Firefighters abuse ambulance, ER services for insurance payment

A 54-year-old civil servant firefighter, who works at a fire department in Incheon, used a 119 ambulance whenever he got sick to visit the hospital emergency room. He intentionally called the ambulance even for slight fever, cold, and light cold and ache. While on duty, he would drive the ambulance in person and visit the ER. On off duty days, he would call his colleagues to use the ambulance.

An investigation found that he had purchased insurance policy making payments for ER visits. He was paid 100,000 won (94 U.S. dollars) per visit if he is taken to hospital by ambulance and receives treatment. The insurance company, which became suspicious of him frequently receiving insurance payments, requested police to investigate the case.

The police investigation found that he was paid a total of 6 million won (5,640 dollars) through some 60 ER visits from August 2002 to January this year. He even used the ambulance to a hospital less than 100 meters away. A police source said, “While investigating the man in question, we found that such acts exploiting loopholes in insurance contracts are quite rampant among some firefighters as civil servants.” Other firefighters in Incheon, including a 44-year-old and 49-year-old, also were paid 2.4 million won (2,260 dollars) and 1.4 million won (1,320 dollars), respectively, through the same method. Bupyeong Police Station in Incheon said they have booked the three without detention for fraud.