AXA Direct Korea, the Korean branch of Paris-based global insurance provider AXA Group, is to launch an English website service for foreign residents here.

Starting from Monday, foreigners will be able to check insurance fees and subscribe to policies directly through the online or mobile platform of AXA’s Global English Website service, officials said Wednesday.

The system will be the first to allow foreign nationals here to take out insurance policies without the assistance of others or separate approval processes.

“Using our new system, a foreigner who has zero knowledge of the Korean language may purchase any of our insurance products within five minutes,” a company spokesperson said.

All processes related to insurance services, varying from premium pricing information to actual insurance purchases, will be available in English.

Users may add individual insurance coverage to reflect their lifestyle or driving habits. Customized guidance is also available on premium benefits, such as mileage allowance discounts. “We have established an English-language customer service team, as well as an affiliated emergency response team and a hotline call center,” the official said.

“Any claim reports or urgent requests for roadside assistance will be directly processed through this comprehensive system, without the need of translation or interdepartment business transfer.”

The total number of foreigners residing in Korea reached 1.71 million in August 2014, according to the Ministry of Justice, but the financial services available to them have largely been limited to basic banking transactions.

To access the Global English Website, users may visit AXA’s main page (axa.co.kr) and change the language from Korean to English, using the language option at the top right corner.

The same service will be available through the mobile version (m.axa.co.kr) and the company’s smartphone application.

The English emergency call center number is (02) 3479-3030.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)