DASK in Turkey: The Compulsory Earthquake Insurance Step Every Foreign Owner Must Complete

DASK in Turkey: The Compulsory Earthquake Insurance Step Every Foreign Owner Must Complete If you are buying property in Turkey, there is one small policy that quietly controls whether your purchase can even close: DASK, the compulsory earthquake insurance issued through the Doğal Afet Sigortaları Kurumu (Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool). It is not an optional add-on you arrange "later" — without a valid DASK policy you cannot transfer the tapu (title deed) and you cannot open electricity, water or natural-gas subscriptions in your name. This guide walks through the paperwork in the order a foreign buyer actually meets it. Why DASK is a legal gate, not a recommendation DASK is mandatory under Law No. 6305 on Disaster Insurance. It applies to every residential building registered in the land registry within municipal boundaries — and foreigners carry exactly the same obligation as Turkish citizens. The land registry office checks for a current policy before it will complete a transfer, so a missing or lapsed DASK is one of the most common reasons a closing stalls at the last minute. If you are still mapping out the wider transaction, our Buying Your First Property in Alanya: A Step-by-Step Guide for Foreign Buyers sets the full sequence in context, and the currency-clearance step in our The DAB Certificate Explained: How Foreign Buyers Clear Turkey's Currency Rule Before Tapu usually runs in parallel with arranging insurance. The process, step by step

The premium itself is not negotiable — it follows the official Compulsory Earthquake Insurance Tariff, which prices a square-metre rate by construction type and multiplies it by the gross floor area, then adjusts for the building's earthquake risk group (seven groups under the 2018 hazard map). For 2026 the maximum sum insured per dwelling is 2,095,462 TL. What DASK does — and does not — do DASK covers earthquake-related structural damage to the building, up to that annual cap. It does not cover your contents and furnishings, loss of rent, or any damage above the cap. It is also not a structural-safety certificate: a policy proves the dwelling is insured, not that it complies with the 2018 Turkish Building Earthquake Code. Treat the building licence and the iskan (occupancy permit) as separate items on your due-diligence list — and keep the same paperwork discipline you would apply to confirming who can legally hold and pass on the asset, as covered in our Can Foreigners Own and Inherit Property in Turkey? Ownership Limits, Heirs and Title Rules (2026). Keeping it valid DASK is an annual policy. Let it lapse and you can be blocked from future tapu transactions and utility changes. From 1 January 2026 existing policies must be amended to the new 2,095,462 TL limit; policies left on the old figure are paid at the previous cap (around 1.7 million TL) at claim time. Renewing on schedule — and updating the sum insured — is the simplest way to keep both your protection and your paperwork in order. Frequently asked questions Do I really need DASK as a foreign owner before I can take the tapu? Yes. Under Law No. 6305 every residential property registered in the land registry within municipal limits must carry a valid DASK policy, and foreigners are held to the same rule. The registry will not complete the transfer, and utilities will not connect, without it. What is actually covered if an earthquake damages my apartment? DASK pays for structural earthquake damage to the building up to the 2026 maximum of 2,095,462 TL. Contents, furnishings, loss of rent and any damage above the cap are not covered and require a separate voluntary policy. Does holding DASK mean my building is earthquake-safe? No. DASK is financial insurance, not a structural certificate. You still need to verify the building licence and iskan occupancy permit and confirm the building was built to the 2018 Turkish Building Earthquake Code.