。在建设工程施工合同中,通知的义务只需明确由谁去承担即可;至于以什么方式通知、在什么时间通知、按什么程序通知,以及通知费用的承担等,则都属于保险合同的内容。同时,投保人应当对工程进行持续保险,以免因为工期延长等因素导致原保险合同过期的情况发生。
3.本款中文原文句子主语是“合同当事人”,由于在建设工程施工合同中,合同当事人是两方主体,因此本款两项义务的履行人到底是谁实际上是不明确的。合同是设立、变更、终止民事权利义务关系的协议,权利义务的主体应当清楚明确。试译中按照本来含义,将原文中的“合同当事人”还原成在建设工程施工合同中实际投保的那一方当事人,即The Insuring Party of the Contract。这样,某项保险实际由谁办理,那么其通知义务和持续保险义务就由该方当事人履行。
原文2:18.5 保险凭证
合同当事人应及时向另一方当事人提交其已投保的各项保险的凭证和保险单复印件。
试译:18.5 Evidence of Insurance
One of the Parties of the Contract should submit to the other all the evidences of the insurance he has effected and the copies of the policies.
点评:1.本款规定了合同当事人互相提供保险凭证Evidence of Insurance的义务。
2.实际经济生活中,保险单通常是记载保险人和投保人(不当然是被保险人)之间保险权利义务关系的书面协议,也是对(建设工程施工合同)当事人是否已经按照约定投保以及投保详细情况的最直接证明。在中国,工程建设保险尚不发达。为引导(建设工程施工合同)当事人办理建设工程保险,示范文本本款规定,合同当事人应当互相提供保险凭证。鉴于持续保险是投保一方当事人的义务,这里提供的保险凭证自然应当包括有关持续保险的凭证。
3.为了使得本款义务履行起来更加顺利,当事人当然可以在专用条款中约定互相提供保险凭证的具体时间,还可以明确在约定时间未提供保险凭证的后果。
原文3:18.6 未按约定投保的补救
18.6.1 发包人未按合同约定办理保险,或未能使保险持续有效的,则承包人可代为办理,所需费用由发包人承担。发包人未按合同约定办理保险,导致未能得到足额赔偿的,由发包人负责补足。
18.6.2 承包人未按合同约定办理保险,或未能使保险持续有效的,则发包人可代为办理,所需费用由承包人承担。承包人未按合同约定办理保险,导致未能得到足额赔偿的,由承包人负责补足。
试译:18.6 Remedy for Failure to Insure as Agreed
18.6.1 Where the Employer has failed to effect or keep in force any of the insurances in accordance with the Contract, the Contractor may effect the insurance for the relevant coverage for the Employer, and the amount of expenditure must be assumed by the Employer. Where the Employer has failed to effect an insurance in accordance with the Contract, resulting in no full compensation for the Contractor under the insurance, the difference must be paid by the Employer.
18.6.2 Where the Contractor has failed to effect or keep in force any of the insurances in accordance with the Contract, the Contractor may effect the insurance for the relevant coverage for the Contractor, and the amount of expenditure must be assumed by the Contractor. Where the Contractor has failed to effect an insurance in accordance with the Contract, resulting in no full compensation for the Employer under the insurance, the difference must be paid by the Contractor.
点评:1.本款规定了当事人不按合同约定投保的救济方法,包括两个方面的内容,一是未违约方代为办理保险的权利;二是违约方承担投保所生费用的义务,以及赔付不足时的补足义务。
2.实践中,如果出现一方当事人违约办理保险的情况,另一方当事人可以先行提示,如果对方仍然不办理,则守约一方可以根据本款行使自己的代为办理保险的权利,以维护自己在本应办理的保险下的权益。守约一方代为办理相应保险后,应当保存好保险单据、缴费单据,甚至为代办保险而支出的其他费用单据,以便作为依据要求对方承担代为投保所生费用。
3.应注意到,试用remedy来译“补救”。实际上,可用来翻译“补救”“救济”的另一个常见词是relief。有文献指出,Before the Merger of Law and Equity, the conventional terminology was “a remedy at law” or “relief in equity.” Now the terms “remedy” and “relief ” are largely interchangeable,although the former is more often used in reference to damages and the latter in reference to other kinds of relief。这显示,早些时候,remedy更多在普通法意义上使用“a remedy at law”,而releif更多在衡平法意义上使用“relief in equity”;但这两个词现在基本可以互换使用,remedy更多用于损害的赔偿救济,relief则主要是其他形式的救济。此外,实际应用中,remedy相对具体,可数;relief则相对抽象,不可数。
原文4:18.7 通知义务
除专用合同条款另有约定外,发包人变更除工伤保险之外的保险合同时,应事先征得承包人同意,并通知监理人;承包人变更除工伤保险之外的保险合同时,应事先征得发包人同意,并通知监理人。
保险事故发生时,投保人应按照保险合同规定的条件和期限及时向保险人报告。发包人和承包人应当在知道保险事故发生后及时通知对方。
试译:18.7 Obligation of Notification
Except agreed otherwise in the Particular Conditions, the Employer must get the prior consent of the Contractor when he would alter the insurance contracts other than the Workrelated Injury Insurance contract, and give notice to the Project Management Unit; the Contractor must get the prior consent of the Employer when he would alter the insurance contracts other than the Work-related Injury Insurance contract, and give notice to the Project Management Unit.
At the occurrence of the insured event, the insuring Party must report the occurrence to the insurer in accordance with the terms and the time limit under the insurance contract. The Employer or the Contractor must give notice to the other Party of the occurrence of the insured event in time after knowing it.
点评:1.本款规定了当事人关于保险的通知义务Obligation of Notification,包括两个方面的内容,一是变更保险后的通知义务,二是保险事故发生后的通知义务。
2.根据本款,一方当事人要变更alter保险合同,其在程序上应当事先征得对方同意the prior consent of the other party。这个程序很重要,可以限制合同当事人变更保险合同的随意性,以维持保险的持续有效keep the insurances in force。鉴于监理单位在监督工程实施中的重要作用,保险合同变更后,通知give notice to监理单位是必要的。保险事故发生the occurrence of the insured event后,一方面投保人应当通知保险人(这是保险合同的当然内容),另一方面当事人有义务及时通知对方,以降低保险事故对工程实施的影响,减少损失或避免损失扩大。
3.实践中,发包人和承包人可以在专用条款中约定下列事项以避免履行本款时可能发生的纠纷:第一,允许当事人一方变更保险合同的具体范围和内容;第二,保险合同变后,通知监理单位的方式和期限;第三,保险事故发生后,通知对方的方式和期限。