The Start of the Main Return Trip... Insurance Precautions for Car Accident Preparedness

Special Terms Vary by Substitute Driving and Driving Others' Vehicles
Be Careful of Coverage Start Time After Joining Special Terms

The insurance industry has stepped up safety measures during the Seollal holiday period by providing insurance information and offering free vehicle inspection services in preparation for car accidents and other incidents.

According to Korea Expressway Corporation, the nationwide highway traffic volume on the 10th, Seollal day, is expected to reach 6.05 million vehicles. Approximately 460,000 vehicles are expected to travel from the metropolitan area to the provinces, and another 460,000 from the provinces to the metropolitan area. Congestion is anticipated on major highways due to the overlap of early return trips and the final waves of holiday travel. Traffic heading toward Seoul is expected to start congesting between 8 and 9 a.m., peak between 3 and 4 p.m., and ease only around 2 to 3 a.m. on the 11th. Traffic heading toward the provinces is expected to begin congestion between 6 and 7 a.m., peak between 1 and 2 p.m., and clear around 8 to 9 p.m.

On the afternoon of the 8th, one day before the Lunar New Year holiday, the Gyeongbu Expressway near Yangjae IC in Seocho-gu, Seoul, as seen from a police helicopter.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

It is especially important to prepare for possible car accidents during this time. The first thing to consider is insurance. During the Seollal holiday, if you drive a vehicle other than your own, automobile insurance riders can be helpful. To cover accidents that occur while driving another vehicle, you need to subscribe to the 'Driving Other Vehicles Rider' on your own automobile insurance. If you share driving your car with relatives or others, you should subscribe to the 'Short-term Driver Extension Rider' on your own automobile insurance.

If you do not have automobile insurance, you can purchase 'One-day Automobile Insurance' by selecting the coverage period in daily units (some companies offer hourly units). To cover damages to your own vehicle when using a rental car, the 'Rental Car Damage Liability Rider' is helpful.

Most importantly, except for one-day automobile insurance, automobile insurance riders start coverage at 24:00 (midnight) on the day of subscription, so you must complete the subscription by the day before departure.

It is also advisable to receive free vehicle inspection services provided by major insurance companies in preparation for long-distance driving. At nationwide service centers affiliated with insurance companies, services such as tire pressure measurement, refilling washer fluid and engine oil, and battery checks are offered. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance provides these services year-round at 500 Anycar Land branches nationwide. Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance offers the service at Hi-Car Plaza branches until the 12th. In case of unexpected vehicle breakdowns such as battery discharge, fuel depletion, or tire puncture during long drives, you can use the 24-hour emergency dispatch service.

If a traffic accident occurs while driving, first turn on the hazard lights and set up a safety triangle or flare to alert following vehicles and prevent secondary accidents. Quickly move to a safe location outside the guardrail to avoid additional accidents. Carefully photograph the accident vehicle and scene with your smartphone, secure witnesses if possible, and obtain surrounding vehicle black box footage. Immediately report the accident to the police and notify your insurance company’s call center.

If you are curious about the fault ratio in a car accident, it is helpful to refer to the 'Fault Ratio Information Portal' operated by the General Insurance Association of Korea. The fault ratio recognition standards listed here are the only officially recognized domestic standards, created with reference to court precedents, laws, and dispute mediation cases, indicating the degree of responsibility of the perpetrator and victim in traffic accidents.