Owning a home is important, but so is protecting it. In Turkey, the two most frequently confused concepts are DASK and home insurance. In a country that lives with the reality of earthquakes, knowing the difference between these two policies is the key to avoiding losses in a claim.
What Is DASK?
DASK, the Compulsory Earthquake Insurance, is a state-mandated policy that covers only earthquakes and their direct consequences (fire, explosion, tsunami, landslide). It secures the building structure up to a certain maximum amount based on rebuilding cost; contents and belongings are excluded.
What Is Home Insurance?
Home insurance is an optional policy with much broader coverage. In addition to earthquake cover, it can include fire, theft, flood, internal water damage, glass breakage, electronic device failure, and even damage caused to third parties. Its key advantage is that it covers household contents as well as the building structure.
Key Differences
The core difference is scope: DASK protects only the building against earthquakes, while home insurance covers far broader risks and the belongings inside. DASK's coverage limit is set by the state per square meter, whereas with home insurance the owner selects the limit according to their needs.
Which Is Mandatory, Which Is Optional?
DASK is legally compulsory; a DASK policy is required for title transactions and for electricity and water subscriptions. Home insurance is entirely optional, though banks usually require it from buyers using a mortgage.
How They Complement Each Other
DASK and home insurance are not alternatives but complements. DASK meets the legal requirement and secures part of the building in an earthquake; home insurance covers what DASK does not — contents, fire, theft — and the portion above the DASK limit. The best protection is holding both policies together.
For accurate guidance on real estate and insurance, Armet Emlak & Harita is here for you: (0242) 417 72 72 · armetinsaatemlakharita.com