The September tariff for compulsive traffic insurance has come into effect, and premiums have increased by approximately 2 percent compared to the previous period. With the new regulation, accident history and risk levels are further increasing their decisive influence on costs, and the premium difference between drivers in the riskiest group and those who have not had an accident for many years can reach up to 6 times.

Car Premiums Soar in Major Cities

In the new tariff, premium calculations are directly shaped according to the driver’s risk level, accident history, vehicle type, and the city where it is registered. According to the Insurance Information and Monitoring Center (SBM) data, the premium for a car owner in Istanbul who is entering the system for the first time or who is in the standard fourth risk level is determined to be 19,405 Turkish Lira.

For drivers who have dropped to the highest risk level, ie, step zero, due to their accident history, costs increase significantly. In Istanbul, the policy cost for an internal combustion engine car at this level reaches 58,214 Turkish Lira.

Despite this, a driver at the eighth level, with the highest no-claims history, pays only 9,702 Turkish Lira. Thus, there is approximately a 6-fold cost difference between the two extreme levels.

Car Insurance Premium Distribution in the Three Major Cities

Premium prices in Ankara and Izmir also show a similar picture according to risk levels:

• Istanbul: Zero level 58,214 TL / Eighth level 9,702 TL
• Ankara: Zero level 56,566 TL / Eighth level 9,428 TL
• Izmir: Zero level 54,919 TL / Eighth level 9,153 TL

Record Figures in Commercial Vehicles: Taxis Reached 172,000 Lira

The new tariff directly affects not only passenger cars but also commercial transport vehicles. Especially for commercial taxis that spend long hours in traffic, premiums are reaching record levels.

In Istanbul, the mandatory traffic insurance premium for a commercial taxi in the zero-level category can reach 172,447 Turkish Lira, while a taxi owner who has reached the eighth level in terms of no-claims bonus can obtain the same policy for 28,741 Turkish Lira.

In Ankara, the risky category premium for commercial taxis is 167,566 Turkish Lira, and the no-claims category premium is 27,928 Turkish Lira. In Izmir, these amounts are recorded as 162,686 Turkish Lira and 27,114 Turkish Lira, respectively.

At the very top of the list are large buses with 31 seats or more; in Istanbul, the insurance premium for a bus in the riskiest category reaches 423,661 Turkish Lira, while this number drops to 70,610 Turkish Lira at the eighth level.

Late Renewal Surcharge and the Heavy Price of Driving Without Insurance

Late penalties for drivers who do not renew their policies on time increase exponentially. For expired policies, a 5% surcharge is added to the premium for every 30 days of delay, and this rate can reach up to 50% in total.

Drivers who are in the first tier but are involved in three or more accidents causing compensation payments within a year are directly dropped to the zero tier, and a 200% surcharge is applied to drivers in this group.

Administrative penalties for driving without insurance also burden drivers. The penalty for vehicles without mandatory traffic insurance is 1,246 Turkish Lira, and the vehicle is banned from traffic until insurance is obtained.

If you are involved in an accident without insurance, the penalty not only increases to 2,039 Turkish Lira, but all material damage to the other party becomes the direct personal responsibility of the vehicle owner.