Attention vehicle owners: Major change in mandatory traffic insurance
Renewal, new policy issuance, and post-accident step applications for mandatory traffic insurance have been updated.
12punto
An important circular regarding traffic insurance, which concerns millions of vehicle owners in Turkey, has been published.
With the circular, various regulations have been implemented for those purchasing new vehicles, changing their vehicles, and renewing their insurance.
IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR THOSE PURCHASING NEW VEHICLES
Previously, drivers who purchased a new vehicle without selling their existing one would start their traffic insurance at the 4th step. This situation penalized accident-free drivers while providing an advantage to drivers who had been involved in accidents. For example, while a driver who had not been in an accident would pay premiums starting from the 4th step when purchasing a new vehicle despite being at the 8th step, drivers with accident records at the 1st step were automatically upgraded to the 4th step for their new vehicle.
With the new regulation, the traffic insurance for drivers purchasing new vehicles will be applied based on their current no-claims step. For example, if a vehicle is purchased while at the 8th step, the new policy will start from the 8th step, not the 4th.
However, the rule has not changed for high-risk drivers at the 1st step; their insurance for new vehicles will still start from the 1st step.
For drivers who sell their current vehicle and purchase a new one, no changes have been made; they will continue based on their existing steps.
ATTENTION DRIVERS RENEWING POLICIES EARLY
Previously, drivers who renewed their traffic insurance before the maturity date were not affected in their steps if they had an accident before the new policy came into effect. With the new regulation, the no-claims steps of drivers who renew early and have an accident before the policy takes effect will drop by one step at the next renewal.
RIGHTS OF ACCIDENT-FREE DRIVERS PROTECTED
The new application secures the rights of accident-free drivers while eliminating the advantages previously provided to drivers with accident records.
The effective date of the circular has been set as January 1, 2026.