Starting Tomorrow, Monsoon Season... How to Prevent Your Car from Losing Value Due to Flood Damage?

22,000 Vehicles Flooded Last Year
"Installation of Waterproof Facilities Essential"

Starting from the 25th, the rainy season will begin. Following last year's heavy summer rains that caused flooding damage to approximately 22,000 vehicles, significant damage is also expected this year.

According to the General Insurance Association on the 24th, the heavy rains and Typhoon Hin Namno that struck the Seoul metropolitan area in August and September last year resulted in 25 deaths, 9 missing persons, and 29 injuries. Over 13,000 people had to evacuate.

An underground parking lot of an apartment in Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk, which was flooded by a typhoon last September
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In private facilities, about 32,000 households, 749 hectares of farmland, 56,900 hectares of crops, and 18,500 public facilities suffered flood damage. Even the Gangnam area, the heart of Seoul, was submerged, causing damage to 21,732 vehicles with losses amounting to 214.7 billion KRW. In terms of damage amount, this was the largest ever recorded.

This year's rainy season is expected to see increased rainfall compared to the average due to abnormal climate phenomena such as El Ni?o. There are calls for prior preparation and heightened awareness to minimize flood damage.

Insurance companies are focusing on disaster relief projects by supporting the installation of flood prevention facilities such as flood barriers for vulnerable groups, while also promoting flood and windstorm insurance subscriptions in disaster-prone areas. For vehicles parked in flood-prone areas such as the Han River embankment, if local government officials share vehicle numbers, insurance companies check the subscription status and provide urgent evacuation guidance or towing services to the vehicle owners.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the General Insurance Association explained, "Flood damage was exacerbated by factors such as semi-basement living environments, poor drainage management, and lack of awareness due to reckless vehicle operation. In the case of localized heavy rain, even with drainage facilities or infrastructure, it is practically impossible to prevent flooding, making prior installation of separate waterproof facilities essential."

A representative from an insurance company stated, "We send advance evacuation alerts to automobile insurance subscribers when heavy rain or typhoon forecasts are issued, and in the event of flood damage, we support prompt insurance payments through the operation of a comprehensive response team and the provision of temporary storage locations for flooded vehicles."

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