Is the insurance expert report too low or incorrect in Turkey? Learn how policyholders can object to an insurance expert report, request a second expert and arbitrator expert, challenge damage calculations and demand additional insurance compensation in 2026.

An insurance expert report can have a major financial impact on an insurance claim in Turkey, but an unfavorable expert report does not automatically determine the final compensation payable to the policyholder. If the report undervalues a vehicle, excludes necessary repairs, applies incorrect depreciation, ignores hidden damage, uses inaccurate market comparisons or otherwise calculates the insured loss incorrectly, the policyholder, insured person or beneficiary may have legal mechanisms to challenge the findings and seek a new valuation. This issue became particularly important in 2026 because Turkey introduced a new Insurance Adjusters Appointment Regulation (Sigorta Eksperleri Atama Yönetmeliği) establishing a structured objection procedure. Under the current framework, the insurer, insured, policyholder or person benefiting from the insurance contract may object to an expert’s findings within three business days following the relevant notification that the expert report has been entered into the expert-report system. Following an objection, another expert can be appointed through EKSİST. (Mevzuat)

Why Is the Insurance Expert Report So Important?

Insurance experts play an important role in determining the cause, nature and financial extent of insured damage. Their findings can influence how much the insurer offers for vehicle repairs, total-loss compensation, property restoration, machinery damage, stock losses and other insured losses. However, the expert’s calculation should be distinguished from the ultimate legal question of what the insurer actually owes under the policy. A policyholder may therefore challenge factual assumptions, technical conclusions and valuation methods used in the report.

Is an Insurance Expert Report Binding on the Policyholder?

Not necessarily. The fact that an expert has calculated damage at a particular amount does not mean that the policyholder must accept that figure without examination. The report is important technical evidence, but errors can be challenged through the objection mechanisms available under the current insurance framework and, where the dispute continues, through insurance arbitration or court proceedings. The 2026 appointment framework expressly recognizes the ability of relevant parties to object to an expert’s findings and provides for another expert to be appointed. (Mevzuat)

What Changed in Turkey in 2026?

The 2026 reform is particularly important for anyone challenging an insurance valuation. The new framework provides a structured expert appointment and objection system through EKSİST. It also requires insurance policies to inform policyholders, insured persons and beneficiaries that they may appoint an expert themselves. The new rules therefore strengthen the procedural position of claimants who disagree with the insurer’s initial damage assessment. (Mevzuat)

How Long Do You Have to Object to the Expert Report?

This is one of the most important points in the entire process. Under Article 8 of the current Insurance Adjusters Appointment Regulation, an objection to the expert’s findings may be made within three business days. The period begins with notification to the relevant parties that the expert report has been entered into the expert-report system maintained by the Insurance Information and Monitoring Center. (Mevzuat) This is an extremely short period. A policyholder who receives notification should therefore review the valuation immediately rather than waiting several weeks to decide whether the amount appears reasonable.

Who Can Object to the Insurance Expert Report?

The current framework permits an objection by the insurer, the insured person, the policyholder or a person benefiting from the insurance contract. (Mevzuat) This is significant because the objection mechanism is not reserved exclusively for the insurance company. An insured person who believes that their loss has been materially undervalued can directly use the statutory procedure where the relevant requirements are satisfied.

What Happens After an Objection?

When an objection is filed under the applicable procedure, another insurance expert is appointed through EKSİST. (Mevzuat) The second expert should independently examine the file and prepare another assessment. The objection should therefore clearly identify the deficiencies in the original report. Simply stating that “the valuation is too low” is generally less persuasive than demonstrating precisely why particular calculations or technical conclusions are incorrect.

Can You Object to the Second Expert Report?

Yes. The 2026 system provides another important mechanism. After notification that the report prepared by the expert appointed following the objection has been entered into the system, either party may request appointment of a hakem eksper, or arbitrator expert, within another three-business-day period. (Mevzuat) This creates a structured sequence: initial expert report → objection → second expert → request for arbitrator expert.

What Is an Arbitrator Expert?

Under the current regulation, the arbitrator expert must be selected from insurance experts who have actually practiced in the relevant branch for at least ten years. The appointment is made through EKSİST. (Mevzuat) The purpose is to provide an experienced expert assessment where the initial and objection-stage valuations remain disputed.

Is the Arbitrator Expert Report Final?

Under the 2026 expert appointment procedure, yes: the regulation states that the report prepared by the arbitrator expert is accepted as the final expert report within that expert-report process. (Mevzuat) However, “final expert report” should not be confused with a final judicial judgment. If the policyholder and insurer still disagree about the legal amount of compensation, the underlying insurance dispute may potentially proceed through the appropriate dispute-resolution mechanism.

How Quickly Must the New Expert Prepare the Report?

The regulation establishes relatively short deadlines. An expert appointed following an objection and an arbitrator expert must generally conduct the file review and prepare the report within three business days for motor vehicle insurance and ten business days for other insurance branches, calculated from appointment. (Mevzuat) This accelerated procedure is designed to prevent expert disputes from unnecessarily delaying settlement of insurance claims.

How Should You Review the Original Expert Report?

The report should be examined line by line rather than only checking the final amount. The claimant should determine what property was inspected, what damage was recognized, what damage was excluded, what repair method was assumed, what market prices were used, what depreciation was applied and whether any deductible, salvage value or underinsurance calculation reduced the final amount. A large difference in compensation is often caused by several smaller assumptions hidden inside the calculation.

What Are the Strongest Grounds for Objecting?

A strong objection identifies specific factual or technical errors. Examples include omitted damage, incorrect market value, unsuitable comparable vehicles, inaccurate repair costs, unsupported depreciation, incorrect labour rates, failure to include necessary replacement parts, improper salvage calculations, incorrect measurements, failure to consider hidden damage and use of outdated market prices. The objection should connect each error to its financial effect on the claim.

Can You Object Because the Expert Ignored Hidden Damage?

Yes. Hidden damage is a frequent problem, particularly in motor vehicle, machinery and property claims. A vehicle may initially appear to have superficial collision damage, but dismantling can reveal structural or electronic damage. Similarly, a fire may cause internal electrical deterioration that cannot be identified through a superficial visual inspection. If the original expert report failed to account for technically demonstrable damage caused by the insured event, this can provide a significant basis for objection.

What If the Expert Uses the Wrong Vehicle Market Value?

This is one of the most common grounds for valuation disputes. Assume the expert determines that a total-loss vehicle was worth TRY 1,400,000 immediately before the accident. Comparable vehicles with equivalent model year, mileage, equipment and condition are actually selling around TRY 1,750,000. The TRY 350,000 difference should not simply be accepted because it appears in the expert report. The objection should demonstrate why the selected comparables were inappropriate and present more accurate market evidence.

Comparable Vehicles Must Actually Be Comparable

A vehicle with 60,000 kilometres should not necessarily be valued by relying heavily on examples with 180,000 kilometres. Likewise, trim level, optional equipment, accident history, maintenance condition, model year and engine specification can materially affect market value. An objection should therefore attack the methodology rather than simply presenting several expensive online advertisements.

What If the Expert Uses Incorrect Repair Prices?

Repair-cost disputes frequently arise when an expert uses labour or component prices that do not reflect reasonable market costs. The policyholder may obtain quotations from authorized or specialist repair facilities to demonstrate the actual restoration cost. In commercial cases, manufacturer quotations and specialist technical service estimates may be particularly persuasive.

Repair or Replacement Can Make a Major Difference

An insurer’s expert may conclude that a damaged component can be repaired for TRY 100,000 while a technical specialist concludes that safe restoration requires replacement costing TRY 300,000. The disagreement is not merely about price. It concerns the technically appropriate restoration method. A strong objection should therefore explain why replacement is necessary, supported by engineering or manufacturer evidence where appropriate.

What If the Expert Applies Excessive Depreciation?

Depreciation should not simply be accepted as an arbitrary percentage. The policy terms, nature of the insured property and applicable valuation principles should be examined. Where an expert applies a substantial depreciation deduction without adequate justification, the claimant should request the calculation methodology and challenge assumptions that do not reflect the actual insured loss.

What If the Expert Says Damage Existed Before the Accident?

Pre-existing damage allegations require evidence. Maintenance records, inspection reports, previous photographs and service documents may demonstrate the condition of the insured property before the event. In vehicle cases, previous damage history can be compared with the location and nature of the new accident damage. In industrial insurance, maintenance records can demonstrate that machinery was operational before the insured event.

Can You Challenge an Expert Report for Lack of Independence?

Potentially. Insurance experts are required to perform their professional duties impartially. Traditional insurance-expert rules expressly recognize impartiality as a fundamental professional obligation, and conflicts capable of undermining independence can create serious issues concerning the report. (LEXPERA) An objection based on lack of independence should nevertheless identify concrete circumstances rather than simply alleging that the expert “works for insurance companies.”

Can the Policyholder Appoint Their Own Insurance Expert?

The current 2026 framework expressly recognizes this possibility. Insurance policies must contain information explaining that an expert can also be appointed by the insured, policyholder or person benefiting from the insurance contract. (Mevzuat) This is an important practical protection because claimants do not have to rely exclusively on the insurer’s initial approach to damage determination.

Who Pays the Expert Fee?

A significant 2026 change concerns the first expert report. According to the implementation information announced concerning the new system, from April 1, 2026, the fee for the first expert report is borne by the insurance company across insurance branches regardless of whether the initial expert was appointed by the insurer, insured, beneficiary or policyholder. (TOBB) The cost position for subsequent expert stages should be assessed according to the applicable rules and circumstances.

What Is EKSİST?

EKSİST is the electronic system used for insurance expert appointments under the new framework. The 2026 procedure increasingly standardizes appointments and objections through this system, reducing the ability of the parties simply to select valuations informally. The system is designed to facilitate structured, traceable and more objective expert appointments.

Does the New Procedure Apply Only to Vehicle Insurance?

No. The regulation addresses both motor vehicle insurance and other insurance branches, although specific appointment procedures and deadlines can differ. For example, the objection-stage expert generally has three business days in motor vehicle cases and ten business days in other branches to prepare the file-based report. (Mevzuat)

Vehicle Value-Loss Claims Have Special Importance

Vehicle diminution-in-value claims have also been subject to specific expert procedures. Current rules provide for objections to the appointed expert’s report within three business days following EKSİST notification, followed by appointment of another expert. A further objection can lead to an arbitrator expert, whose report is treated as final within that expert process. (LEXPERA) Foreign vehicle owners and accident victims should therefore pay particular attention to the electronic notification date.

What Documents Should Be Attached to an Objection?

The most useful documents depend on the dispute. In a vehicle case they may include accident photographs, repair quotations, authorized service records, comparable vehicle evidence, maintenance history and technical reports. Property claims may require contractor quotations, architectural plans, invoices and engineering reports. Machinery claims can require maintenance records, manufacturer documentation, technical inspection results and replacement quotations. The objection should contain evidence capable of changing the disputed calculation.

Should You Obtain a Separate Technical Specialist Report?

Sometimes an insurance expert needs support from a specialist discipline. A structural dispute may require a civil engineer. Machinery failure may require a mechanical or electrical engineer. Business equipment may require manufacturer expertise. The goal is to demonstrate technically why the original expert’s assumption is wrong. A second report that merely gives a different number without explaining the methodology is much less useful.

What If the Expert Report Ignores Business Interruption Loss?

Physical damage and business interruption are often separate components of an insurance claim. A technical expert may determine the physical repair cost while accountants or financial experts calculate lost profits or other interruption losses. A policyholder should therefore verify whether the report was actually intended to determine every insured loss. An apparently complete property-damage report may not resolve the business-interruption component at all.

What If the Insurer Pays According to the Low Expert Report Before the Objection Is Resolved?

Receiving an undisputed payment does not necessarily mean the policyholder must abandon the remaining claim. The claimant should be careful about signing any release or final-settlement document. If TRY 2 million is paid while the claimant maintains that TRY 3 million is legally due, the disputed TRY 1 million may potentially remain recoverable depending on the circumstances.

Should You Sign a Settlement After Receiving the Expert Report?

Not without understanding its consequences. The insurer may offer immediate payment in exchange for a document stating that the claim has been fully and finally settled. If the expert report materially undervalues the damage, signing a broad release can complicate the subsequent dispute. The policyholder should distinguish between receiving an undisputed payment and legally abandoning the remaining claim.

Can You Demand Additional Compensation After a New Valuation?

Potentially, yes. If the new expert assessment demonstrates that the insured loss is higher than the original valuation, the policyholder can demand the difference from the insurer subject to policy coverage and applicable legal rules. For example, if the first valuation was TRY 800,000 and the properly supported loss is TRY 1,150,000, the additional claim may concern the TRY 350,000 difference.

Can Interest Be Claimed on the Difference?

Potentially. If insurance compensation has become due and the insurer has failed to pay the full amount, the remaining compensation may also carry applicable default interest. The correct commencement date and rate depend on the insurance relationship and applicable law. Consequently, a valuation dispute should not necessarily focus exclusively on the principal amount.

What If the Insurer Refuses to Accept the New Valuation?

The dispute may need to move beyond the expert appointment procedure. The claimant can consider the appropriate insurance dispute-resolution route, which may include the Insurance Arbitration Commission or court proceedings depending on the policy, insurer and circumstances. A favorable expert report can become important evidence, but the ultimate compensation dispute may still require a legal decision.

Can You Apply to the Insurance Arbitration Commission?

Potentially. Insurance arbitration provides a specialized mechanism for eligible disputes between insurance claimants and insurers. The claimant generally needs to satisfy the preliminary application requirements before proceeding. If the central dispute concerns an undervalued loss, the claimant should submit the original expert report, objection-stage material, subsequent expert assessments and documents proving the correct loss.

Can a New Expert Be Appointed During Insurance Arbitration?

Technical disputes before the Insurance Arbitration Commission may require additional expert examination. The Commission explains that eligible files passing preliminary review are referred to independent insurance arbitrators, who ordinarily have four months to resolve the dispute unless the parties agree in writing to an extension. (Sigorta Tahkim) Therefore, failure to obtain a satisfactory result during the insurer’s claims-adjustment process does not necessarily mean that the original valuation becomes unchallengeable in the subsequent legal dispute.

Do Not Confuse an Expert-Report Objection with an Objection to an Arbitration Decision

These are entirely different procedures. An objection to an insurance expert report concerns technical damage findings and, under the current appointment system, can involve the three-business-day objection periods described above. An objection to a decision issued by an insurance arbitrator is a legal remedy against the arbitration decision itself. The Insurance Arbitration Commission currently states that eligible objections to arbitration decisions must be filed within 10 days following notification of the decision. (Sigorta Tahkim) Confusing these deadlines can result in loss of important rights.

What Are the 2026 Arbitration Appeal Thresholds?

The Commission currently states that arbitration decisions concerning disputes of TRY 35,000 and above may be challenged once through the Commission’s objection procedure, while objection decisions concerning disputes above TRY 383,000 may be subject to further appeal to the Court of Cassation. The applicable monetary threshold is determined according to the threshold in force when the underlying arbitration application was filed. (Sigorta Tahkim) These thresholds should always be checked at the relevant filing date because they are periodically updated.

Can You Go Directly to Court?

Depending on the insurance relationship, nature of the dispute and applicable procedural rules, court proceedings may also be available. In litigation, the insurer’s original expert report can be challenged and judicial expert evidence may become necessary. The court is not simply required to accept the insurer’s original valuation because the insurer relied on it when paying or rejecting the claim.

What If the Court-Appointed Expert Also Undervalues the Damage?

That report can also potentially be challenged under the applicable procedural rules. A party may identify missing evidence, methodological errors, contradictions or issues outside the expert’s expertise and request additional examination or, where justified, a new expert assessment. This is separate from the 2026 EKSİST objection procedure applying to insurance adjuster reports during the insurance process.

Foreign Policyholders Can Also Challenge Expert Reports

Foreign nationality does not prevent an insured person or beneficiary from challenging an insurance valuation in Turkey. A foreign homeowner, investor, company, vehicle owner or other entitled claimant can dispute an expert report where the applicable policy and Turkish legal framework permit the claim. Foreign policyholders should obtain a clear explanation of technical Turkish terminology appearing in the expert report before accepting the valuation.

Example: Total-Loss Vehicle Is Undervalued

A foreign vehicle owner suffers a major accident in Turkey. The expert values the vehicle at TRY 1,600,000. Comparable vehicles with the same year, trim, mileage and equipment demonstrate a market value around TRY 2,000,000. The claimant should immediately examine the notification date and, where the current procedure applies, use the three-business-day objection mechanism. The objection should identify the unsuitable comparables and provide stronger market evidence rather than merely asserting that the vehicle was worth more.

Example: Factory Fire Damage Is Underestimated

A factory suffers major fire damage. The first expert determines the covered physical loss at TRY 12 million. Independent engineering evidence indicates that heat exposure has permanently damaged electrical systems and production machinery, increasing the reasonable restoration cost to TRY 18 million. The company should identify each omitted component, explain the causal relationship with the fire and support the objection with technical evidence. The dispute may therefore concern an additional TRY 6 million rather than merely dissatisfaction with the report.

Example: Insurer Refuses Necessary Replacement

An insured industrial machine is damaged by a covered electrical event. The expert concludes that a component can be repaired for TRY 700,000. The manufacturer states that the damaged component cannot safely be repaired and must be replaced at a cost of TRY 1.6 million. The objection should attach the manufacturer’s technical position and demonstrate why the original repair assumption is unsafe or technically unrealistic.

Example: Hidden Vehicle Damage Is Discovered

An expert initially calculates collision damage at TRY 350,000. During dismantling, the authorized repair facility discovers chassis and electronic damage increasing the repair cost to TRY 620,000. The repairer should photograph the newly discovered damage immediately and document why it resulted from the accident. That evidence should be incorporated into the objection or additional valuation process without delay.

What Makes an Expert-Report Objection Strong?

The strongest objection does not say “I disagree with the expert.” It says “The expert’s calculation is wrong for these identifiable technical and financial reasons.” Every disputed item should ideally be connected to evidence: damaged component → original expert calculation → reason the calculation is incorrect → supporting technical evidence → correct amount → resulting compensation difference. This approach makes the objection substantially easier for a second expert, arbitrator expert, insurance arbitrator or court to evaluate.

2026 Legal Position in Turkey

The 2026 framework significantly strengthens and formalizes the procedure for challenging insurance expert valuations. Under the current Insurance Adjusters Appointment Regulation, relevant parties may object to an expert’s findings within three business days following the prescribed notification. A new expert is then appointed through EKSİST. After notification of the second report, a party may request an arbitrator expert within another three-business-day period, and the arbitrator expert’s report is treated as the final report within that expert procedure. (Mevzuat) The practical consequence is extremely important: policyholders should no longer assume that an insurer-appointed valuation must simply be accepted. But they must act quickly. A potentially valuable objection can be lost if the claimant ignores the short notification-based deadline. The safest strategy is therefore to review the report immediately, identify every technical and valuation error, gather contrary evidence and use the available objection mechanism before deciding whether further insurance arbitration or litigation is necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I object to an insurance expert report in Turkey?

Yes. Under the current 2026 framework, the insurer, insured, policyholder and persons benefiting from the insurance contract may object to relevant expert findings. (Mevzuat)

2. How long do I have to object?

The current expert appointment regulation provides a three-business-day objection period, beginning with the prescribed notification that the expert report has been entered into the relevant system. (Mevzuat)

3. What happens after I object?

Another expert is appointed through EKSİST to examine the disputed findings. (Mevzuat)

4. Can I object to the second valuation?

The current procedure allows a party to request an arbitrator expert within three business days following notification concerning the second report. (Mevzuat)

5. Is the arbitrator expert’s report final?

It is treated as the final report within the expert appointment procedure. That does not necessarily mean that every underlying legal dispute with the insurer is judicially concluded.

6. Can I appoint my own insurance expert?

The 2026 framework expressly recognizes that insured persons, policyholders and beneficiaries may also appoint an expert, and insurers must include information about this right in their policies. (Mevzuat)

7. What if the expert valued my total-loss vehicle too low?

The valuation can be challenged with genuinely comparable market evidence addressing model year, mileage, equipment, condition and other factors affecting pre-loss market value.

8. Can I demand additional compensation after obtaining a higher valuation?

Potentially, yes. If the correct covered loss exceeds the amount paid by the insurer, the outstanding difference may potentially be claimed together with applicable ancillary claims.

9. Can I challenge the valuation through insurance arbitration?

Potentially, where the dispute falls within the Insurance Arbitration Commission’s jurisdiction and the applicable preliminary requirements have been satisfied.

10. Is objecting to an expert report the same as appealing an insurance arbitration decision?

No. They are separate procedures. The current expert-report objection process can involve a three-business-day deadline, while the Commission states that an eligible objection against an insurance arbitrator’s decision must be filed within 10 days of notification. (Sigorta Tahkim)

Legal Support for Challenging Insurance Expert Reports in Turkey

An incorrectly prepared insurance expert report can reduce compensation by hundreds of thousands or even millions of Turkish lira. The most important issues are often incorrect market value, omitted damage, excessive depreciation, unsuitable repair methodology, underestimated labour or component costs, hidden damage and incorrect technical assumptions.

Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office provides legal assistance to Turkish and foreign policyholders in disputes involving incorrect insurance expert reports, underpaid claims, total-loss valuations, vehicle damage, property and fire insurance, machinery losses, commercial insurance and business-interruption claims.

Fırat Fesih Kaya can assess the original expert report, identify technical and legal grounds for objection, evaluate whether a second or arbitrator expert should be requested and pursue additional compensation through the appropriate insurance dispute procedure where necessary.

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