Robot deployment begins with productivity forecasts. It often ends with a harder question: who pays when the machine stops? Japan's Tokio Marine & Nichido has announced AI Robot Insurance for November 2026, covering specified downtime-related continuity costs alongside equipment damage and third-party liability.

The stated scope includes autonomous wheeled, quadruped and humanoid systems. Buyers should account for fallback staffing and downtime in total cost of ownership. Cyber-related losses are excluded in the published description, while premiums and precise terms require contract review. Insurance does not make robots safer, but it makes failure costs explicit.