The Full-Scale Monsoon Begins... Korea Insurers Association and Ministry of the Interior and Safety Prevent Vehicle Flood Damage via SNS

Operating 'Emergency Contact System for Riverside Parking Vehicle Evacuation Alerts' Since April Last Year
Prevented Flood Damage to About 2,000 Vehicles Last Year

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] As the monsoon season begins in earnest, the General Insurance Association and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety are taking measures to prevent and respond to automobile flood damage during the monsoon season.

According to the General Insurance Association on the 18th, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, local governments, and others, a public-private joint 'Emergency Contact System for Vehicle Evacuation Alerts in Riverside Parking Lots' using the Naver Band social network service (SNS) has been in operation since April last year to prevent vehicle flood damage.

The Emergency Contact System for Vehicle Evacuation Alerts in Riverside Parking Lots works by having local government officials post vehicle numbers and other information on Naver Band (BAND) when flooding of vehicles parked in riverside parking lots is anticipated. Each insurance company then immediately checks whether the vehicle is insured and provides real-time emergency evacuation guidance to the vehicle owner and arranges towing. Through this system, about 2,000 vehicles were prevented from flooding last year, resulting in approximately 20 billion KRW in prevention effects.

In recent years, not only the summer monsoon but also typhoons frequently occur from September to October, and localized heavy rains have become more common due to climate change. In fact, last year, seven typhoons (Danas, Francisco, Lekima, Krosa, Lingling, Tapa, Mitag) affected the Korean Peninsula for the first time in 60 years, and localized heavy rains occurred more frequently than usual.

A representative from the insurance industry stated, "As the risk of vehicle flooding increases, the importance of the public-private joint emergency response system is also growing, and this system is operated year-round to prevent vehicle flood damage." He added, "The general insurance industry will continue to do its best to prevent loss of life and property damage caused by vehicle flooding through cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments."

The General Insurance Association also provided consumer precautions for preventing vehicle flooding during the monsoon season. First, when heavy rain is expected, consumers should check weather forecasts in advance to understand the heavy rain situation in their travel areas and avoid parking in areas prone to vehicle flooding, such as riverside parking lots, when heavy rain warnings are issued. Additionally, when parking vehicles, emergency contact information should be clearly displayed to prepare for emergencies, and in paid parking lots with on-site managers, vehicle keys should be left with the manager.

In case of flood damage, it is advised to ▲ never drive on roads submerged in water ▲ if water covers the road while driving, pass slowly (10?20 km/h) in first or second gear ▲ if the vehicle stalls in water, do not attempt to restart the engine, exit the vehicle immediately, evacuate, and contact the insurance company or towing service.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.