Last Weekend's Heavy Snowfall in the Seoul Metropolitan Area Causes Sharp Increase in Car Accidents... 68% Rise

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] It has been revealed that traffic accidents surged on the 18th, when heavy snowfall concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area.

According to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, KB Insurance, and DB Insurance on the 22nd, the number of automobile insurance claims reported to these four insurers on Saturday the 18th was recorded at 15,819 cases.

This is a 68% increase compared to 9,426 cases on the 11th, one week earlier. When combining the claims reported through the following day, the total reached 23,604 cases, which is 49% higher.

Requests for emergency dispatch also increased, with the emergency dispatch services provided by the four insurers on the 18th totaling 98,445 cases, about three times the 34,782 cases on the 11th.

An industry insider said, "Despite a significant reduction in vehicle movement due to strengthened COVID-19 quarantine measures, accidents surged because of the snow," adding, "Generally, winter is a period when loss ratios increase due to snow and cold waves."

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