Seoul City to Implement 'Delivery Rider Injury Insurance' from the 13th... Up to 20 Million KRW

Platform Delivery Riders Start Seoul-Type Safe Injury Insurance Coverage, DB Insurance Consortium to Operate for 1 Year
Accident Coverage for Delivery Riders Aged 16+ Living in Seoul During Deliveries... No Separate Enrollment Required and Can Overlap with Other Insurance

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 12th that it will start providing insurance benefits from midnight on the 13th for delivery workers who suffer accidents during delivery work through the "Platform Delivery Rider Seoul-type Safety Accident Insurance," the first of its kind nationwide.

As delivery demand has increased due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, traffic accidents involving delivery riders have also risen. However, the purpose of this insurance is to establish a social safety net for delivery workers who have not been able to receive proper support due to reasons such as not being enrolled in industrial accident insurance or accident insurance, thereby filling the blind spots.

Although special-type workers such as delivery riders have been able to enroll in industrial accident insurance since July, the enrollment rate remains low. Due to the nature of the industry, which experiences frequent job changes, and the fact that many have side jobs or multiple jobs, workers tend to avoid enrolling in industrial accident insurance. Even if delivery workers want to personally purchase private accident insurance, they face difficulties such as having to pay high premiums due to the high risk of accidents or being outright rejected from enrollment.

Seoul City emphasized, "It is expected to take considerable time for mandatory enrollment in industrial accident insurance for delivery riders to be fully established," and added, "Until it is fully established, we judged that minimum support for delivery riders is necessary, which is why we have implemented private accident insurance."

The newly implemented "Platform Delivery Rider Seoul-type Safety Accident Insurance" is a product that provides coverage for delivery workers aged 16 and older who suffer death, injury, or aftereffects while performing delivery work within the Seoul area. The coverage period is from midnight on the 13th until December 12 of next year. Seoul City has finalized the selection of DB Insurance Consortium as the private insurance operator for this Seoul-type Safety Accident Insurance and completed the contract on the 10th.

This accident insurance does not require separate enrollment. Workers aged 16 and older will receive insurance benefits if they have an accident while delivering by motorcycle or on foot through the platform app. It is designed to overlap (additionally cover) with other insurances such as industrial accident insurance already enrolled, thereby expanding the scope of benefits.

The coverage includes KRW 20 million for accidental death, up to KRW 20 million depending on the grade for permanent disability (3~100%), KRW 300,000 for surgery costs, KRW 200,000 for fracture diagnosis, and a fixed amount of KRW 2 million for hit-and-run and uninsured vehicle accident death or permanent disability.

Meanwhile, Seoul City plans to distribute call center stickers for delivery motorcycles through platform companies to ensure riders can quickly receive insurance benefits when accidents occur. They will also actively promote the insurance through delivery reception apps for riders, rider job sites, and communities. Additionally, Seoul City will conduct ongoing communication and campaigns to encourage voluntary compliance and safe driving, including safety driving education targeted at riders.

Han Young-hee, Seoul City's Director of Labor, Fairness, and Coexistence Policy, stated, "Despite the mandatory industrial accident insurance for delivery workers, the enrollment rate remains low, so if an accident occurs, income stops and the burden of medical expenses adds up, leading to immediate livelihood difficulties," and added, "Until industrial accident insurance is fully established, we will create a minimum social safety net for delivery riders through accident insurance."

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