Atilla Benli, President of the Insurance Association of Turkey (TSB) and General Manager of Turkey Insurance, said that they started working in the region after the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş.
Benli stated that the insurance rate in the cities where disasters took place was between 17-20 percent and the rate of insurance of the Natural Disaster Insurance Institution (DASK) was 49 percent, and continued as follows:
“There are regions with higher rates throughout Turkey. Of course, the insurance rate is not enough for a country like Turkey. There are a total of 66 thousand damage files after the earthquake. Our industry took measures regarding these files very quickly. It finished the damage operations and made a serious payment. In the first determination, we calculated that a total of 76 billion liras were paid to the private sector insured. Approximately 2.5-3 billion of this has been paid.”
“We will have to pay approximately 1 billion liras for life insurance”
Benli stated that information about life insurances will be shared with the sector from the Insurance Information Center and people will not need to apply, adding, “We will have to pay approximately 1 billion liras for life insurances. Since the Insurance Information Center will download the data collectively, there will be no need for notification. The data of 44 thousand people are mentioned. “The information will be combined with the information of the insurance companies and will be ready to be paid to the beneficiaries and heirs. Our insurance companies are ready, we are doing our transactions in the back, paying without waiting for the notices.” he said.
“We aimed to complete our damage operations and files by the end of April”
Talking about the situation of the damaged vehicles in the earthquake area, Benli said, “There are vehicles that cannot be recognized from the earthquake area. We identify these from their plates and chassis numbers, our experts and damage personnel, we open our files directly and try to reach our insured and pay them. Apart from this, there are direct notifications. There are also direct reports. We have progressed a lot. As Türkiye Sigorta, we aimed to complete our claims operations and files by the end of April. We expect the insurance industry to be able to pay for all claims at a rate of 95 percent, including commercial ones, by the end of June.” used the phrases.
“There is a 4-5 percent increase in both natural disaster and housing and motor insurance”
Benli pointed out that the interest in insurance increased in the disaster area and throughout Turkey in the post-earthquake period, and said:
“Currently, there is a 4-5 percent increase in both natural disaster, housing and motor insurance insurance compared to before the earthquake. When life returns to normal after the state of emergency, this figure will increase even more in this region. These figures are reflected throughout Turkey. There, too, an increase of 3-4 percent. Of course, this is not enough. In a country like Turkey, 20-30 percent insurance rates are low. Natural disaster insurance is a compulsory insurance, it should be 100 percent. However, such as optional housing insurance, automobile insurance, workplace packages, loss of profit, business interruption. For all insurance rates, we need to exceed 50 percent. A rate below 50 percent is truly a failure in terms of insurance for a country like Turkey. In developed countries, especially in natural disaster insurance, the insurance sector covers 45 percent of the damage caused by natural disasters. In our country, this is around 3-5 percent. The fact that this state is more burdened causes the citizens to have great difficulties in transitioning to their economic life after such a disaster.”
Türkiye Insurance’s post-earthquake activities
Benli stated that as Türkiye Sigorta they gathered the crisis desk in line with the post-earthquake emergency action plan, “First, we reached out to our friends in the region and provided support. We placed them in a safe place. Then first of all, in coordination with AFAD and Kızılay, they received 5 million cash for emergencies. We also received around 5 million non-cash aid. As the Türkiye Sigorta family, we mobilized and collected 4 trucks of aid and sent them to the earthquake zone. Afterwards, in the One Heart campaign, we, as Turkey Insurance and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik companies, provided a support of 2 billion TL. We also took measures for our agencies operating in this region. We immediately sent our disaster relief aid. Afterwards, we provided facilities for them to continue their work.” he said.
Explaining that they have increased the number of notification channels so that earthquake victims can reach the damage centers with a single click, Benli said, “We have created our processes to provide rapid damage service in our bank channels. We sent our friends to the region for damage operation with our mobile damage centers. We, as Türkiye Sigorta, donated buildings and goods for the houses donated by philanthropic citizens within the framework of the Let Your Home Be Your Home campaign. We decided to make their insurance free of charge. At the moment, as Türkiye Sigorta, we are making the insurance of the campaign of My Home Is My Home free of charge.” used the phrases.
Benli stated that there are iftar and sahur programs in the disaster area every day in one province, “We have entertainment for our citizens and children who stay in tents. We are also establishing a tent city. We will establish a very comfortable tent city consisting of 180 families in an area shown by AFAD in Kahramanmaraş. We will spend the Eid with earthquake victims there, too, during the Eid al-Fitr.” said.
