Planning a trip to South Korea?

If you are going to South Korea, don’t go without having any travel insurance in place. Read on for some tips on what to consider before selecting a policy:

• The cost of your trip or holiday – Unexpected events sometimes mean you have to cancel your holiday. Although that’s disappointing, it’s nice to know that you may be able get your money back
• The activities you’re likely to be doing – if you’re planning anything really extreme, we can offer you extra cover if needed. Just contact us
• The cost of your baggage
• Whether you are covered for civil unrest or not
• Also, don’t forget to check the latest travel advice for South Korea from the FCDO

Our Coronavirus Travel Insurance is rated Superior by a leading UK Consumer Champion. All of our policies will cover you if you catch Coronavirus.

What is covered with travel insurance to South Korea?

As standard, our policies cover for over 50 sports and activities, so you can get up to more on your holiday. We also offer a range of benefits, some of which include:

• Medical expenses and hospital benefit
• Personal accident and liability
• Cancelling and cutting short your holiday
• Abandoning your trip
• Delayed departure
• Accommodation cover
• Personal belongings and baggage
• Personal money, passport and travel documents
• Legal expenses

Your holiday is important to us and we want you to have the best trip possible. That’s why we’ve put together some helpful and fun facts, along with some other important information which you might want to know before your trip to South Korea:

Do I need a visa for South Korea?

If you’re a British citizen with a valid passport, you don’t need to apply for a visa to travel to South Korea. You’re allowed to visit South Korea as a tourist for up to 90 days without a visa, so long as you have a return ticket or proof of your onward journey.

More information about visas and entry requirements for South Korea can be found here.

Healthcare in South Korea

The healthcare services in South Korea are run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and are available to both residents and visitors alike. The hospitals in South Korea are very well equipped and have some of the best facilities in the region, so you know you’ll be well looked after should you need medical treatment while abroad.

Its also important to remember to give you GP a call at least 4 to 6 weeks before your date of travel, to check whether there are any vaccinations that you may need before travelling.

You can find more information about the healthcare in South Korea here.

Medical & Emergency Assistance in South Korea

If something happens while you’re in South Korea and you need emergency treatment for an illness or injury, we’re here to help. All travel insurance policyholders can access our 24-hour medical assistance team.

Did you know that…?

• Spam is far more popular than Coca-Cola in South Korea. In SK the tinned ham-based luncheon meat has its biggest market outside the US. About 40% of it is bought for other people, with spam gift sets flying off the shelves during festivals.
• In all but the most touristy areas, South Koreans don’t expect a tip. Leaving the change is often welcome, but a large tip in some circumstances could be regarded as an insult, especially to a young woman. Just a little tip for you!
• South Korean taxis are colour coded. White are regular and owned by drivers; grey are owned by companies; black taxis are better and more expensive; yellow taxivans are for the disabled; and orange ones are for tourists, with multilingual drivers.
• Try as you might, you can’t get to South Korea by land. It’s on a peninsula and the country linking it to the rest of continental Asia is North Korea. Relations aren’t so good and the border is closed. Air or sea it will have to be…
• In South Korea exotic fruits don’t come cheap. A watermelon can cost more than £10. As it’s a bit special, it’s often presented as a gift with a neat little ribbon tied around it.
• Why are South Korean buildings so happy? Because their roofs smile. Many traditional Korean roofs have curving lines and turn upwards at the corners like a smile. The curves are thought to make use of natural irregularities in the wooden rafters.
• The South Korean equivalent of the US White House is known as the Blue House because of its blue-tiled roofs. It’s the official residence of the head of state and is a complex of buildings occupying 62 acres. The US White House sits on 18 acres.