Two policies come with owning a home in Türkiye: compulsory DASK earthquake cover and optional home insurance. They are often confused, yet their scope differs markedly.
What is DASK?
Compulsory Earthquake Insurance is run by the Natural Disaster Insurance Institution and is required by law. Proof of the policy is requested for title deed transfers and utility connections.
What DASK covers
Material damage to the building caused by earthquake and by fire, explosion, tsunami and landslide directly resulting from it. Cover is directed at the structure:
- Foundations, main walls, load-bearing system
- Ceilings and floors, staircases, lifts
- Roofs, chimneys, corridors and common areas
What DASK does not cover
- Your contents (furniture, appliances, electronics, valuables)
- Risks other than earthquake: flood, theft, glass breakage, damage caused to neighbours
- Debris removal, temporary accommodation and moving costs
- Loss of profit, loss of rent and non-material damages
- Any loss above the cover ceiling
DASK has a maximum sum insured, updated annually. If your home's rebuild cost exceeds it, the difference falls to you. That gap is closed by the optional earthquake extension within a home insurance policy.
What is home insurance?
Optional, and far broader in scope. Typical cover:
- Fire, lightning, explosion
- Flood and internal water damage (burst pipes)
- Theft and damage caused during a theft
- Glass breakage
- Contents cover
- Damage caused to neighbours (third-party liability)
- Temporary accommodation and loss of rent
- Optional earthquake cover above the DASK limit
How they work together
In an earthquake claim, DASK responds first up to its limit. If the loss exceeds that limit and your policy includes optional earthquake cover, home insurance meets the remainder. The two are not alternatives — they are complementary.
If you are a tenant
The DASK obligation sits with the owner. But neither DASK nor the owner's policy covers your belongings. Contents-focused policies at modest premiums are available for tenants — particularly worthwhile against flood and theft.
Check before you buy a policy
- Are the construction type and gross floor area entered correctly? (Misstatement leads to reduced settlement.)
- Does the sum insured reflect the current rebuild cost?
- What is the excess? (The share of any loss you bear.)
- Is the contents limit realistic?
- Is the policy renewed each year? (A lapsed DASK policy provides no cover.)
