Insurance sold together with goods or services can no longer be made a condition of a purchase or rental in Türkiye, under a new regulation published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) on Thursday, 12 November, Sigorta Dünyası, Foreks, TC Lira and Kapsam Haber reported.
The Regulation on Integrated Insurance (Bütünleşik Sigortalar Hakkında Yönetmelik) was prepared by the insurance and private pension regulator SEDDK and took effect on publication in issue 33428, the outlets said.
No price penalty for saying no
Customers who decline the add-on cover cannot be charged a higher price, and the other terms of the sale cannot be changed to their disadvantage, Foreks, TC Lira and Kapsam Haber reported. The insurance may be offered at the point of sale or within 14 days of the contract, according to Foreks and TC Lira.
The annual gross premium for such a policy cannot exceed the gross monthly minimum wage in force in the first six months of the coverage year, Sigorta Dünyası, Foreks and TC Lira reported. SEDDK’s board can lower this ceiling by up to half or raise it by up to double depending on the product or service, the three outlets said. Cover can last for a maximum of two years, or be aligned with an extended warranty period, according to the same outlets.
When the premium is collected together with the price of the product, it must be shown separately on the payment document, Sigorta Dünyası and Foreks reported.
Cancelling the cover
Customers must be able to cancel remotely, using the same channel through which they bought the policy, and cancellation cannot be made harder than signing up, Sigorta Dünyası and Foreks reported. If the main sale or service contract is withdrawn, cancelled or terminated, the linked insurance ends automatically without any penalty or compensation, according to Sigorta Dünyası, Foreks and Kapsam Haber.
What can and cannot be bundled
Permitted cover includes breakage, loss, theft, fire or malfunction of products, pet insurance, cancellation or interruption of travel, transport, accommodation, events or subscriptions, cyber security and short-term vehicle rental, Sigorta Dünyası, Foreks and TC Lira reported. Visa and residence permit insurance, and certain life, debt and personal accident policies linked to bank loans, are also allowed under set conditions, the three outlets said.
Compulsory insurances, home and workplace insurance, compulsory earthquake insurance, agricultural, construction, transport and legal protection insurance, and savings-linked products cannot be sold in this way, according to Sigorta Dünyası and Foreks. Companies must notify SEDDK at least one month before starting bundled sales, the two outlets reported.
Foreign residents can read more in our explainer on health insurance for foreign residents.
Sources
- Bütünleşik sigortalara yeni düzenleme: Alışverişte sigorta şartı getirilemeyecek (Sigorta Dünyası)
- Sigorta satışlarına yeni düzenleme: Alışverişte sigorta zorunlu tutulamayacak (Foreks / ForInvest)
- Bütünleşik sigortalarda yeni dönem… Tüketiciye zorunlu satışa yasak geldi (TC Lira)
- 12 Kasım Resmî Gazete Kararları: Sigortada Yeni Kurallar (Kapsam Haber)
- Bütünleşik Sigortalar Yönetmeliği Resmi Gazete’de yayımlandı (Sigorta Gündem)
Photo: Mimar77 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
