Türkiye is introducing major regulatory changes in private health insurance, expanding consumer rights while narrowing the policy coverage scope, according to a new decree published on Monday.
According to the regulation, published in the Official Gazette, policyholders who meet certain conditions will gain the right to renew their private health insurance under the same plan for life.
Once insurers provide this lifetime renewal guarantee, they will no longer be able to narrow coverage, increase premiums or alter co-payment rates for the insured individual.
The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency (SEDDK) regulation introduces a new article on "transfer procedures," allowing insured individuals to carry their earned rights and benefits when switching from one insurance company to another.
This marks a major shift, as switching providers often meant losing accrued benefits.
Additionally, if the insured makes changes within the same plan, their lifetime renewal guarantee and existing rights will remain protected.
The revised framework also restricts the "waiting period" – the time that must pass before certain illnesses or conditions are covered – to only the initial insurance period.
For renewals under the same plan, the waiting period will no longer apply. If the policyholder switches insurers, the previous waiting period will still be recognized by the new company.
Meanwhile, travel health insurance and sickness insurance policies have been excluded from the scope of the private health insurance regulation, which will now cover only individual and group private health plans.
The regulation also clarifies that co-payments required under the Social Security Institution (SGK) cannot be included within private insurance coverage, a move expected to standardize reimbursement practices across the industry.
The new rules will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, with existing policies continuing under their current terms and conditions until then.
