Driving in Korea requires understanding the local regulations, and car insurance is a crucial part. This guide covers the essential Korean vocabulary and phrases you’ll need to discuss, purchase, and manage 자동차보험 (ja-dong-cha bo-heom), or car insurance, ensuring you’re prepared for driving on Korean roads.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
-
Expression: 자동차보험
Pronunciation: ja-dong-cha bo-heom
Meaning: Car Insurance (literally “automobile insurance”)
Essential Car Insurance Vocabulary
-
Expression: 보험
Pronunciation: bo-heom
Meaning: Insurance -
Expression: 보험료
Pronunciation: bo-heom-ryo
Meaning: Insurance premium -
Expression: 보험 계약자
Pronunciation: bo-heom gye-yak-ja
Meaning: Policyholder -
Expression: 보험 증권
Pronunciation: bo-heom jeung-gwon
Meaning: Insurance policy (document) -
Expression: 보장 내용
Pronunciation: bo-jang nae-yong
Meaning: Coverage details -
Expression: 자기부담금
Pronunciation: ja-gi-bu-dam-geum
Meaning: Deductible (out-of-pocket expense) -
Expression: 보험금 청구
Pronunciation: bo-heom-geum cheong-gu
Meaning: Insurance claim -
Expression: 사고
Pronunciation: sa-go
Meaning: Accident -
Expression: 운전자
Pronunciation: un-jeon-ja
Meaning: Driver -
Expression: 차량
Pronunciation: cha-ryang
Meaning: Vehicle -
Expression: 보험사
Pronunciation: bo-heom-sa
Meaning: Insurance company -
Expression: 만기일
Pronunciation: man-gi-il
Meaning: Expiration date
Phrases for Getting Insurance
-
Expression: 자동차보험에 가입하고 싶어요.
Pronunciation: ja-dong-cha-bo-heom-e ga-ip-ha-go sip-eo-yo.
Meaning: I want to sign up for car insurance. -
Expression: 자동차보험 견적 좀 내주세요.
Pronunciation: ja-dong-cha-bo-heom gyeon-jeok jom nae-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me a quote for car insurance. -
Expression: 보험료는 얼마인가요?
Pronunciation: bo-heom-ryo-neun eol-ma-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: How much is the insurance premium? -
Expression: 어떤 보장 내용이 포함되어 있나요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon bo-jang nae-yong-i po-ham-doe-eo it-na-yo?
Meaning: What coverage details are included? -
Expression: 책임보험은 필수인가요?
Pronunciation: chaek-im-bo-heom-eun pil-su-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: Is liability insurance mandatory? -
Expression: 자차보험도 추가할 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: ja-cha-bo-heom-do chu-ga-hal su it-na-yo?
Meaning: Can I add collision coverage (own damage coverage) too? -
Expression: 보험 기간은 어떻게 되나요?
Pronunciation: bo-heom gi-gan-eun eo-tteo-ke doe-na-yo?
Meaning: What is the insurance period? -
Expression: 할인 혜택이 있나요?
Pronunciation: hal-in hye-taek-i it-na-yo?
Meaning: Are there any discount benefits? -
Expression: 보험 가입 절차를 알려주세요.
Pronunciation: bo-heom ga-ip jeol-cha-reul al-lyeo-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please tell me the procedure for signing up for insurance. -
Expression: 필요한 서류가 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: pil-yo-han seo-ryu-ga mu-eot-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: What documents are needed?
Phrases for Making a Claim
-
Expression: 자동차 사고가 났어요.
Pronunciation: ja-dong-cha sa-go-ga nat-seo-yo.
Meaning: I had a car accident. -
Expression: 보험금 청구를 하고 싶습니다.
Pronunciation: bo-heom-geum cheong-gu-reul ha-go sip-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: I would like to file an insurance claim. -
Expression: 사고 접수를 어떻게 하나요?
Pronunciation: sa-go jeop-su-reul eo-tteo-ke ha-na-yo?
Meaning: How do I report the accident? -
Expression: 보험사 연락처를 알려주세요.
Pronunciation: bo-heom-sa yeol-lak-cheo-reul al-lyeo-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please tell me the insurance company’s contact number. -
Expression: 사고 현장 사진을 찍었어요.
Pronunciation: sa-go hyeon-jang sa-jin-eul jjik-eot-seo-yo.
Meaning: I took pictures of the accident scene. -
Expression: 상대방 운전자 정보를 교환했어요.
Pronunciation: sang-dae-bang un-jeon-ja jeong-bo-reul gyo-hwan-haet-seo-yo.
Meaning: I exchanged information with the other driver. -
Expression: 수리 견적서가 필요합니다.
Pronunciation: su-ri gyeon-jeok-seo-ga pil-yo-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: I need a repair estimate. -
Expression: 보험 처리가 얼마나 걸릴까요?
Pronunciation: bo-heom cheo-ri-ga eol-ma-na geol-lil-kka-yo?
Meaning: How long will the insurance processing take? -
Expression: 자기부담금은 얼마인가요?
Pronunciation: ja-gi-bu-dam-geum-eun eol-ma-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: How much is the deductible? -
Expression: 경찰에 신고해야 하나요?
Pronunciation: gyeong-chal-e sin-go-hae-ya ha-na-yo?
Meaning: Do I need to report this to the police?
Korean Culture Notes
In Korea, having at least basic liability car insurance (책임보험, chaek-im-bo-heom) is mandatory for all vehicle owners. Driving without it can lead to significant penalties.
Comprehensive insurance (종합보험, jong-hap-bo-heom), which often includes coverage for your own vehicle (자차보험, ja-cha-bo-heom), is highly recommended for better protection, though not legally required.
Insurance premiums can vary based on factors like driving experience, accident history, age, and the type of vehicle. Many companies offer discounts for things like installing a black box (블랙박스, beul-laek-bak-seu) or having a clean driving record.
When an accident occurs, it’s common practice to call your insurance company immediately. They often dispatch an agent (출동 요원, chul-dong yo-won) to the scene to help assess the situation and handle initial procedures.
Most insurance policies are renewed annually. Insurance companies usually send reminders before the expiration date (만기일, man-gi-il), but it’s the driver’s responsibility to ensure continuous coverage.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A foreign resident (A) calls an insurance company (B) to inquire about getting car insurance.
-
Expression: A: 여보세요, 자동차보험에 대해 문의하고 싶습니다.
Pronunciation: yeo-bo-se-yo, ja-dong-cha-bo-heom-e dae-hae mun-ui-ha-go sip-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Hello, I’d like to inquire about car insurance. -
Expression: B: 네, 고객님. 어떤 도움이 필요하신가요? 신규 가입이신가요?
Pronunciation: ne, go-gaek-nim. eo-tteon do-um-i pil-yo-ha-sin-ga-yo? sin-gyu ga-ip-i-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: Yes, customer. How may I help you? Is this for a new policy? -
Expression: A: 네, 한국에서 처음으로 차를 사서 보험에 가입하려고 합니다.
Pronunciation: ne, han-guk-e-seo cheo-eum-eu-ro cha-reul sa-seo bo-heom-e ga-ip-ha-ryeo-go ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, I bought a car for the first time in Korea and need to get insurance. -
Expression: B: 알겠습니다. 차량 정보와 운전 경력이 어떻게 되시나요? 견적을 내드리겠습니다.
Pronunciation: al-get-seum-ni-da. cha-ryang jeong-bo-wa un-jeon gyeong-ryeok-i eo-tteo-ke doe-si-na-yo? gyeon-jeok-eul nae-deu-ri-get-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Understood. Could you please provide the vehicle information and your driving experience? I will prepare a quote for you. -
Expression: A: 차는 현대 소나타이고, 제 국제 운전 면허증 경력은 5년입니다. 필요한 서류는 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: cha-neun hyeon-dae so-na-ta-i-go, je guk-je un-jeon myeon-heo-jeung gyeong-ryeok-eun o-nyeon-im-ni-da. pil-yo-han seo-ryu-neun mu-eot-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: The car is a Hyundai Sonata, and I have 5 years of experience on my international driver’s license. What documents are needed? -
Expression: B: 네, 외국인등록증 사본, 운전면허증 사본, 차량등록증 사본이 필요합니다. 자세한 보장 내용과 보험료는 잠시 후에 안내해 드리겠습니다.
Pronunciation: ne, oe-guk-in-deung-nok-jeung sa-bon, un-jeon-myeon-heo-jeung sa-bon, cha-ryang-deung-nok-jeung sa-bon-i pil-yo-ham-ni-da. ja-se-han bo-jang nae-yong-gwa bo-heom-ryo-neun jam-si hu-e an-nae-hae deu-ri-get-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, we need copies of your Alien Registration Card, driver’s license, and vehicle registration certificate. I will provide the detailed coverage and premium information shortly.
Practice Tips
Familiarizing yourself with these terms is the first step! Try creating flashcards with the Korean term on one side and the pronunciation/meaning on the other~
Practice saying the phrases aloud. Imagine yourself calling an insurance company or explaining an accident situation. This helps build confidence!
If you have Korean friends who drive, try discussing car insurance with them using the vocabulary you’ve learned. Real conversation is the best practice!
Look up Korean insurance company websites. Even just navigating the site and recognizing terms can be helpful practice. Fighting!~
