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What Has Changed in Traffic Accident Treatment Standards Since September 10, 2026
After getting into a traffic accident, increasingly more people are coming in surprised asking "I heard that we can't receive treatment costs after 8 weeks, right?" To state the conclusion first, treatment itself is not blocked. However, from accidents occurring after September 10, 2026, minor injury patients (injury grade 12-14, diagnosed with sprain or contusion) who wish to continue treatment beyond 8 weeks must undergo professional medical review by the Automobile Accident Compensation and Benefit Service (AACBS) once. This is the core of what is commonly called the '8-week rule'.
This is based on the amendment to the auto insurance standard terms announced by the Financial Supervisory Service on September 2, 2026 and implemented on September 10, and the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Automobile Accident Compensation and Liability Act that passed through the State Council at the same time. The amendment content was confirmed through simultaneous reporting by multiple major media outlets.
One thing you must remember is that it is based on the date of the accident. According to related professional media reports, this regulation is not retroactively applied to accidents that occurred before September 10. The judgment is based on the date of the accident, not the treatment start date, so it's good to check the date first.
'8-Week Rule' Core Content — Review Target, Procedure, and Cost Responsibility Structure
Let me break down the flow of the new standards step by step.
① Confirming Review Targets • Accident date: On or after September 10, 2026 • Injury grade: 12-14 grade (diagnosed with sprain or simple contusion) • Treatment period: Cases where you wish to continue treatment beyond 8 weeks → The review process begins only when all three of the above are met.
② Document Submission Deadline and Method • According to Korean Insurance Newspaper reports, if you wish to receive treatment beyond 8 weeks, you must submit a medical certificate, medical record, and personal information consent form to the insurance company within 7 weeks of the accident date. • It is safe to contact your insurance agent in advance during weeks 6-7 to avoid missing the deadline.
③ Result Notification and Cost Responsibility • Based on the Financial Supervisory Service announcement, AACBS professional medical professionals will notify the result within 7 days from the date of the review request. • According to AutoTribune reports, review fees, document issuance fees, and treatment costs during review delays are all borne by the insurance company (mutual insurance association). Patients do not need to bear any separate costs.
④ Exemption from Review • As confirmed in the same report, pregnant women and children under 7 years old can continue to receive treatment without going through the review process.
⑤ Future Treatment Cost Changes • According to Global Economics reports, future treatment costs are in principle excluded for minor injury patients, and the compensation structure will shift to focus on actual treatment costs incurred going forward.
Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic's Traffic Accident Korean Medicine Treatment — Systematic Management Within the Changed Standards
With the introduction of the 8-week rule, the density of initial treatment and record documentation has become much more important than before. According to the 2026 Selective Intensive Review Item Guidelines from the Korean Oriental Medicine Association Automobile Insurance Review Center, the recommended Korean medicine minor injury patient treatment frequency standards are: daily up to 1 week from injury, 3 times per week for weeks 2-3, twice per week for weeks 4-10, and once per week beyond 10 weeks. Receiving treatment intensively in the early period and building up that record becomes the basis for review after 8 weeks.
Below is a table organizing the traffic accident Korean medicine treatment items provided by Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic.
| Treatment Item | Main Content | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Stasis Removal Herbal Medicine | Individually customized 3-week prescription | Treatment plan reflected after confirming progress at 1-week intervals |
| Blood Stasis Acupuncture | Relieves sudden muscle tension and stiffness | Used in early accident phase for blood stasis removal |
| Skilled Chuna Treatment | Within 20 sessions per accident per auto insurance standards | Korean Oriental Medicine Association standards |
| Zero-Gravity Decompression Treatment | Continued care even after completing 20 chuna sessions | Allows continuous management of spine and joints |
| Partner Hospital Imaging Tests | MRI, X-ray coordination (after 1 week from injury) | Helps secure review evidence documents |
| Chingsimwon and Pain Relief Patch Prescription | Relieves tension and shock, early response to muscle pain | Can be prescribed from immediately after the accident |
Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic provides customized prescriptions on a weekly basis from the early stages of the accident, combined with skilled chuna treatment and zero-gravity decompression treatment, responding delicately to changing symptoms. Even after using all 20 chuna sessions, spine and joint management can continue through the zero-gravity decompression device, and treatment is available 365 days for immediate consultation on the day of the accident.
Procedure suitability is determined after consultation.
Directly Verify Whether Your Accident Is Subject to the '8-Week Rule' Review
Check the following three items in order.
• Check 1 — Accident Date: Did the accident occur on or after September 10, 2026? → If 'No' → 8-week rule does not apply. Existing standards apply.
• Check 2 — Injury Grade: Is the injury grade on your medical certificate 12-14 grade (sprain or contusion)? → If 'No' (serious injury grade 11 or higher) → Not subject to review. Existing treatment system maintained.
• Check 3 — Desired Treatment Period: Do you wish to continue receiving treatment beyond 8 weeks? → If 'No' → Review process does not activate.
As confirmed in Financial Supervisory Service FAQ and Nate News reports, the review process begins only when you answer 'Yes' to all three check items. Pregnant women and children under 7 years old are excluded from review targets even if they meet the above conditions.
If you had an accident near Suyu Station or Gangbuk-gu, or if you are considering traffic accident auto insurance application in Dobong or Nowon areas, we recommend first organizing these three things: accident date, diagnosis grade, and desired treatment period, then contacting your insurance agent. If you have a traffic accident in Suyu Station, starting consultation on the day of the accident and building up treatment records will make future document preparation much easier. When choosing a Korean medicine clinic in Gangbuk-gu for a traffic accident, also verify weekly prescription approach and imaging test coordination capabilities.
Now That Standards Have Changed, Early Treatment Intensity Determines Treatment Results
Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic opens at 8 AM 365 days a year, allowing immediate consultation on the day of the accident, and through weekly treatment record adjustments matching symptom changes and partner hospital imaging test coordination, we build a solid treatment history that provides reassurance for post-8-week review.
The joint statement released by the Financial Commission, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Financial Supervisory Service makes this point clear. "It is not limiting treatment to 8 weeks but adding a necessity confirmation procedure," and the right to treatment is guaranteed for patients who actually need it. In other words, the difference between patients who can receive treatment after 8 weeks and those who cannot is determined by the completeness of early treatment records.
Coming in quickly after the accident to start blood stasis removal herbal medicine prescriptions, building systematic records through chuna treatment and decompression therapy, and even coordinating imaging tests at necessary points — this flow is the most practical way to protect patients under the changed standards. Start consultation through Naver reservation or visit starting at 8 AM on the day of the accident.
Most Common Questions Patients Ask Since Traffic Accident Treatment Standards Changed
Q1. "Will we not be able to receive treatment after 8 weeks?"
No. Treatment itself is not blocked; rather, a procedure for professional medical professionals at the AACBS to review the necessity of treatment beyond 8 weeks is added. The Financial Commission, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Financial Supervisory Service have stated in their official position that this is "a necessity confirmation procedure, not a treatment limitation." If you pass the review, subsequent treatment is also guaranteed to be covered by auto insurance.
Q2. "Do accidents that occurred before September 10 also apply the 8-week rule?"
No. This regulation applies only to accidents occurring on or after September 10, 2026. It is based on the actual accident date, not the treatment start date or filing date. If your accident was before September 10, you can receive treatment under the existing auto insurance standards.
Q3. "If I apply for review, when will the result come out, and who pays for treatment in the meantime?"
The AACBS professional medical professionals will notify the result within 7 days from the review request date. Treatment costs incurred during the review period, review fees, and document issuance fees are all borne by the insurance company (mutual insurance association). You will not find yourself in a situation where you need to pay treatment costs first while waiting for the review.
Q4. "Does Korean medicine treatment (herbal medicine, acupuncture, chuna) also qualify as treatment subject to review?"
Yes, it does. Korean medicine treatment is included within the treatment scope covered by auto insurance, so when minor injury patients wish to continue herbal medicine, acupuncture, and chuna treatment beyond 8 weeks, they must go through the same review process. However, chuna treatment is limited to 20 sessions per accident under auto insurance standards, and Korean medicine treatment frequency standards follow the Korean Oriental Medicine Association Review Center guidelines.
Procedure suitability is determined after consultation