Property damaged by an earthquake in Turkey? Learn what DASK covers, when additional property insurance may pay, how building and contents damage are calculated, and how foreign property owners can challenge rejected or underpaid earthquake insurance claim.

An earthquake can cause losses far beyond the compensation available under Turkey’s compulsory earthquake insurance system. A property owner may face structural damage, complete destruction of the building, damaged furniture and equipment, rental income loss, temporary accommodation expenses, debris-removal costs and other financial consequences. The most important point for property owners is that DASK and private additional earthquake insurance are not the same protection. DASK’s Compulsory Earthquake Insurance primarily protects the insured building within the applicable statutory insurance amount. It does not compensate every financial consequence of an earthquake. Private insurance may provide additional protection for the portion of the building value exceeding DASK coverage and, depending on the policy, contents or other losses. For substantial earthquake losses, the correct compensation strategy therefore begins by determining separately what DASK must pay and what may be claimed from the private insurer.

What Is DASK in Turkey?

DASK is the Natural Catastrophe Insurance Institution responsible for Turkey’s Compulsory Earthquake Insurance system. Under Law No. 6305 and the applicable Compulsory Earthquake Insurance General Conditions, qualifying residential buildings and independent sections are subject to compulsory earthquake insurance. The system also covers certain independent sections located in residential buildings even when those sections are used as shops, offices or similar businesses. However, buildings used entirely for commercial or industrial purposes are outside compulsory DASK coverage. (DASK)

What Does DASK Cover?

DASK covers direct material damage to the insured building caused by an earthquake and damage caused by earthquake-related fire, explosion, tsunami and landslide, subject to the insured amount and applicable conditions. Both total and partial building damage may fall within the protection. (DASK)

Which Parts of the Building Are Covered?

The protection can extend to foundations, main walls, common walls separating independent sections, garden and retaining walls, ceilings and floors, stairs, elevators, landings, corridors, roofs, chimneys and similar complementary parts of the structure. (DASK)

Does DASK Cover the Market Value of the Property?

No. This is one of the most important misconceptions concerning earthquake insurance in Turkey. DASK should not be treated as insurance guaranteeing the property’s real-estate market price. Its insurance amount is calculated according to the statutory tariff methodology and reconstruction principles rather than the sale price of the apartment. The value of the land is not included in the DASK insurance calculation.

Why Can the Property Be Worth Much More Than the DASK Compensation?

A residential property may have a market value of TRY 15 million, TRY 30 million or considerably more because the price includes the location and land component. DASK compensation is not intended to replace that market value. Consequently, the fact that an apartment was purchased for TRY 20 million does not mean that DASK must pay TRY 20 million if the building is destroyed.

DASK Coverage Has a Maximum Framework

The applicable DASK insurance amount is determined according to the current tariff, property size and construction type and remains subject to the statutory maximum framework. The tariff effective for 2026 was published on 31 December 2025 and introduced updated premium rules based on seven risk groups and two construction categories. Fixed amounts under the tariff are also subject to monthly adjustment using the applicable domestic producer price index mechanism. (DASK)

Why Should 2026 Claims Be Calculated Using the Actual Policy?

Property owners should avoid relying on an old article stating a historical fixed DASK limit. The DASK framework now contains indexation mechanisms, and the amount applicable to a particular loss should be determined from the policy and tariff applicable to that claim. For this reason, the actual policy schedule and earthquake date are essential when calculating compensation.

Does DASK Cover Furniture and Personal Belongings?

No. DASK does not cover movable property, household contents or similar belongings. (DASK) A homeowner whose building and furniture are both destroyed may therefore have a DASK building claim but no DASK compensation for televisions, furniture, appliances, computers, jewelry or other personal property.

Can Private Home Insurance Cover Contents?

Potentially, yes. A private home or property policy containing appropriate earthquake protection may cover categories outside DASK, depending on its wording. The private policy should therefore be examined separately to determine whether household contents and other assets are insured against earthquake damage.

Does DASK Cover Debris Removal?

No. Debris-removal expenses are expressly outside DASK coverage. (DASK) However, private insurance may potentially provide such protection where the relevant coverage exists.

Does DASK Cover Temporary Accommodation?

No. Alternative accommodation expenses are outside compulsory DASK coverage. (DASK) A homeowner forced to rent another property after an earthquake should therefore examine whether private insurance contains alternative accommodation or similar additional-expense protection.

Does DASK Cover Rental Income Loss?

No. Rental deprivation is expressly outside DASK coverage. (DASK) This is particularly important for investment-property owners who depend on rental income.

Can Private Insurance Cover Rental Loss?

Potentially, depending on the policy. Some private insurance structures may provide protection for rental-income loss or similar financial consequences. The insured should check the exact coverage, indemnity period, sub-limit and triggering conditions rather than assuming that such loss is automatically included.

Does DASK Cover Business Interruption?

No. Business interruption and profit loss are outside compulsory DASK protection. (DASK) Businesses therefore need to examine private commercial property and business-interruption policies for these financial consequences.

Does DASK Cover Bodily Injury?

No. Death and bodily injury are outside DASK property coverage. Likewise, moral damages are excluded. (DASK) These losses may involve completely different legal or insurance claims.

What Is Additional Earthquake Insurance?

Private insurers may provide earthquake protection beyond the compulsory DASK layer. Under the DASK regulatory framework, where the reconstruction value of a qualifying property exceeds the compulsory insurance amount, the portion above the DASK amount may be insured through voluntary earthquake insurance, provided the compulsory insurance requirement has been satisfied. (DASK)

Why Is Additional Insurance Important?

Consider an apartment whose relevant reconstruction value substantially exceeds the amount insured through DASK. A serious earthquake can create a large uninsured difference if the owner has no private earthquake coverage. Additional insurance can potentially address that gap, subject to the private policy’s terms and limits.

DASK and Private Insurance Can Work Together

The existence of private insurance does not necessarily eliminate DASK’s role. In qualifying properties, DASK generally provides the compulsory layer, while private insurance can provide additional protection above that amount or for other categories of loss. The policies should therefore be coordinated rather than treated as competing alternatives.

Example: Building Damage Exceeds DASK Coverage

Assume an insured apartment suffers severe earthquake damage and the legally determined insured building loss exceeds the amount payable under the applicable DASK layer. If the homeowner also purchased adequate private earthquake coverage, the amount exceeding the DASK protection may potentially fall within the private policy, subject to its limits, deductibles and other provisions.

Does DASK Apply to Commercial Properties?

The answer depends on the building. An independent shop or office situated within a building constructed as residential property can fall within the compulsory system. However, buildings used entirely for commercial or industrial purposes are excluded from compulsory DASK coverage. (DASK)

What About a Factory?

A building used entirely for industrial purposes is outside compulsory DASK coverage. (DASK) Factory owners should therefore examine commercial property and voluntary earthquake insurance rather than assuming that DASK protects the industrial building.

What About a Hotel?

Whether DASK applies cannot be answered merely by describing the property as a “hotel.” The building’s legal and actual characteristics and the statutory coverage rules must be examined. Entirely non-residential buildings fall outside the compulsory DASK framework, making private earthquake insurance particularly important.

What About an Office Inside an Apartment Building?

An independent section used as a shop, office or similar workplace inside a qualifying residential building can fall within compulsory earthquake insurance. (DASK) This distinction is important for foreign investors who purchase commercial units on the ground floors of residential developments.

Does DASK Cover Partial Damage?

Yes. The building does not need to collapse completely. Partial earthquake damage can fall within DASK protection. (DASK) Cracking, structural damage and other covered physical losses should therefore be documented even where the building remains standing.

What If the Building Is Declared Heavily Damaged?

An administrative heavy-damage classification is highly important but should not automatically be confused with the final insurance compensation calculation. Insurance liability still needs to be determined according to the policy, insured amount, actual covered damage and applicable insurance provisions.

What If the Building Must Be Demolished?

Where earthquake damage makes demolition necessary, the insurance claim can become substantial. DASK liability remains governed by its applicable insurance amount and conditions. Additional private coverage should then be examined for amounts or categories of loss outside the compulsory protection.

Can DASK Apply to Earthquake-Related Fire?

Yes. DASK covers material building damage caused not only directly by earthquake but also by earthquake-related fire, explosion, tsunami and landslide within the applicable coverage framework. (DASK)

What If a Gas Explosion Occurs After the Earthquake?

Where the explosion results from the earthquake and causes covered building damage, it may fall within the earthquake insurance framework. Technical causation may become important if the insurer argues that the explosion was unrelated to the earthquake.

Earthquake-Related Landslide Damage

Damage caused by landslide resulting from an earthquake is included within the DASK framework. Again, the causal connection between the earthquake and landslide may become important where disputed.

What Damage Is Not Covered by DASK?

In addition to contents and indirect financial losses, DASK excludes damage unrelated to earthquake or the specified earthquake consequences. Damage arising over time solely from the building’s own defects or characteristics without connection to a particular earthquake event is also excluded. (DASK)

What If the Insurer Says the Cracks Existed Before the Earthquake?

This is a common causation dispute. The insurer or expert may argue that cracks resulted from age, settlement, corrosion or defective construction rather than the earthquake. Pre-earthquake photographs, building records, previous expert reports and post-earthquake engineering evidence can become crucial.

Pre-Existing Damage Must Be Distinguished From New Damage

Insurance is not intended to repair unrelated deterioration that existed before the earthquake. However, the existence of some previous defects does not automatically establish that all post-earthquake damage is pre-existing. Engineers may need to distinguish old cracking from fresh earthquake-related structural damage.

What If the Earthquake Makes an Existing Defect Worse?

These cases can become particularly complicated. The insurer may attempt to attribute the entire condition to the pre-existing defect, while the owner argues that the earthquake materially increased the damage. Technical evidence concerning causation and the extent of earthquake-related deterioration can become decisive.

What Is the DASK Deductible?

Under the Compulsory Earthquake Insurance General Conditions, a deductible equal to 2% of the insurance amount applies to each loss. DASK is responsible for the portion exceeding that deductible. For deductible purposes, losses occurring within each 72-hour period are treated as one event. (DASK)

Why the 72-Hour Rule Matters

Earthquakes are frequently followed by significant aftershocks. The DASK conditions treat damage occurring within each 72-hour period as one loss for deductible purposes. (DASK) This can affect how the deductible is calculated where several tremors cause progressive damage.

Private Policies Can Have Separate Deductibles

Additional earthquake insurance may contain its own deductible or co-insurance structure. The DASK deductible should not automatically be assumed to be the only deduction applicable to the entire insurance recovery.

What Is Underinsurance?

Underinsurance becomes relevant when the insured amount under a private policy is lower than the value that should have been insured according to the applicable contractual framework. Depending on the policy, this can result in proportional reduction of compensation.

Example of Underinsurance

Suppose the relevant insured building value under a private policy should be TRY 10 million but only TRY 5 million was insured. An earthquake causes TRY 4 million of qualifying partial damage. Depending on the policy and applicable rules, the insurer may seek a proportional reduction rather than paying the entire TRY 4 million.

Inflation Can Create Serious Underinsurance

Rapid construction-cost increases can make insured values obsolete. A property adequately insured several years ago may now cost substantially more to reconstruct. Property owners should therefore examine insured values at renewal rather than relying indefinitely on historical amounts.

What If the Private Insurer Values the Damage Too Low?

The insurer’s expert assessment is not necessarily the final determination. The property owner can obtain independent engineering reports, reconstruction estimates, contractor quotations and other evidence demonstrating the actual covered loss.

Can You Challenge a DASK Damage Assessment?

A policyholder who believes the earthquake damage has been incorrectly assessed should preserve the damage evidence and challenge the valuation through the appropriate procedures. The disagreement should be specific: which building elements were omitted, which damage was incorrectly classified as pre-existing and which reconstruction costs were undervalued?

Do Not Repair Everything Before Documenting the Damage

Emergency safety measures should obviously be taken when necessary. However, non-urgent repairs should be comprehensively documented beforehand. Photographs, videos, engineering assessments and official damage reports can become important where the insurer later disputes whether particular damage resulted from the earthquake.

Official Damage Assessments and Insurance Assessments Are Different

An official administrative assessment concerning whether a building is slightly, moderately or heavily damaged serves a different purpose from calculating contractual insurance compensation. Property owners should not assume that one automatically determines the other.

Can the Insurer Rely Solely on an Administrative Classification?

The insurer must determine its contractual liability under the applicable insurance framework. Administrative findings can be important evidence, but the insurance policy and actual covered physical loss remain central to compensation.

What If the Apartment Is Uninhabitable but Not Destroyed?

DASK may respond to qualifying physical building damage, but alternative accommodation costs themselves are outside DASK coverage. (DASK) A private home insurance policy should therefore be examined for temporary accommodation protection.

Can Lost Rent Be Claimed From DASK?

No. Rental deprivation is specifically excluded from DASK. (DASK) Private coverage or other legal claims should be examined where the owner loses rental income.

Example: Foreign Investor Loses Rental Income

A foreign investor owns an apartment rented for TRY 50,000 per month. An earthquake makes the apartment unusable for eight months. DASK may compensate qualifying physical building damage within its coverage, but it does not compensate the TRY 400,000 rental-income loss. Whether that financial loss is insured depends on any additional private policy.

Foreign Property Owners Have DASK Rights

Foreign nationality does not itself prevent a qualifying property from being insured under the compulsory earthquake system or prevent an entitled owner from claiming compensation. The key issues are the insured property, policy and legal entitlement rather than nationality.

What If the Foreign Owner Is Outside Turkey?

Being abroad does not automatically eliminate insurance rights. However, the owner should ensure that damage is reported, evidence is preserved and inspections are coordinated promptly. A representative in Turkey may be necessary where legal or insurance procedures require local action.

What If the Property Was Purchased Shortly Before the Earthquake?

The relevant insurance policies and ownership circumstances at the time of the insured event should be examined. Purchase price and market value should not be confused with the DASK insurance amount.

What If the DASK Policy Contains Incorrect Property Information?

Incorrect square meter, construction type or other policy information can create disputes concerning the insurance amount and premium. The effect of the incorrect information must be examined according to the nature of the error and applicable insurance rules rather than assuming automatically that the entire claim is invalid.

Can the Private Insurer Say “DASK Must Pay First”?

The relationship between DASK and additional insurance should be determined according to the policy structure and applicable regulatory framework. Private earthquake coverage for a qualifying residential property is generally designed with the compulsory DASK layer in mind. The claimant should therefore calculate each insurer’s responsibility rather than submitting the same undifferentiated loss to both.

Double Compensation Is Not Permitted

Property insurance is based on indemnifying the insured loss rather than allowing the claimant to profit from the event. The existence of DASK and private insurance does not mean that the owner can recover the same portion of damage twice.

What If DASK Pays but the Private Insurer Rejects the Remaining Claim?

The private insurer’s rejection should be examined independently. DASK’s payment may establish that earthquake-related physical damage occurred, but private coverage can involve separate exclusions, deductibles, valuation rules and limits. The rejection letter and policy should therefore be reviewed together.

What If DASK Pays Too Little?

The first step is identifying why the payment is lower than expected. The difference may result from the statutory insurance amount, deductible, damage percentage or valuation methodology. A genuine underpayment dispute should be distinguished from a situation where the owner expected DASK to cover losses that legally fall outside its scope.

Example: Owner Confuses Market Value With Insured Loss

An apartment has a market value of TRY 12 million. After an earthquake, the owner expects compensation based on TRY 12 million. This expectation may be incorrect because the land and market-location value are not the basis of DASK compensation. The correct analysis focuses on the insured building and applicable insurance amount.

Example: Contents Are Destroyed

An earthquake severely damages an apartment and destroys TRY 1 million worth of furniture and electronics. DASK can potentially respond to qualifying building damage but not the movable contents. The owner should examine any private home insurance for the contents loss.

Example: Building Damage Plus Temporary Accommodation

An apartment becomes uninhabitable for six months. The owner pays substantial rent elsewhere. DASK may compensate qualifying building damage but not alternative accommodation expenses. Additional private insurance must be checked for that expense.

Example: Building Damage Plus Lost Rent

A landlord’s apartment cannot be rented for a year following earthquake damage. DASK does not cover rental deprivation. The owner should determine whether additional insurance contains an appropriate rental-loss provision.

Can Interest Be Claimed on Delayed Earthquake Compensation?

Potentially. Where insurance compensation has legally become due and payment is improperly delayed, applicable default-interest rules may become relevant. The default analysis can differ depending on the insurer, claim and applicable insurance framework, so the claim chronology should be preserved carefully.

What Documents Should Property Owners Preserve?

The DASK policy, additional insurance policies, title deed records, photographs and videos, official damage reports, engineering assessments, expert reports, repair quotations, invoices and all correspondence concerning the claim should be retained. Where contents are insured privately, purchase documentation and inventories should also be preserved.

Why Pre-Earthquake Photographs Are Valuable

Photographs taken before the earthquake can demonstrate the property’s previous condition. This can be particularly useful where the insurer alleges that cracks or structural problems existed beforehand.

Independent Engineering Evidence Can Be Crucial

Large earthquake claims frequently involve disputes concerning whether a building should be repaired or reconstructed and whether damage was caused by the earthquake or previous structural deficiencies. Independent structural engineering evidence can therefore materially affect the compensation dispute.

Can an Earthquake Insurance Claim Go to Insurance Arbitration?

Depending on the insurer, nature of the claim and applicable arbitration framework, private insurance disputes may potentially be pursued through insurance arbitration. DASK-related procedures and private insurer disputes should not automatically be treated as procedurally identical.

Can a Lawsuit Be Filed?

Where the applicable requirements are satisfied, judicial remedies may be available for disputed earthquake insurance compensation. Complex cases can require structural engineering, construction-cost and insurance expertise.

What Should Property Owners Do Immediately After an Earthquake?

Personal safety and compliance with public-authority instructions come first. Once safe access is possible, the owner should document damage extensively, notify the relevant insurer or insurers, preserve pre-earthquake evidence, obtain copies of official assessments and avoid unnecessary destruction of evidence. DASK and private insurance should be notified separately where both policies may respond.

Do Not Submit Only a DASK Claim If Additional Insurance Exists

A major mistake is concentrating entirely on DASK while overlooking private insurance. The property owner should obtain every policy covering the building and determine whether additional earthquake, contents, accommodation, rental-loss or other protection exists.

Do Not Assume DASK Covers Everything

DASK expressly excludes movable property, profit loss, business interruption, rental deprivation, alternative accommodation, debris-removal expenses, bodily injury and moral damages. (DASK) These exclusions make additional private insurance especially important for property owners seeking broader protection.

2026 Strategy for Earthquake Property Insurance Claims in Turkey

For earthquake losses in Turkey in 2026, the strongest approach is to divide the claim into separate compensation layers. First, determine whether the property falls within compulsory DASK coverage and calculate the qualifying physical building damage under the applicable policy and current tariff. Second, identify losses that exceed the compulsory layer and examine any voluntary earthquake or home insurance. Third, separately identify contents, temporary accommodation, rental-income loss, debris removal and other losses that DASK expressly excludes. Fourth, obtain independent technical evidence where the insurer disputes causation, damage severity or reconstruction cost. Finally, compare every payment with the policy rather than with the property’s market sale price. In practical terms, the recovery strategy should be: identify DASK coverage → document structural damage → calculate the compulsory insurance layer → identify the remaining reconstruction loss → review private earthquake coverage → identify contents and additional losses → challenge incorrect expert assessments → pursue unpaid compensation and applicable ancillary claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does DASK pay the full market value of a destroyed apartment?

No. DASK does not insure the property’s real-estate market price. Compensation is governed by the statutory insurance amount and applicable coverage rules.

2. Does DASK cover furniture and household contents?

No. Movable property and household contents are outside DASK coverage. Additional private insurance should be checked.

3. Does DASK cover temporary accommodation after an earthquake?

No. Alternative accommodation expenses are excluded from compulsory DASK coverage.

4. Can a landlord claim lost rental income from DASK?

No. Rental deprivation is expressly outside DASK coverage. Private insurance may potentially provide additional protection depending on the policy.

5. Does DASK cover earthquake-related fire?

Yes. Qualifying building damage caused by earthquake-related fire, explosion, tsunami and landslide falls within the compulsory coverage framework.

6. Can private earthquake insurance pay more than DASK?

Potentially, yes. Private voluntary earthquake insurance can provide coverage for the portion of qualifying property value above the compulsory DASK layer and may provide other protections depending on the policy.

7. Does DASK apply to factories?

Buildings used entirely for commercial or industrial purposes are outside compulsory DASK coverage. Appropriate private commercial earthquake insurance should therefore be examined.

8. Can I challenge a low earthquake damage assessment?

Yes. Independent structural engineering reports, reconstruction estimates, photographs and other evidence may be used to challenge an inadequate assessment.

9. Can foreign property owners claim DASK compensation?

Yes. Foreign nationality does not itself prevent an entitled property owner from pursuing compensation for a qualifying insured property.

10. Can interest be claimed if earthquake insurance compensation is delayed?

Potentially. Where compensation has become due and payment is improperly delayed, applicable default-interest claims should be considered according to the specific insurance relationship.

Legal Support for Earthquake Property Insurance Claims in Turkey

Earthquake insurance disputes can involve several separate layers of compensation. DASK building damage, additional private earthquake insurance, contents damage, reconstruction costs, rental losses and other financial consequences should not be confused with one another.

Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office provides legal assistance to Turkish and foreign property owners concerning DASK-related earthquake claims, private earthquake insurance disputes, rejected or underpaid compensation, disputed expert assessments and additional property insurance claims.

Fırat Fesih Kaya can assess the DASK and private insurance policies, determine which losses fall within each layer of coverage, evaluate damage and valuation disputes and pursue outstanding insurance compensation through the appropriate legal procedure.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile Phone: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yildirim Tower, Balgat, Cankaya / Ankara, Turkey