Warning to some insurance companies from the Consumers Union

Mahmut Şahin, Chairman of the Consumers Union, said that insurance companies have the right not to take action in 11 provinces that were devastated by earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş.

Emphasizing that insurance companies have to take action for anyone who wants to in cities where there is no destruction, Şahin said, “It is not right, it is wrong to avoid motor insurance because of the possibility of an earthquake in a city that has not been damaged, it is wrong. Insurance companies do not have such a right.” said.

Emphasizing that there is a legal arrangement in the law on this issue, Şahin said:

“The Law No. 6502 on the Protection of Consumers states this very clearly. It says that sellers and providers of goods and services, individuals and institutions can never avoid selling them. There is no earthquake in Kayseri right now, there is no earthquake in Yozgat, there is an earthquake in Ankara. There is no such practice as not having motor insurance because there is a risk of an earthquake here.”

Emphasizing that those who encounter such a situation should file a complaint with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance or CIMER, Şahin made the following assessment:

“Let’s say the consumer applied to a company for insurance, but the company said that they could not do the insurance. In such a case, the company should be asked in writing why the insurance will not be made. If the process is documented in this way, the company may have to compensate for any negative consequences that may occur. Our consumers should know that they have rights in this regard. “The Ministry of Treasury and Finance will not leave such a situation unanswered. There is no such thing as avoiding a sale.”

Şahin noted that after the earthquake, many people applied for insurance from the Natural Disaster Insurance Institution (DASK).

Şahin, who also warned those who will take out TCIP insurance, said:

“When we talked to insurance companies, we realized that consumers were missing something in this regard. We heard that there were consumers who agreed to reduce the square meter so that the premium would not be high. For example, a citizen living in a 150 square meter house says 50 square meters to his house so that the premium will be low. However, in a possible demolition, 50 square meters of payment will be made. Insurance companies pay back the construction cost per square meter in areas where demolition is in question. For example, the construction cost of a 150 square meter house is 400 thousand TL, and its market value is 1 million TL. The insurance company reimburses the consumer for the construction cost. In this regard, the Treasury and “The Ministry of Finance has the authority to intervene. It can make the payment over the market value. We will see that in the coming days.”