Travel to South Korea: Which Travel Insurance Should I Get?
Besides Seoul, South Koreaâs most popular travel destination, there are plenty of other stunning and exciting spots for both vacations and business trips. From the scenic landscapes of Jeju Island to the chic cafes in bustling cities, South Korea offers endless adventuresâwhether youâre going on a solo trip or visiting with friends and family.
While planning for a trip there, do remember to get your Korea visa in order and compare travel insurance coverage for any unexpected events like flight disruptions, or natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
While planning for a trip there, do remember to get your Korea visa in order and compare travel insurance coverage for any unexpected events like flight disruptions, or natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
Best South Korea Travel Insurance Plans in 2025
Without reliable travel insurance, unexpected emergenciesâsuch as overseas medical expenses, flight delays or cancellations, and damage or loss of personal baggageâcan be extremely costly. Even in a generally safe travel destination like South Korea, you never know what could happen.
Click below to compare the best travel insurance options for South Korea:
Overall good value
Bubblegum
Budget Travel
FWD Premium, Business, First plans
Extreme Sports & flight
Tiq Entry, Savvy, Luxury plans
Overseas medical coverage
Singlife Travel Prestige
Pre-existing medical conditions (esp. elderly)
MSIG TravelEasy Pre-Ex Standard, Elite, Premier plans
Pregnancy and family
Allianz Travel Basic, Silver, Platinum plans
Natural disasters
SingLife Travel Lite, Plus, and Prestige plans
Covid-19 coverage
Starr TraveLead Comprehensive Bronze, Silver, and Gold plans
Best Seasons to Visit South Korea
Catch Sight of Cherry Blossoms and Canola Flowers
Similar to Japan, South Korea has its own version of cherry blossoms and outdoor spring festivities too. Festivals like the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, Yeouido Spring Flower Festival, and Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival are notable attraction sites to capture cherry blossoms in full bloom.Pro-tip: You can also hop on a day tour to the picturesque Goryeogung Palace, where you can experience an exhilarating luge ride while soaking in cherry blossoms framed by breathtaking ocean views.
Another popular flower to catch in bloom would be the Canola Flower Fields in Jeju. During Spring, these flower fields blossom into a vibrant, cheerful yellowâcreating a stunning contrast against Jejuâs blue skies and volcanic landscapes.
Beach Lounging & Water Activities
Itâs time to whip out your bermuda shorts and pool floats while lounging at South Koreaâs famous beachesâlike Busanâs Haeundae and Gwanganlli Beaches or Jeju Islandâs Hyeopjaem Jungmun, and Hamdeok Beaches. In particular, the Haeundae Sand Festival, held during the summer months, attracts both tourists and locals alike eager to admire its impressive sand sculptures on display.Participate in Summer Festivals
South Korea comes alive in the summer with unique and thrilling summer festivals. Among the most famous is the Boryeong Mud Festival, held annually at Daecheon Beach, featuring mud extracted from the Boryeong mud flats.Another summer highlight is the Ultra Korea Music Festival, a high-energy event featuring world-class electronic beats to keep the summer vibes going all day long.
Donât forget to visit theme parks and water parks like Caribbean Bay at Everland or Lotte World to cool off during blistering summer heat waves.
Fall Foliage Viewing
Renowned for their golden gingko and fiery maple trees, Nami Island and Seoraksan National Park are beautiful autumnal attractions, perfect for a hiking day trip. For a touch of tradition, rent traditional hanbok costumes and stroll through Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds, immersing yourself in a real-life K-drama drama period experience.Experience Korean Thanksgiving
The west has thanksgiving, while Korea has Chuseok. As one of the most significant holidays, Chuseok spans three days, during which locals return to their ancestral hometowns to reunite with their families. This is the best time to partake in traditional Korean culture and cuisine, from ancestral rites to festive dishes like songpyeon (rice cakes) and jeon (savoury pancakes).
Gear Up For Winter Sports
In the winter, South Korea transforms into a snowy wonderland, with powdery snowfall blanketing its mountains, creating prime conditions for skiing, snowboarding, and all sorts of other winter sports. Popular ski resorts include Vivaldi Park and High1 Resort.Visit Hot Springs
Take this opportunity to warm up and unwind in hot springs and jjimjilbang (Korean spas). Popular spots like Spa Land (Busan) and Dragon Hill Spa (Seoul) are well-frequented traditional saunas, while Osaek Hot Springs (Seoraksan) provides an alternative for those seeking a relaxing soak in natural mineral-rich waters.Travel Requirements To Enter South Korea
Vaccination and Travel Insurance Requirements
Similar to Japan, travel insurance is not necessary to enter Korea. Nevertheless, itâs better to be safe than sorry and stay protected with sufficient travel insurance coverage. Accidents and unexpected health issues (especially from viral outbreaks) can occur at any time. Being insured against any unprecedented incidents potentially helps you save on costly medical fees overseas.
VISA or K-ETA Application
At the moment, there is a temporary K-ETA exemption for 22 countries/regions until 31 December 2025 as announced by the government of South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea (ROK). This extension came as part of their âVisit Korea Year (2023-2024)â tourism initiative.
However, should you still need a Visa or K-ETA, here are the following steps:
Note: K-ETA applications are not processed by the Embassy in Singapore. They would not be able to assist with checking application status or expediting it.
Once issued, K-ETA is valid for 2 years once issued and allows multiple entries within its validity period.
However, if you renew your passport, a new K-ETA application will be necessary. Also, since 24 February 2025, South Korea has also introduced the e-Arrival card to smoothen and modernise the immigration process. It can be submitted within 3 days of your arrival in South Korea.
However, should you still need a Visa or K-ETA, here are the following steps:
| Criteria | K-ETA | Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who should apply? | Nationals from countries with a visa-waiver or visa-free agreement with Korea for tourism, business, discussions, conferences, or short-term study (< 90 days). | Nationals not eligible for K-ETA, those whose K-ETA application is denied, or those visiting for purposes not covered under K-ETA. |
| How to apply? | Apply online at www.k-eta.go.kr | Submit visa applications via appointed visa agents. Online visas are currently unavailable. Processing takes approximately 2-3 weeks. |
| When to apply? | As early as possible. | As early as possible. |
Note: K-ETA applications are not processed by the Embassy in Singapore. They would not be able to assist with checking application status or expediting it.
Once issued, K-ETA is valid for 2 years once issued and allows multiple entries within its validity period.
However, if you renew your passport, a new K-ETA application will be necessary. Also, since 24 February 2025, South Korea has also introduced the e-Arrival card to smoothen and modernise the immigration process. It can be submitted within 3 days of your arrival in South Korea.
How To Choose Travel Insurance For Your Korea Trip?
There are many more things to consider now as compared to buying travel insurance prior to the pandemic such as overseas hospital allowance, flight delays or trip cancellation due to unexpected personal accidents or severe illness diagnosis.
Here are 5 steps to get you started:
Here are 5 steps to get you started:
Step 1
Check extent of medical coverage
While premium prices are important, the benefits and reimbursement limits for travel insurance claims like medical expenses, trip cancellations, flight delays, and baggage theft and/or damage, are equally essential as well.
Step 2
Ensure any pre-existing conditions are covered
With select travel insurers covering injuries or illnesses sustained during the trip stemming from pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. pregnancy), you can manage unexpected health issues with greater ease and financial protection. Such benefits include in-patient hospitalisation expenses overseas that allows you to claim for medical, surgical, nursing or hospital charges, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage.
Step 3
Compare policy premiums
The amount that you need to fork out for your travel insurance costs really depends on your destination and length of stay. Most travel insurance companies have 2 to 3 tiers of plans at different price points, with varying comprehensiveness and reimbursement limits.
Step 4
Get special activities coverage
South Korea isnât just the Land of Kpop and K-dramas, itâs also a great place for many activities including water and winter sports but the breadth of coverage needed largely depends on your Korea itinerary.
For instance, if youâre planning to go diving off the coasts of Jeju Island, make sure you get a policy that covers diving sports like MSIGâs TravelEasyÂŽ Standard, Elite and Premier plans.
Step 5
Be insured for trip disruptions and baggage damage/loss
Given that Korea is prone to many natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, droughts, landslides, snowstorms, tsunamis and earthquakes, itâll be wiser to have coverage of damage or loss of belongings as well as trip cancellation or postponement and flight delay due to natural disasters.
We Asked Singaporeans About Flight Disruptions, and They Answered
Flight cancellations and delays disappoint, frustrate, and inconvenience many travellers across the globe yearly. Find out which airlines have the delays and cancellation.
How Does Travel Insurance Cover Me in the Event of Natural Disasters or Unforeseen Events?
Baggage & Personal Belongings Coverage
Many travel insurance plans might not cover trip disruptions caused by natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, or events beyond human control (Acts of God). However, some insurers, like Etiqa and DirectAsia, provide reimbursements for baggage damage or loss even if your trip to Korea gets disrupted. Notably, there are reimbursement limits per article, a set of items, a laptop or other types of personal effects and the limits differ from insurer to insurer.
Trip Curtailment, Cancellation, or Travel Delay Coverage
If your trip to Korea gets cut short (curtailed) or cancelled due to a delay, reimbursements are usually for irrecoverable unused pre-paid transport and accommodation expenses (excluding admin charges or fee related), which were cancelled within 30 days before you were due to start the insured trip. Compensation for travel delays are often limited to a certain maximum claim amount per person or per family, depending on the travel insurance plan's policy terms and conditions.
Worldwide Medical Costs Coverage
If you sustained an accidental injury due to a natural disaster, some travel insurance plans do provide coverage, depending on what type of travel insurance plan (which tier, basic, premium, etc.). Reimbursement from certain plans like Etiqa and DirectAsia might include: Payment to medical facilities where you received treatment (overseas or in Singapore), or to your designated beneficiaries. There's usually a timeframe for starting treatment after returning to Singapore, and coverage amounts are capped based on your chosen plan. It's crucial to discuss these details with your insurer.
Stay Safe While You ëí믟ęľ!
Worried about medical mishaps happening visiting South Korea? You're not the only one. Find out more about the best travel insurance plans with overseas medical coverage here!
What is the Average Cost of a Travel Insurance Plan For South Korea?
There are so many travel insurance plans out there in the market that it can get rather overwhelming trying to compare each and every one of them before deciding on one.
To get you started, weâll use an example to illustrate. Letâs say that youâre planning to go for a 1-week trip to South Korea and need a single trip insurance plan.
As you compare across the 6 travel insurersâ benefits and premiums, the average cost of a travel insurance plan is about $69.55, assuming that we take the highest-tier plan offered by each travel insurance provider.
Estimated average cost of a travel insurance plan:
$55.05 + $44 + $84.65 + $49.80 + $122.40 + $60.80 + $70.15 = $486.85
$486.85 á 6 = $69.55
Bubblegum, Starr TraveLead, and FWD may be more suitable if youâre looking at more cost-efficient options. Moreover, the medical expenses coverages by FWD and Starr are fairly comprehensive at up to $1 million, which are considered the average among these 7 travel insurances.
If youâre looking for even more comprehensive coverage for medical expenses in the situation that you get diagnosed with an unexpected severe illness or injury, Singlife and AIG are quite extensive with unlimited coverage and $2.5 million respectively. However, when it comes to claiming benefits for trip cancellation if youâre down with an unexpected severe illness or injury, As for claiming benefits for trip cancellation, Singlife provides the highest coverage of up to $20,000.
To get you started, weâll use an example to illustrate. Letâs say that youâre planning to go for a 1-week trip to South Korea and need a single trip insurance plan.
| Insurer | Overseas Medical Expenses | Baggage Damage/Loss | Trip Disruptions/Cancellations | Total Premiums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FWD | Up to $1 million | Up to $7,500 | Up to $15,000 | $29.55 to $55.05 |
| Starr TraveLead | Up to $1 million | Up to $7,500 | Up to $15,000 | $26.80 to $44 |
| Singlife | Unlimited | Up to $8,000 | Up to $20,000 | $39.20 to $84.65 |
| Bubblegum | Up to $150,000 | Up to $3,000 | Up to $5,000 | $49.80 |
| AIG | Up to $2.5 million | Up to $10,000 | Up to $15,000 | $54.40 to $122.40 |
| Allianz Travel | Up to $1 million | Up to $5,000 | Up to $10,000 | $26.60 to $60.80 |
| Tiq by Etiqa | Up to $1 million | Up to $3,000 | Up to $10,000 | $31.10 to $70.15 |
*Above estimated premium rates are based on the highest tier of each insurance provider's plans for a 1-week single trip to South Korea, updated as of 26 February 2025. All premium rates are subject to change without prior notice at each insurance company's sole discretion.
As you compare across the 6 travel insurersâ benefits and premiums, the average cost of a travel insurance plan is about $69.55, assuming that we take the highest-tier plan offered by each travel insurance provider.
Estimated average cost of a travel insurance plan:
$55.05 + $44 + $84.65 + $49.80 + $122.40 + $60.80 + $70.15 = $486.85
$486.85 á 6 = $69.55
Bubblegum, Starr TraveLead, and FWD may be more suitable if youâre looking at more cost-efficient options. Moreover, the medical expenses coverages by FWD and Starr are fairly comprehensive at up to $1 million, which are considered the average among these 7 travel insurances.
If youâre looking for even more comprehensive coverage for medical expenses in the situation that you get diagnosed with an unexpected severe illness or injury, Singlife and AIG are quite extensive with unlimited coverage and $2.5 million respectively. However, when it comes to claiming benefits for trip cancellation if youâre down with an unexpected severe illness or injury, As for claiming benefits for trip cancellation, Singlife provides the highest coverage of up to $20,000.
About the Author
Once a clueless Z-llennial herself, Emma understands (and relates) all too well the struggle of juggling savings, credit cards, and everything in between. Having since garnered over 3 years of writing experience in the personal finance space, she now helps others sieve through the noise and break down money matters into clear, bite-sized insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get travel insurance for my Korea trip?
- You can purchase travel insurance through our MoneySmart comparison page to get the best coverage at unbeatable prices. By now, most plans now include Covid-19 coverage too or as an add-on benefit.
Is Korea safe to visit?
- Yes, for the most part, South Korea is safe for travel.
But just like many travel destinations, South Korea is prone to natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, droughts, landslides, snowstorms, tsunamis, and earthquakes. Itâs wise to secure travel insurance that covers damage or loss to belongings, trip disruptions or cancellations, and flight delays. Does travel insurance cover adventure sports in South Korea?
- Many travel insurance policies include coverage for adventure sports, though the extent differs across insurers. Activities like hiking, skiing, and scuba diving might be covered, but some policies limit such coverage to higher-tier plans, which naturally come with higher premiums too.
Remember that since adventure sports are considered high-risk activities, coverage is often conditional. Always review your policy details carefully to understand the full scope of protection. Does travel insurance cover trip disruptions and cancellations to South Korea?
- Yes, they do, however the coverage extent depends on the insurer and plan. Valid claims include health-related reasons (e.g. illness, injury, death of traveler or family member), weather issues, airline strikes or technical issues, natural disasters, unexpected political unrest and/or Covid-19-related disruptions if applicable.
In contrast, cancellations due to personal choice, visa issues, or other unapproved reasons are generally not covered; except for certain policies like FWDâs âcancel for any reasonâ feature which offers greater flexibility. Is there an age limit for travel insurance coverage in South Korea?
- Most travel insurance plans set an age limit of âup to 75 years oldâ for coverage. Again, eligibility depends on factors like plan tier, trip type, pre-existing medical conditions, trip duration, and destination.
Notably, some insurers like Singlife offer travel insurance plans that bear no age limit for adults. Does my travel insurance to South Korea have car rental excess coverage?
- Yes, many travel insurance policies to South Korea do include car rental excess coverageâwhich is particularly important if youâre renting a car to drive around more inaccessible spots like those on Jeju Island.
- AIG Travel Guard: Up to $1,500
- Allianz Travel: Up to $1,500
- MSIG TravelEasy: Up to $1,500
- FWD: Up to $1,000
- TIQ by Etiqa: Up to $1,000
- Starr TraveLead: Up to $1,200
- Singlife: Up to $2,500
Can I extend my travel insurance coverage while in South Korea?
- Travel insurance coverage can be extended under certain conditions.
Most policies allow an automatic 30-day extension from the date of policy expiry if a claimable event (e.g. illness or travel disruption/cancellation) delays your return.
For other extension reasons, please contact your insurerâs customer service (usually 7 days before expiry) to request and top up additional fees, subject to approval. Are there specific exclusions to be aware of for travel insurance to South Korea?
- All travel insurance plans come with their own list of coverage exclusions. Common exclusions include accidents arising from:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Certain high-risk activities
- Alcohol or drug use
- Medical tourism
However, noting that South Korea is a popular medical tourism destination, you might want to find a specific travel insurance that covers this.
