Korean Medicine Treatment Under Auto Insurance — Coverage and Procedure
Table of Contents
Auto insurance coverage for Korean medicine treatment
Under Korea's Automobile Liability Insurance Act, all costs for inpatient and outpatient treatment at a Korean medicine clinic for traffic-accident injuries are fully covered. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, chuna manipulation, pharmacopuncture, physical therapy, cupping, and moxibustion — every Korean medicine modality — are within the scope of coverage. Patients pay nothing out of pocket; the clinic bills the insurer directly.
Treatment procedure
- Step 1 — Notify the insurer: After the accident, file a claim with the at-fault (or your own) insurer and obtain a claim number
- Step 2 — Visit the Korean medicine clinic: Bring the claim number and the traffic accident certificate when you visit the clinic
- Step 3 — Initial visit and treatment: The Korean medicine doctor examines you, sets up a treatment plan, and starts treatment immediately
- Step 4 — Insurance billing: The clinic bills the insurer directly for treatment costs (no patient payment)
- Step 5 — Treatment closure: When you have improved, treatment is closed; a permanent disability certificate is issued if needed
Medical certificates and receipts
During treatment, the insurer may request a medical certificate. The Korean medicine certificate issued by the clinic has legal effect and forms the basis for injury-grade assessment. After treatment is closed, please obtain and keep the treatment receipts and a copy of your medical record.
Cautions before settlement
The insurer may request an early settlement. However, if you settle before treatment is fully complete, you cannot claim additional treatment costs that arise later. Aftereffects of a traffic accident sometimes appear or worsen weeks or months later, so we recommend settling only after sufficient treatment.
Please also keep these points in mind:
- You can receive treatment at a Korean medicine clinic and a conventional hospital simultaneously (overlapping procedures on the same day are not allowed)
- Treatment costs are covered regardless of fault percentage (except when the patient is 100% at fault)
- It is recommended to begin treatment within 14 days of the accident (this makes the causal link easier to establish)
- Inpatient care is also fully covered — patients with severe symptoms should make active use of it