Meta Title: Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account Compensation Claims | 2026 Guide

Learn how to claim compensation from the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account after a traffic accident in 2026, including uninsured and unidentified vehicles, permanent disability, fatal accidents, required documents and foreigners’ rights.

After a serious traffic accident in Turkey, victims normally expect the responsible vehicle’s compulsory motor liability insurer to pay qualifying compensation. But what happens if the vehicle has no compulsory insurance, the driver disappears and cannot be identified, or ordinary compulsory insurance protection is unavailable for another legally recognized reason?

Turkey provides an important statutory protection mechanism known as the Güvence Hesabı, commonly described in English as the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account.

The Guarantee Account was established under Article 14 of Insurance Law No. 5684 and provides compensation within its statutory scope where the protection normally provided by specified compulsory insurance cannot operate. Its role is particularly important in traffic accidents involving unidentified vehicles, uninsured vehicles and certain other exceptional situations.

However, not every accident loss is automatically payable by the Guarantee Account. Understanding who can apply, which losses are covered, what documents are required, and how compensation is calculated is essential before submitting a claim.

This is especially important for foreign tourists, expatriates, employees, students and investors injured in Turkey who may leave the country before the compensation process is completed.

What Is the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account?

The Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account is a non-profit statutory institution established under Insurance Law No. 5684.

Its function is not identical to that of an ordinary insurance company.

Instead, it operates as a protection mechanism for certain losses where compulsory insurance protection is missing or cannot operate normally.

According to the Guarantee Account’s official information, it provides compensation for qualifying bodily losses, particularly disability compensation following bodily injury and loss-of-support compensation following death.

This makes it particularly important in serious traffic accidents where no conventional insurer is available.

When Can You Claim from the Guarantee Account?

The Guarantee Account can become relevant in several legally defined situations.

Its official information specifically identifies circumstances involving:

• an unidentified vehicle;
• a vehicle without required compulsory insurance;
• certain stolen or hijacked vehicles; and
• certain liabilities connected with insurance companies whose licenses have been revoked or that have become insolvent.

The legal requirements are different for each category.

Therefore, the first step is not simply asking whether an insurance company refused payment. The claimant must establish why ordinary compulsory insurance protection is unavailable.

Can You Claim If the Vehicle Has No Insurance?

Potentially, yes.

This is one of the most common circumstances in which the Guarantee Account becomes relevant.

Suppose a vehicle that was legally required to maintain compulsory motor liability insurance causes an accident but has no valid policy on the accident date.

If the accident causes qualifying bodily injury, the Guarantee Account may potentially provide compensation within the applicable statutory framework.

The Guarantee Account expressly identifies bodily losses caused by uninsured vehicles as falling within its scope.

The victim may also need to investigate direct liability claims against the driver, vehicle operator, owner or other responsible persons.

Can You Claim If the Driver Cannot Be Found?

Potentially, yes.

This is the classic hit-and-run situation.

For example, a vehicle may strike:

A Pedestrian

Motorcyclist

Cyclist

Passenger

or cause another vehicle to leave the road and then disappear.

If the responsible vehicle cannot be identified, there may be no insurance company against which the victim can make an ordinary compulsory traffic insurance claim.

The Guarantee Account specifically identifies bodily losses arising where the vehicle cannot be identified as a category within its protection.

This can provide an essential remedy for victims suffering permanent bodily injuries.

Does the Guarantee Account Pay for Every Type of Damage?

No.

This is one of the most important legal distinctions.

The Guarantee Account’s official materials emphasize compensation for bodily losses, particularly disability and death-related losses.

Therefore, claimants should not assume:

No Insurance = Guarantee Account Pays Everything

That is not the correct approach.

Vehicle repair costs, diminished value, temporary financial losses, permanent disability, death compensation and other heads of damage must be analyzed separately.

Can You Claim Permanent Disability Compensation?

Potentially, yes.

Permanent disability compensation is one of the most important types of compensation available within the Guarantee Account’s statutory function.

If an uninsured or unidentified vehicle causes an accident that leaves the victim with lasting physical impairment, the victim may potentially claim permanent disability compensation where the applicable legal conditions are satisfied.

The official Guarantee Account documentation for permanent disability applications requires medical and accident-related evidence, including a medical board report prepared according to the regulation applicable on the accident date, epicrisis records, forensic examination documentation and reports concerning treatment and examinations.

How Is Permanent Disability Compensation Calculated?

The amount cannot be determined simply by looking at the disability percentage.

Relevant factors may include:

Age of the Victim

Permanent Impairment

Income

Fault

Medical Causation

Economic Circumstances

Applicable Actuarial Methodology

Statutory Coverage Limit

For example, a 30% permanent disability does not automatically mean that the claimant receives 30% of the maximum insurance limit.

The calculation must be performed according to the individual circumstances.

What Is the 2026 Permanent Disability Compensation Limit?

SEDDK’s official compulsory traffic insurance limits applicable from 1 January 2026 through 31 December 2026 provide:

Permanent Disability and Death: TRY 3,600,000 per person

For vehicles used to transport persons, the aggregate accident limit is TRY 18,000,000. Different aggregate limits apply to certain other vehicle categories.

SEDDK increased the bodily injury limit from TRY 2.7 million to TRY 3.6 million for 2026.

These figures are coverage ceilings, not automatic compensation amounts.

Can the Family Claim If the Accident Victim Dies?

Potentially, yes.

Where an accident falling within the Guarantee Account framework causes death, persons who were deprived of the deceased person’s economic support may potentially claim loss-of-support compensation.

The Guarantee Account expressly identifies this form of compensation among the payments within its statutory function.

Potential beneficiaries can include, depending on the circumstances:

Spouse

Children

Parents

and potentially other persons who can establish a legally relevant support relationship.

The amount is calculated according to the individual circumstances rather than being a fixed payment following death.

What Documents Are Required for a Death Compensation Claim?

The Guarantee Account currently lists several documents for loss-of-support compensation applications.

These include, depending on the case:

• power of attorney where an attorney applies;
• personal-data consent declaration;
• accident report and statements;
• available expert reports, inspection records or court decisions;
• certificate of inheritance;
• death certificate;
• post-mortem or autopsy documentation;
• current detailed population registration record; and
• evidence concerning the deceased person’s income as of the accident date.

Foreign claimants may need equivalent documents from their home country, together with the formalities necessary for their use in Turkey.

What Documents Are Required for Permanent Disability Compensation?

For permanent disability applications, the Guarantee Account’s current official document list includes:

• power of attorney if represented;
• personal-data consent declaration;
• accident report and statements;
• available expert reports, inspection records or court decisions;
• medical board report prepared under the regulation applicable on the accident date;
• epicrisis report;
• general forensic examination report;
• reports concerning examinations and treatment;
• current social security service records; and
• available current income documentation.

The medical report requirement is especially important.

Submitting the wrong type of disability report can create delays or disputes.

Can Foreigners Apply to the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account?

Potentially, yes.

Foreign nationality does not by itself eliminate a qualifying compensation claim arising from a traffic accident in Turkey.

Potential foreign claimants can include:

Foreign Tourists

Expatriates

International Students

Foreign Employees

Business Travellers

Foreign Investors

Foreign Pedestrians

Foreign Motorcyclists and Cyclists

The claim should be evaluated according to the accident, applicable insurance framework, injury, causation and evidence.

Can a Foreign Tourist Apply After Leaving Turkey?

Potentially, yes.

A foreign tourist does not necessarily need to remain physically in Turkey during the entire compensation process.

However, the victim should preserve Turkish evidence before returning home.

Important documents can include:

Police or Gendarmerie Report

Accident Report

Hospital Records

Medical Imaging

Witness Information

Photographs

CCTV Information

Vehicle Details

Insurance Status Information

A Turkish lawyer may potentially handle subsequent procedures under an appropriately prepared power of attorney.

Can Foreign Medical Records Be Used?

Potentially, but they must be prepared properly for Turkish proceedings.

A foreign tourist may receive emergency treatment in Turkey and then return home for surgery, rehabilitation or specialist treatment.

The records should demonstrate continuity between:

Accident in Turkey

Initial Injury

Treatment Abroad

Permanent Medical Consequences

Depending on their country of origin and intended use, foreign documents may require apostille, legalization and certified Turkish translation.

Can Foreign Income Be Considered?

Potentially, depending on the applicable compensation calculation and evidence.

Foreign claimants should preserve reliable income documents, including:

• employment contracts;
• payslips;
• tax declarations;
• bank statements;
• employer confirmations;
• social security records; and
• business documentation.

The Guarantee Account’s official permanent disability document list itself refers to current social security records and, where available, current income documentation.

Foreign income should therefore be documented rather than merely asserted.

How Do You Apply to the Guarantee Account?

The Guarantee Account currently provides an online damage-claim application system.

The online form requests information concerning the accident, traffic accident category, vehicle, accident date and location, claimant and supporting documentation.

Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account Online Claim Application

The claim should identify the legal basis on which the Guarantee Account is being asked to compensate the victim and include documentation supporting liability, injury and compensation.

Can an Attorney Apply on Behalf of the Victim?

Yes, subject to appropriate authorization.

The official document lists expressly provide for submission of a power of attorney where the application is made through a representative.

This is particularly useful for foreign claimants who have returned to their home countries.

The formal requirements for a foreign-issued power of attorney should be checked according to where it is executed and the proceedings for which it will be used.

How Does the Guarantee Account Evaluate a Claim?

Submitting an application does not automatically result in payment.

The Guarantee Account states that, once the required documents have been completely delivered, it examines whether the statutory conditions are satisfied.

Where there is no uncertainty concerning the amount of compensation and the persons entitled to receive it, the determined compensation is paid to the beneficiaries.

Incomplete medical, income or accident documentation can therefore delay the process.

What If Fault Is Disputed?

Fault remains important even where the Guarantee Account is involved.

Relevant evidence can include:

Accident Report

Police Records

CCTV

Dashcam Footage

Witness Statements

Photographs

Road Markings

Traffic Signals

Expert Analysis

If the victim contributed to the accident, the legally relevant fault allocation may affect compensation.

What If the Driver Is Identified Later?

This can substantially change the legal strategy.

Suppose the victim initially files a claim because the vehicle could not be identified, but police later locate the vehicle.

The claimant should then investigate:

Whether the Vehicle Had Compulsory Insurance

Identity of the Driver

Vehicle Operator

Vehicle Owner

Possible Employer

Additional Insurance

The ordinary compulsory traffic insurer may become relevant if valid insurance existed.

What If the Vehicle Is Identified but Uninsured?

The Guarantee Account can still potentially be relevant for qualifying bodily losses.

Its official information separately identifies both:

Unidentified Vehicles

and

Uninsured Vehicles

as circumstances within its statutory protection.

The evidence differs, however.

For an uninsured vehicle, the claimant should establish that the responsible vehicle was identified but lacked the required compulsory insurance at the relevant time.

Can You Also Sue the Driver?

Potentially, yes.

Guarantee Account protection does not necessarily eliminate the underlying liability of legally responsible persons.

Depending on the accident, potential claims may also exist against:

Driver

Vehicle Operator

Vehicle Owner

Employer

Other Responsible Persons

This can become particularly important where the victim has legally recoverable losses that fall outside the Guarantee Account’s statutory coverage.

What If the Accident Damaged Your Car?

Property damage requires separate analysis.

The Guarantee Account’s official materials describe its protection in uninsured and unidentified vehicle cases primarily in terms of bodily losses.

Accordingly, claimants should not assume that ordinary repair costs or diminished value will automatically be paid by the Guarantee Account.

Potential alternatives may include:

The Victim’s Comprehensive Motor Insurance

Direct Claim Against the Driver

Claim Against the Vehicle Operator or Owner

Other Available Liability Coverage

This distinction is essential before starting proceedings.

What If the Accident Causes Only Temporary Injury?

The exact head of damage being claimed must be examined under the applicable statutory coverage.

The Guarantee Account should not be treated as an unlimited compensation fund for every financial consequence of a traffic accident.

Where injuries are serious, medical evidence should determine whether the claimant has permanent impairment and whether additional compensation rights exist against other responsible persons.

What If the Guarantee Account Rejects the Claim?

A rejection does not necessarily mean that no further remedy exists.

The claimant should first determine the exact reason.

A dispute may concern:

Whether the Accident Falls Within Guarantee Account Coverage

Whether the Vehicle Was Actually Uninsured

Whether an Unidentified Vehicle Caused the Accident

Fault

Medical Causation

Permanent Disability

Income

Compensation Calculation

Missing Documentation

The Guarantee Account’s own FAQ materials also recognize applications made against it before the Insurance Arbitration Commission, confirming that arbitration disputes involving the Account do occur.

The appropriate remedy should be determined according to the specific rejection.

Can You Apply to the Insurance Arbitration Commission?

Potentially, subject to the applicable legal and procedural requirements.

The Guarantee Account’s official FAQ specifically refers to applications brought against the Account before the Insurance Arbitration Commission.

Therefore, where a qualifying claim is rejected or disputed, insurance arbitration may be one of the possible remedies.

The claimant should preserve the original application, supporting documents, correspondence and written rejection.

Is There a Time Limit for Guarantee Account Claims?

Yes.

Guarantee Account and traffic accident compensation claims are subject to limitation rules.

The applicable deadline can depend on matters such as:

Accident Date

Nature of the Injury

Date the Damage Became Known

Whether the Accident Also Constitutes a Criminal Offence

Type of Compensation

Identity or Non-Identity of the Responsible Vehicle

The general Road Traffic Law limitation framework and potentially longer criminal limitation periods can become relevant depending on the accident.

Claimants should therefore avoid delaying an application merely because they believe they have several years available.

Why Should You Apply Quickly?

The legal limitation period is only one consideration.

Evidence may disappear much sooner.

For example:

CCTV Can Be Overwritten

Witnesses Can Become Unreachable

Vehicles Can Be Repaired

Police Evidence Can Become Harder to Obtain

Foreign Medical Records Can Become Fragmented

Hit-and-run cases are particularly sensitive because identifying the responsible vehicle may depend on evidence available only shortly after the collision.

What Are the 2026 Guarantee Account Compensation Limits?

The Guarantee Account states that payments are limited by the compulsory insurance coverage applicable according to the date of the risk.

For 2026, SEDDK’s compulsory traffic insurance limits include:

Property Damage: TRY 400,000 per vehicle

Property Damage: TRY 800,000 per accident

Health Expenses: TRY 3,600,000 per person

Permanent Disability and Death: TRY 3,600,000 per person.

For Guarantee Account claims, however, the fact that a general compulsory insurance table includes property-damage limits should not be interpreted as meaning that every Guarantee Account scenario covers property damage. The Account’s statutory coverage must still be established for the particular case.

What Is Important About the 2026 Legal Framework?

For 2026 claims, two developments deserve particular attention.

First, the compulsory traffic insurance bodily injury limit has increased to TRY 3.6 million per person, compared with TRY 2.7 million previously. SEDDK announced that the increased limits apply to existing compulsory insurance contracts without requiring an additional premium.

Second, on 14 January 2026, a Constitutional Court decision concerning a dispute involving the Guarantee Account was published. The Guarantee Account’s official summary explains that the decision addressed differing judicial interpretations in traffic compensation litigation and emphasized that divergence in case law does not automatically constitute a constitutional-rights violation.

Accordingly, claimants should rely on the current 2026 framework rather than older online information when assessing Guarantee Account compensation.

What Are the Most Common Mistakes in Guarantee Account Claims?

A potentially valid claim can become much more difficult because of procedural or evidentiary mistakes.

Common problems include:

• assuming every uninsured-driver loss is covered;
• failing to verify insurance status;
• failing to report a hit-and-run promptly;
• losing CCTV evidence;
• submitting incomplete medical documentation;
• using an inappropriate disability report;
• failing to document income;
• ignoring fault disputes;
• failing to preserve foreign medical records; and
• assuming that the maximum coverage limit equals the amount automatically payable.

The claim should be prepared around the specific statutory reason that makes the Guarantee Account responsible.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account

1. What is the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account?

The Guarantee Account is a statutory non-profit institution established under Insurance Law No. 5684. It provides compensation within its legally defined scope where specified compulsory insurance protection is unavailable.

2. Can I claim if the driver who caused the accident has no insurance?

Potentially, yes. The Guarantee Account specifically identifies bodily losses caused by uninsured vehicles among the situations within its protection.

3. Can I claim after a hit-and-run if the driver cannot be found?

Potentially, yes. Qualifying bodily losses caused by an unidentified vehicle can fall within the Guarantee Account framework.

4. Can I claim permanent disability compensation?

Potentially, yes. Permanent disability compensation is one of the principal categories handled by the Guarantee Account, subject to the statutory conditions, medical evidence and applicable coverage limits.

5. What is the 2026 permanent disability and death coverage limit?

For 2026, the compulsory traffic insurance limit for permanent disability and death is TRY 3,600,000 per person. The amount is a coverage ceiling rather than an automatic payment.

6. Can a foreign tourist apply to the Guarantee Account?

Potentially, yes. Foreign nationality does not itself prevent a qualifying compensation claim arising from a traffic accident in Turkey.

7. Does the Guarantee Account automatically pay for damage to my vehicle?

No. Claimants should not assume that ordinary property damage is covered merely because the responsible vehicle is uninsured or unidentified. The Guarantee Account’s official description of these categories focuses on bodily losses.

8. What documents are required for permanent disability compensation?

The current official list includes accident documentation, the applicable medical board report, epicrisis and treatment records, forensic examination documentation, social security records, income evidence where available, and a power of attorney if represented.

9. Can I challenge the Guarantee Account if my claim is rejected?

Potentially, yes. Depending on the legal and procedural circumstances, further remedies may include proceedings before the Insurance Arbitration Commission or other appropriate legal action. The Guarantee Account’s own FAQ expressly refers to arbitration applications brought against it.

10. Can I pursue my Guarantee Account claim after leaving Turkey?

Potentially, yes. A foreign claimant may authorize a Turkish lawyer to handle relevant proceedings, subject to appropriate power-of-attorney and document formalities.

Legal Support for Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account Claims

A traffic accident victim should not assume that compensation becomes impossible merely because the responsible driver has no insurance or cannot be identified.

The Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account can provide an important statutory protection mechanism for qualifying bodily injury and death claims, but its coverage is not unlimited. The accident circumstances, insurance status, fault, medical evidence, permanent disability, applicable compensation limits and identity of other responsible persons should all be examined before a claim is submitted.

This is particularly important for foreign accident victims. Overseas medical treatment, foreign income documentation, family records, translations and powers of attorney can make a Guarantee Account claim considerably more complex.

Our law office provides professional legal assistance concerning Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account claims, uninsured driver accidents, hit-and-run accidents, permanent disability compensation, fatal traffic accidents, loss-of-support claims, rejected Guarantee Account applications and foreign accident victims in Turkey.

Fırat Fesih Kaya assists Turkish and foreign accident victims with evaluating Guarantee Account eligibility, preparing compensation applications, reviewing medical and income evidence, challenging disputed fault assessments and determining whether additional claims can be pursued against drivers, vehicle operators, owners or other responsible parties.

Foreign tourists, residents and international employees injured in Turkey may contact our law office for a case-specific legal assessment. Correctly identifying the available compensation mechanism from the beginning can help prevent procedural mistakes and loss of compensation rights.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yıldırım Tower No: 148, 06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey

For professional legal support concerning Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account compensation claims in 2026, you may contact our law office for an individual assessment of Guarantee Account eligibility, required documentation, permanent disability or death compensation, arbitration options and additional legal remedies.