Health Insurance is Obligatory in Turkey!

According to the new Turkish law as of 1 January 2012 everyone is obliged to have a health insurance. Are you more then 1 year uninterrupted living in Turkey or do you have a residence permit for a minimum of 1 year and do you not have a private health insurance? Then you have to register yourself by the nearest Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu (SGK) in your district before 1 February 2012! If not, you will receive a financial penalty of 886 TL.

At your registration, the SGK will do a research to your income. With this information the SGK will calculate your health insurance premium, the premiums can pile up to 212,76 TL per month. If you do not register, you will automatically be classified in the highest scale of premiums. Even when you don’t have an income you are obliged to report this to the SGK.

Premium scales

Income in TL per month:                 Premium in TL per month:

0 – 295                                              0  

295  – 886                                         35,46

886 – 1770                                        106

1770 – and higher                             212,76

In case you are married with a Turkish partner, check if you are added to his/her SGK insurance. Is your partner unemployed or does he/she not have a health insurance? In that case you have to register yourself personally by the SGK.

For more information or the nearest SGK office please see the website www.sgk.gov.tr.