Korean Job Discussion Forums

penguin · Joined: 16 Aug 2003

My friend has had a biggish bike (650 cc) for about five years. The first year he got his plates and paid for insurance. Then he moved and never received the renewal and didn't follow up.

It has been at least four years without insurance. If he pays now, does he have to back pay for the past four years?

What if you say the bike hasn't been ridden in that time - do you still have to pay? (I'm thinking yes, if health insurance is anything to go by.)

Also, what is the fine for not keeping it up to date? Does it increase the longer you haven't had insurance?

If you have had a similar experience, please advise. Thanks.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

From what I know, which is just from personal discussions, Insurance is bought from a company and if you lapse, they don't fine you. If you cancel a policy you bought before the term is over, the company gives you a prorated refund (though you do have to send a copy of cancellation papers). A fine could come from the police if you were in an accident, or if not a fine then a large bill for damages incurred.

When the Jongno police do motorcycle stops (especially in Hyehwa where they pull over EVERY biker), they check for a license, helmet and license plate. Never insurance. I don't even carry a copy of my insurance in Korea.

If someone has conflicting info, please post it.

For more info about driving in Korea, see "The official motorcycle/scooter thread" in off-topics.

penguin · Joined: 16 Aug 2003

The reason I ask is because another friend, who has since left Korea, had this problem.

He knew he was leaving in a few months, so he didn't renew his insurance. Then he wanted to sell his bike. To get the paperwork to transfer ownership, he had to have up-to-date insurance. Because he'd let it lapse for a few months, he had to pay about 500,000 (I think) for the fine and to back-pay his insurance.

His was only for a few months. I'm wondering if it gets incrementally worse if it's a number of years.

TDR · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Location: Busan

penguin

You friend is likely going to have a problem, as mentioned by the poster above me. I'll relate my own story:

I had insurance for my motorcycle and it was coming upon renewal time about one day before I was to go on vacation. I thought, "Why pay for insurance when I won't be here? I'll just renew it when I get back". I was on vacay for about four weeks and got around to renewing it about a week and a half after I got back. Turns out that they (the district office) had been billing me a small amount each day for the time where I wasn't insured. I was told that, in Korea, if a vehicle is registered in your name, you must have it insured. I tried to tell them that I was out of the country, showed them my passport, explained how I thought it worked (i.e. I wasn't riding it, why insure it?) but it was all to no avail. I had to pay 65K or so in fines in order to get my account squared up.

I don't know if there is a limit to the fine but I guess your friend should make some discrete enquiries. I would guess that he could owe a lot of money if he ever wants to get that paperwork in order to transfer the ownership! Sorry about his luck. Please do let us know how it works out. Either here or in the motorcycle sticky thread.

Bibbitybop, in order to have a [legit] license plate, you must first purchase insurance. Obviously if you have an old plate, then you'd be fine in that case.

-TDR-

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

On the subject of insurance, from what I know, there are no companies in Korea that will insure you for medical bills. Extra insurance companies have a clause about not riding a motorcycle, or if you do they won't cover your injuries in an accident.

This year, I'm contacting some travel insurance companies about this. I'll include the info if we do the podcast with BassExpander, and I'll post it in the motorcycle thread.

TDR · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Location: Busan

ladron · Joined: 20 Feb 2006

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

penguin · Joined: 16 Aug 2003

Getting back to the question...

We've found out from the Gu office (thanks to the help of the Seoul Global Center) that the fine is as follows:
up to 10 days without insurance: W 9,000
after that: W 1900/day
to a maximum of W 300,000

Not sure yet whether the insurance has to be back-paid.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

penguin · Joined: 16 Aug 2003

penguin · Joined: 16 Aug 2003

We went to the Gu office and this is what happened:

Fine of W 300,000, but if you pay within 2 weeks, you get a 20% discount - so only 240,000.

Buy new insurance starting that day (no back-pay).

(I'll post this on the motorcycle thread, too.)