Foreigners who plan to live in Turkey for a long period of time need to take care of health insurance for ikamet. Learn more about the nuances of obtaining health insurance in Turkey and what documents are required

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Foreigners who plan to live in Turkey must issue appropriate permits. Those who wish to stay in the country longer than their visa or visa-free period allows must obtain a residence permit (ikamet). One of the conditions for obtaining an ikamet is the availability of a mandatory health insurance policy.

We talk about the features of health insurance for foreigners in Turkey in our material.

Who should take out health insurance in Turkey?

All foreigners between the ages of 18 and 65 who plan to apply for ikamet must have medical insurance for residence permit.

For minors and people over 65 years of age, obtaining health insurance is voluntary, except for a family residence permit, when everyone without exception is required to obtain a health insurance policy.

Also, according to Article 60 of the Law on General Health Insurance and Social Protection dated May 31, 2006, foreigners with a residence permit who have lived in Turkey for more than one year are required to take out a compulsory state social security policy (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu, SGK).

What does health insurance cover for foreigners in Turkey?

As part of the insurance policy, foreigners receive such guarantees as coverage of outpatient and inpatient treatment.

• Inpatient treatment (annual limit up to 50,000 TL) – surgery, intensive care, diagnosis of diseases, care during inpatient treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, dialysis.
• Outpatient treatment (annual limit up to 5,000 TL) - doctor's examination, medical examination, tests, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, medication.

Insurance companies also include some free medical services in supplementary health insurance to provide their customers with better medical care and increase the level of the policy. It can be dental care, nutritionist consultation, psychological support, etc.

Health insurance policies from SKG and private Turkish insurance companies do not cover the costs of treatment of chronic diseases of foreigners that appeared before obtaining a residence permit in Turkey.

Read more about obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment here.

For what period is the insurance issued?

As a rule, insurance companies issue a policy for 1 year. After 1 year, the foreigner can renew the insurance if he/she will continue to live in Turkey.

Insurance in a private insurance company in Turkey

To obtain a residence permit, it is sufficient to have an insurance policy issued by a Turkish company. As a rule, such insurance covers 40-60% of costs for outpatient treatment and 40-100% for inpatient treatment, but only in clinics that have concluded a contract with the insurance company that issued the policy. Insurance from local companies almost never covers the cost of dental procedures.

The main purpose of the insurance is to pay the costs of emergency medical care. The cost of such a policy is usually between 1800 and 3000 TL for twelve months, the amount of coverage varies depending on the insurance company. When ordering medical insurance, a foreign citizen can ask for a list of local clinics with which the insurance company issuing the policy cooperates.

SGK insurance

SGK (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu) is the only health insurance that covers all necessary services without exception.

In public clinics, the level of coverage is 100%, in private hospitals, the owner of an SGK insurance policy can count on coverage of an average of 40-80% of service costs. The SGK policy also covers up to 80% of the cost of medicines.

One of the advantages of state health insurance is the possibility of using one insurance policy by close relatives (underage children, parents or spouses) of the insured person.

The cost of SGK insurance is approximately 850 TL for 30 days.

What documents are required to conclude a health insurance contract?

To issue a policy, it is necessary to provide a scanned copy of the foreign passport or other document on the basis of which the foreign citizen entered the territory of Turkey. You also need to provide a residential address in Turkey.

Daria Rogova - Head of Insurance at Visit World

Use the insurance policy to obtain a residence permit in Turkey on our resource. Online registration at an affordable price.

Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in Turkey;

Legal advice on immigration in Turkey;

Insurance for residence permit in Turkey.

Learn more about the rules for entering Turkey, immigration, work, study and medical treatment here.

E-Devlet: How to join Turkey's e-government service portal - read here.

Investing in Turkey: the best opportunities for foreigners - details here.

Read here how to make an appointment at a public clinic in Turkey.