本研究係在探討董事會成員組成結構與公司面臨之法律責任訴訟風險彼此間的關聯性,其訴訟風險是否會影響企業購買董監事責任保險(以下簡稱D&O責任保險)的需求。本研究根據董事會成員是否擔任過中央政府官員、民意代表及相關政黨工作等職位作為董事會政治關聯的主要變數。董事會成員分別就台灣2008年至2014年之上市上櫃公司為研究對象,實證結果發現,具有政治關聯董事會之企業極可能透過政治尋租的方式取得較優惠條件而提高財務槓桿比率,進而從事高風險行為,亦可能經由政治關聯背景因素致形成公司治理體制薄弱,而增加違約及訴訟風險,故而產生誘因購買D&O責任保險;另具有政治關聯背景董事會易造成機會主義之形成,結果亦顯示具有政治關聯之董事會傾向購買超額D&O責任保險。
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the board member’s political connection is associated with corporation’s risk of litigation, and examines whether firms tend to purchase director’ and officer’ liability insurance (hereafter D&O). In this study, based on whether the members of the board of directors served as central government officials, representatives of political parties and related work and other positions as a political association of the main variables. Using Taiwanese listed firms for year 2008 to 2014, we find that board member’s political connection may obtain more favorable terms through political rent-seeking ways and increase financial leverage, engage in high-risk behavior, and increase the default and the risk of litigation and therefore have an incentive to purchase D & O liability insurance, and more insurance coverage.