Attention vehicle owners! A new era in insurance started today

An important change has been implemented today in traffic insurance and car insurance, which covers material damages in the event of a possible accident. Under normal circumstances, vehicles are totaled after an accident and these amounts are paid to the drivers by the insurance company . As of today, it will be difficult to total damaged vehicles.

In 2024, 51 thousand 774 vehicles with comprehensive insurance and 37 thousand 777 vehicles with traffic insurance were written off. In other words, 4 out of every 100 vehicles with comprehensive insurance and 3 out of every 100 vehicles with compulsory traffic insurance are written off.

Generally, when low-cost vehicles are involved in an accident, if the financial compensation amount is high, the insurance company may choose to total the vehicle, or if the driver says, "I had an accident, I've grown tired of the vehicle, I don't want to use it anymore," the insurance company may total the vehicle in order not to lose the customer.

'WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE DRIVER MADE A DEAL, THE VEHICLE COULD BE WRONGED'

As of today, the conditions for vehicles to be totaled have changed. So how will the new period be? Evaluating the details on the subject to milliyet.com.tr, the President of the Consumer Confederation Insurance Commission (TÜKONFED) Turusan Bağcı made the following statements: “There is a totalization story in the car insurance policy. Previously, when insured vehicles were damaged in traffic, sometimes even if the damage was 30-40% depending on the accident, the insurance company could write the vehicle off or the insured would say, ‘this vehicle is damaged, I won’t drive it, write it off’. In other words, when the insurance company and the insured reached an agreement, the car could be written off.

'PERT REGISTERED VEHICLES CAN BE SOLD BY TENDER'

Experts usually did this job, but not all jobs could be done through experts. In other words, if the insurance company and the insured agreed, the vehicle could be totaled. There were even tender platforms that insurance companies agreed on for these totaled vehicles. These vehicles could be priced through tenders and purchased from the insurance company. Afterwards, those who bought the vehicle could have it repaired and put back on the market.

WHAT WILL BE THE NEW SYSTEM?

So what will happen now? The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency (SEDDK) has introduced a new regulation. Accordingly, if the repair cost of the damaged vehicle is not more than 60 percent of the market value of the vehicle, no repair will be made. In other words, if the vehicle has serious damage exceeding 60 percent of the market value, this vehicle will be considered as serious damage and can then be written off.

'THERE IS AN EXCEPTION IN THE NEW TERM PERT REGISTRATION'

For example, if the market value of a vehicle is 1 million TL and the repair and maintenance cost is over 600 thousand TL, this vehicle will be written off. However, there is an exceptional situation. The chassis of the vehicle has slipped, it has rolled over, the roof has failed, the airbags have exploded, the electronic parts and critical parts have been damaged. In this case, even if the damage rate is below 60 percent, it will still be considered severely damaged.

'IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO WRONG THE VEHICLE'

In other words, damages below 60% will not be declared as totaled by the insurance company. The insured will not be able to say, "I can now declare this as totaled." This situation may cause dissatisfaction among the insured. This was being abused a lot. SEDDK issued such a regulation. It has become difficult to declare the vehicle as totaled from now on.

'THE AGREEMENT PERIOD BETWEEN THE INSURED AND THE COMPANY HAS ENDED'

The expert will definitely determine the value of the vehicle. The agreement period between the insured and the insurance company has ended. So how will these things happen? In vehicles with total damage, the insurance company will not be able to pay the damage until the scrap registration document is delivered to the insurance company.

HOW WILL I BE PAID FOR A WRECKED VEHICLE?

Similarly, after the document for withdrawal from traffic is submitted to the company for a severely damaged vehicle, the damage will be paid to the insured. There has been no change in the sales method of a total and severely damaged scrap vehicle. In other words, those who want to buy these scrap vehicles will be able to do so. The practice has started as of today.”