Around 42% of homes across Türkiye remain without compulsory earthquake insurance, despite more than 25 years of efforts by the Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool (DASK) to expand coverage and strengthen financial protection against disasters.

DASK currently provides compulsory earthquake insurance for 58% of homes nationwide, with 11.7 million insured properties. The figures come as Türkiye marks 27 years since the devastating Aug. 17, 1999, Marmara earthquake, which prompted the establishment of DASK in 2000.

The Aug. 17, 1999, Marmara earthquake, centered in Kocaeli's Gölcük district, struck at 3:02 a.m. with a magnitude of 7.4 and lasted 45 seconds. The disaster killed 17,480 people and injured 43,953 others, while leaving nearly 200,000 people homeless and destroying 66,441 homes and 10,901 businesses, according to a 2010 parliamentary commission report.

The scale of the disaster highlighted the financial vulnerability of households facing major earthquakes and contributed to the establishment of DASK in 2000. Since then, subsequent disasters, including the Feb. 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, have continued to underscore the importance of financial protection against earthquake losses.

DASK policies provide coverage against earthquakes as well as fires, explosions, landslides and tsunamis directly caused by earthquakes.

The Marmara region has the country's highest compulsory earthquake insurance rate at 65%, followed by eastern Anatolia at 64% and southeastern Anatolia at 63%. The Aegean and Mediterranean regions have a combined rate of 59%, while central Anatolia stands at 51%. The Black Sea region has the lowest rate at 45%.

Since beginning operations in 2000, DASK has recorded 1,397 damaging earthquakes and received 867,275 claims. The highest number of earthquakes occurred in 2020, with 175 tremors, while 2021 followed with 123.

The highest number of claims was recorded in 2023, when DASK received 653,081 notifications, largely reflecting the impact of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. A further 76,431 claims were recorded in 2020.

DASK Secretary-General Balkır Demirkan said the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes represented the largest disaster faced by the institution since its establishment and provided an important test for DASK, the wider insurance sector and the state.

"We handled 540,000 files in nine months and paid TL 39 billion ($814 million) in claims,” Demirkan said, describing the operation as an important institutional experience.

He said the total financial damage caused by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes reached approximately $104 billion, with around $5.5 billion covered by the insurance sector. Of that amount, approximately $1.6 billion was covered within DASK's capacity.

Demirkan said DASK's current 58% coverage rate remains far below its ultimate objective of 100%.

"Our goal is 100%. We will not be satisfied until we reach 100% and will continue working,” he said.

He noted that broader insurance coverage would strengthen Türkiye's ability to secure financing from international markets following a major earthquake, while a larger insurance pool would allow more losses to be covered at a lower cost.

Demirkan said insurance rates differ significantly across Türkiye, largely reflecting public awareness and the frequency of earthquakes.

"Insurance coverage is higher in places that experience earthquakes frequently and lower in places where earthquakes are less common,” he said.

He pointed to areas such as Konya and the Black Sea region, where earthquakes are relatively infrequent, saying residents are less likely to purchase earthquake insurance or renew their policies.

Demirkan also highlighted the proposed Compulsory Disaster Insurance (ZAS) system, which would expand the existing model to cover other frequently occurring hazards such as floods, hail and fires.

DASK is also preparing a five-year projection focused on improving its operations and expanding access to insurance.

Demirkan said the institution was working on integrating artificial intelligence into both policy-production and claims processes, with several pilot projects already underway.

The objective is to enable DASK to assess damage and compensate policyholders more quickly, effectively and accurately following a disaster.

The institution is also working with regulatory authorities on ways to make insurance products more accessible and easier to purchase.

Demirkan urged uninsured homeowners to obtain policies and existing policyholders to renew them without interruption, stressing that earthquakes cannot be predicted.

"Our current capacity is at a level that can comfortably cover a possible Marmara earthquake,” he said, while emphasizing that continuous renewal is essential to ensure households remain protected when disaster strikes.