Insurance in Korea
Can you get insurance in Korea without a Foreign Resident Registration Card?
It is not accurate to say that Korean law prevents anyone without a Foreign Resident Registration Card from buying any insurance. There is likewise no basis for saying that a passport alone is enough for every kind of insurance.
What is possible depends on the insurer, product and application channel. Online enrollment and internet account services may require identity verification through a foreign resident registration number or domestic residence report number. If you do not have the relevant card, or the number has not yet been reflected in the identity-verification data, you may be unable to complete the online process.
An insurer, branch office or agent may accept a passport, Domestic Residence Report Card or another document confirming foreign-resident registration for an in-person application. The insurer’s own operating rules determine which documents are accepted. It may also require a Korean address, contact number, valid residence status and a way to pay the premium.
An example from official insurer information
One insurer’s online-registration guidance tells foreign customers to use the English name and number shown on a Foreign Resident Registration Card or Domestic Residence Report Card. It explains that the underlying data may take time to update just after a card is issued, and that identity verification may be restricted after the lawful period of stay ends or when the customer is not in Korea.
This is one insurer’s online-service procedure. It does not mean that every insurer accepts only those documents. Ask the insurer you are considering whether a passport is sufficient, whether an in-person process is available and which alternative documents it accepts.
Questions to ask the insurer in advance
- Can I apply while I am still waiting for my Foreign Resident Registration Card?
- Do you accept a passport or Domestic Residence Report Card?
- Is an in-person application available instead of an online application?
- Do I need a Korean mobile number, bank account or address?
- Must I apply again after the registration card is issued?
Claims to avoid
- “You can never get insurance without a Foreign Resident Registration Card.”
- “A passport is enough for every insurance product.”