KB Insurance headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [KB Insurance]
KB Insurance headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [KB Insurance]

KB Insurance said Wednesday it is activating an emergency response process to address vehicle damage caused by natural disasters such as heavy summer rainfall and typhoons.

The insurer plans to operate a phased response system in preparation for surges in flood-vehicle claims and emergency roadside service calls during severe weather, aiming to minimize customer losses while ensuring swift recovery and compensation support.

The emergency response process runs in five stages — preparation, prevention, initial control, field control and emergency camp — scaled to the severity of damage. Each stage involves real-time collection and analysis of weather data, field patrols, emergency evacuation guidance, securing of support infrastructure and systematic operation of emergency camps.

In the preparation stage, the company analyzes weather data, reviews emergency response systems with dispatch contractors, and secures support infrastructure including personnel, vehicles and equipment in advance. Assembly points and equipment needed for emergency camp operations are also prepared ahead of time, and response plans are shared with relevant departments.

During the prevention stage, teams patrol flood-prone areas to identify at-risk vehicles and use an emergency evacuation notification system — jointly developed by the Insurance Development Institute, the General Insurance Association of Korea and Korea Expressway Corp. — to quickly alert vehicle owners to move their cars. The company also plans to send disaster-alert text messages to customers to help prevent losses.

In the initial control and field control stages, the company monitors accident and emergency dispatch situations in real time and deploys additional tow trucks and support personnel as needed to strengthen response capacity. Should damage spread, emergency camps will be set up to manage the intake and release of flood-damaged vehicles, handle customer inquiries and support prompt claims processing.

"We will do our utmost to minimize customer losses through thorough advance preparation and rapid on-site response, and to provide swift recovery and compensation services even after an incident," a KB Insurance official said.

Meanwhile, the General Insurance Association of Korea has released information on insurance products consumers can purchase to prepare for summer flood damage. Vehicle flood losses can be covered under the "single-vehicle accident damage compensation special terms" of the own-damage component of auto insurance, which applies when a parked vehicle is flooded by a typhoon, heavy rain or flood. However, cases where rainwater enters through an open door or window are not recognized as flood damage.


psj@heraldcorp.com