Casualty insurance and the four social insurances
Injury at work means industrial accident insurance; accidents outside work mean casualty insurance. Don't mix the two up.
The four insurances plus casualty insurance
- Industrial accident insurance — injury or illness from work. The employer enrols, and it applies regardless of visa status.
- Health insurance — hospital costs. Workplace or regional enrolment.
- National pension — retirement pension. Depending on your country, you may receive a lump-sum refund on departure.
- Employment insurance — unemployment benefit and more. Application differs by status.
- Casualty insurance — taken out by Employment Permit System workers, covering accidents and illness outside work.
Steps
- If hurt at work, get treatment first. 119 or a hospital.
- File the industrial accident claim. Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service 1588-0075. The employer's consent is not required.
- For non-work accidents, check the casualty insurance claim. Ask the employment centre or EPS.
- Check your health insurance status. 1577-1000.
- Check the national pension lump-sum refund before departure. 1355.
What you need
- Passport and Alien Registration Card
- Medical certificate and treatment records
- A record of how the accident happened (date, place, witnesses)
- Labour contract
Where to go
- Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service 1588-0075 (industrial accidents)
- National Health Insurance Service 1577-1000
- National Pension Service 1355
- 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labor · EPS www.eps.go.kr
- 119 emergencies
Questions people ask
My employer blocks it, saying an industrial accident claim harms the company. Filing is the worker's right and does not need the employer's consent. Blocking it is illegal.
Does it apply without valid status? Industrial accident insurance applies regardless of status. Get advice from 1350 or a support centre.
They want to settle it privately as a company matter. That means paying quietly out of company funds. If complications appear later you lose cover. File it as an industrial accident.
Do I get the national pension back? It depends on your country and any agreement. Check with 1355 before departure.
Take care
The moments right after an accident matter most. Keep site photos, witness names and hospital records. Recognition gets harder as time passes.
Related
work-injury · severance-departure · return-cost-insurance · health-insurance
Source
Ministry of Employment and Labor, EPS www.eps.go.kr / Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service www.comwel.or.kr / As of 2026-08