Yes, earthquake insurance is compulsory. Effective 27 September 2000.

DASK insurance is compulsory, but housing insurance is not.

DASK insurance only pays for building damages caused by earthquakes; housing insurance also pays for damage to property that may be damaged by earthquake, flood, inundation, fire, etc.

• It secures all dwellings within the scope against earthquakes with premiums at affordable levels.
• It covers possible damages in earthquake-prone regions and provides risk sharing within the country.
• It distributes the financial liability that earthquake damages will bring to our country to international reinsurance and capital markets through insurance.
• It aims to reduce the financial burden of the state arising from earthquakes, especially from the construction of post-earthquake disaster housing.
• It ensures the prevention of possible additional taxes that will be reflected on the citizens arising from the financial burdens of the state.
• Use the insurance system as an incentive for the production of healthy buildings.
• It ensures the accumulation of long-term resources to cover earthquake damages.
• Contributes to the development of insurance and social solidarity awareness in society.

Without compulsory earthquake insurance, if your building is damaged after a possible earthquake, the damage will not be covered. In addition, natural gas, electricity and water subscriptions cannot be opened to your residence without compulsory earthquake insurance.

DASK policy enquiry is made by the following methods:

• Compulsory Earthquake Insurance is queried with the renewal policy option by clicking the "Get DASK Insurance Quote" button.
• You can make your DASK enquiry via e-Government. You can enter your information in the DASK Policy Inquiry section in E-Government Website and access the policy details.

DASK UAVT address code is the official identification number of all dwellings as of 1 March 2013. UAVT is a special 10-digit code and is a kind of identification number for all registered dwellings within the borders of the country.

You can learn the UAVT address code from https://adres.nvi.gov.tr/VatandasIslemleri/AdresSorgu offered by the Government of Turkey.

Yes, DASK insurance can be taken out online. Compulsory earthquake insurance offers can be made from comparison sites and insurance companies that issue online policies.

Compulsory earthquake insurance coverage is as follows:

• Material damages directly caused by the earthquake
• Damages to insured buildings caused by fire, explosion, hurricane, explosion, tornado, landslide or giant wave (tsunami) resulting from an earthquake
• The foundations, main walls, common walls separating independent sections, garden walls, retaining walls, ceilings and floors, stairs, lifts, landings, corridors, roofs, chimneys and similar complementary parts of the building are covered up to the insurance amount. For detailed information about compulsory earthquake insurance coverage, please visit our article on what are DASK coverage.

Buildings excluded from compulsory earthquake insurance coverage are as follows:

• Buildings and independent sections that are subject to the public housing law or used as public service buildings are not covered.
• Buildings constructed in and around the village settlement areas and in hamlets by those who are registered to the village population and reside in the village permanently are not covered.
• Buildings that do not have a project and have not received engineering services are not covered.
• Buildings that are found to be modified or weakened in a way that adversely affects the carrier system are excluded from coverage.
• Buildings constructed in violation of the relevant legislation and project in a way to adversely affect the carrier system are not covered.
• Buildings that are decided to be demolished by the authorised public institutions and buildings that are not suitable for use as dwellings, neglected, dilapidated or abandoned buildings are not covered.

• Debris removal costs, loss of profit, business interruption, rent deprivation, alternative residence and workplace costs, financial liabilities and similar indirect damages are not covered.
• All kinds of movable property, goods and the like are excluded from the guarantee.
• All bodily damages, including death, are not covered.
• Moral compensation claims are not covered.
• Damages other than earthquake and earthquake-induced fire, explosion, giant wave (tsunami) or landslide are not covered.
• Damages that occur over time due to the defects and characteristics of the building itself without being related to a specific earthquake event are not covered.

No, household goods are not covered by compulsory earthquake insurance. If you want to insure the furniture in the house, you need to have housing insurance.

Within the scope of compulsory earthquake insurance, the maximum amount of coverage that can be provided for a dwelling is 640 000 TL for 2023, regardless of the type of construction.

Compulsory earthquake insurance holders can notify the earthquake and earthquake-induced damages covered by the coverage in two ways:

• By calling the Alo DASK 125 line
• By notifying the insurance company issuing the DASK insurance policy

In order to benefit from compulsory earthquake insurance, your building must be completely or partially damaged. The documents required for DASK damage notification are as follows:

• Damage notification (with Turkish ID No or policy number)
• Current title deed information
• Clear address of the damage site (for ease of expert dispatch and assessment)
• Insured telephone (fixed and/or mobile)
• In addition, if there is another insurance policy that includes earthquake coverage on the insured building in addition to the compulsory earthquake insurance policy, it should inform DASK about this issue.

After the damage is reported after the earthquake, independent damage assessment officers authorised on behalf of DASK are sent to the address as soon as possible.

The officers who prepare the inspection and determination reports are experienced loss adjusters who have a licence to work in the relevant branch in the insurance sector.

Even if your building was damaged in a previous earthquake, it can be insured depending on the criteria required by the damage category. The Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation classifies damaged buildings in three categories:

• Heavily Damaged Buildings: Buildings that are decided to be demolished by official institutions and determined as "heavily damaged" are not insured.
• Moderately Damaged Buildings: Insurances in this category are subject to the obligation to repair and/or reinforce the buildings, provided that the fulfilment of these procedures is officially documented and presented. The document in question is the certificate of conformity issued by the Ministry of Public Works and Settlement, showing that the building is in "habitable" condition.
• Lightly Damaged / Undamaged Buildings: In insuring these buildings, the declaration of the insured is taken as basis and the insurance policy is made accordingly.

The calculation of the compulsory earthquake insurance indemnity is based on the current cost of the reconstruction of the building in the current market conditions at the place and date of the occurrence of the risk. In no case can the insurance indemnity be more than the insurance amount defined in the policy. For each claim, a "deductible exemption" of 2% of the sum insured is applied.

After the damage is assessed by DASK, a damage file is opened and damage assessment officers are appointed to determine the damage. The compensation amount determined in accordance with the General Terms and Conditions of Compulsory Earthquake Insurance is sent to the bank branches in the settlement area where the damage occurred via "EFT / Money Order to Name". The ownership of the policy and the damaged dwelling is checked through these bank branches, and compensation is paid to the relevant beneficiary.

DASK deposits the amount determined as a result of the investigations made as a result of the damage to the insured's bank account within 1 month at the latest.

The compulsory earthquake insurance policy must be renewed every year. You can renew DASK as follows:

• Click the "Get DASK insurance quotes" button on the DASK - Compulsory Earthquake Insurance page.
• On the page that opens, select the "renewal policy" option.
• Click the enquiry button by entering the Turkish ID number / tax number, DASK policy number and telephone number.

Yes, during the official transactions such as purchase-sale and mortgage in the land registry offices, it is required that the house is insured.

If you are a homeowner and do not know whether you have a DASK policy or not, you can find out from DASK official website with Turkish ID Number and Residence information.

Since DASK is a type of insurance that is compulsory by the state, it is not possible to cancel the insurance under normal conditions. As an exception, you can only cancel your DASK insurance if the risk has disappeared according to the article "Declaration Obligation of the Insurer and Cancellations" in the General Terms and Conditions of Compulsory Earthquake Insurance.