Provided is a protective element with which, while implementing a reduced height, a reliable blowout of a low melting-point metal upon a current path by heat of a radiating body is possible. The protective element comprises: a substrate (11) in which a depression part (11a) is formed; a radiating body (12) which is layered in the depression part (11a); a second substrate (13) which is layered upon the substrate (11) to cover the radiating body (12); first and second electrodes (14a, 14b) which are layered upon the face of the substrate (11) on which the second substrate (13) is layered; a radiating body electrode (15) which is layered upon the second substrate (13) to be superpositioned with the radiating body (12), and which is electrically connected to the radiating body (12) and a current path between the first and second electrodes; and a low melting-point metal (16) which is layered from the radiating body electrode to the first and second electrodes, and which causes a blowout, by heating, of the current path between the first electrode and the second electrode. The radiating body electrode (15) is positioned in the same location with respect to the first electrode and the second electrode which is defined by the thickness direction of the substrate (11).