New era in traffic insurance begins on July 1: Rules for depreciation and parts replacement updated

New regulations affecting damage, depreciation, parts replacement, and compensation processes in traffic insurance will come into effect as of July 1, 2026. The communiqué titled "General Conditions Regarding Amendments to the General Conditions of Compulsory Financial Liability Insurance for Highway Motor Vehicles" by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency (SEDDK) was published in the Official Gazette on June 12.

With the new provisions, applications for post-accident depreciation, parts to be used in repairs, compensation conditions for heavily damaged vehicles, and situations where insurance companies can exercise the right of recourse against the insured have been reorganized.

WHAT DOES THE NEW REGULATION BRING?

According to the regulation, a claimant who applies to an insurance company due to damage to their vehicle following a traffic accident will be considered to have filed a claim for depreciation even if they do not make a separate application. The insurance adjuster will also indicate the depreciation incurred by the vehicle in the damage report. Insurance companies will notify the claimant of the calculated depreciation amount within the business day following the receipt of the final adjuster report.

Rules regarding the use of parts in vehicle repairs have also been detailed. If the repair of the damaged original part is not possible, priority will be given to replacing it with an original part. However, if the vehicle owner gives consent or if an original part cannot be obtained, an equivalent or reusable part may be used.

In cases where the damaged part is not original, priority will be given to a reusable or equivalent part. If these options are not possible, an original part may be used. Insurance companies will be obliged to prove that the use of an equivalent part is possible. Furthermore, if an increase in the value of the vehicle occurs due to the parts used, this difference cannot be deducted from the compensation.

A new condition has also been introduced for compensation payments for heavily damaged vehicles. In order for payments to be made for vehicles determined to be heavily damaged by an adjuster report, the registration document stamped "withdrawn from traffic" (trafikten çekilmiştir), which shows that the vehicle has been withdrawn from traffic, must be submitted. Compensation payments cannot be made without the presentation of this document.

The communiqué also redefined the situations in which insurance companies can exercise the right of recourse against the insured. Except for mandatory situations such as the driver leaving the scene due to safety concerns or going to a health institution for the treatment of the injured, insurance companies will be able to demand the compensation they have paid from the insured if the accident scene is abandoned or if the preparation of documents such as the accident report and alcohol report is prevented.

In the new regulation, the definition of "durable data storage" has also been added to the general conditions. Systems established via text message, e-mail, mobile applications, e-Government, and the Insurance Information and Monitoring Center will be among the official notification tools in traffic insurance processes.