What Is DASK? Compulsory Earthquake Insurance and What to Know When Buying a Home

When buying a home in Türkiye you will often hear an abbreviation: DASK. It refers to the compulsory earthquake insurance (ZDS) run by the Natural Catastrophe Insurance Institution. This article gives, in one place, what you need to know as a buyer.

Why is DASK needed?

There is a compulsory earthquake insurance requirement for homes in Türkiye. In practice, two places concern the buyer:

• Title deed transaction. At the title deed office, a valid DASK policy is requested during the transfer. Without a policy the transaction cannot be carried out.
• Utility subscriptions and renewal. The policy is annual and must be renewed every year. Forgetting to renew causes problems when damage occurs.

In the process we make sure the DASK policy is ready before title deed day; this is one of the steps in our foreign buyer guide.

What does DASK cover?

DASK covers structural damage to the building: earthquake, fire resulting from an earthquake, explosion, landslide and similar. There is a statutory upper limit of cover, and that limit is updated; verify the current amount on DASK's website.

What does DASK not cover?

• Your belongings (furniture, white goods).
• Indirect losses such as loss of rent and temporary accommodation.
• Building damage above the statutory limit.

For these gaps there is supplementary earthquake insurance, bought from private companies. If you have bought an expensive villa or duplex, check whether the statutory limit is enough.

What does the policy price depend on?

The DASK premium depends on the following factors:

1. The building's construction type (reinforced concrete, masonry, etc.).
2. Its age and number of floors.
3. The home's floor area.
4. The earthquake risk class of the region.

That is why the premium differs for a 19-year-old apartment and an apartment in a new project. You can calculate the current premium on DASK's website.

Practical notes for foreign buyers

• The policy is issued with the property's details (address, UAVT code); a wrong address causes problems.
• The name on the policy should match the person who will be written on the title deed.
• Record the policy number and date to remind yourself of the renewal.
• In older buildings, look at building safety together with DASK: building age, occupancy permit, is there an urban transformation decision?

DASK and building safety are not the same thing

DASK provides financial compensation if damage occurs; it does not increase the building's earthquake resistance. Before buying, looking at the building's year of construction, its design and the ground survey provides the real safety. In new projects this information is on the project pages, for example Nefes Corner and Meridien Nova.

For the full list of cost items, see our purchase cost calculator.

Sources: dask.gov.tr · tkgm.gov.tr · afad.gov.tr