Turkish Compulsory Traffic Insurance — known in Turkish as Zorunlu Trafik Sigortası and internationally as MTPL (Motor Third Party Liability) — is mandatory for every vehicle operating on Turkish roads. It covers third-party bodily injury and property damage caused by your vehicle in an accident. Without it, you cannot legally drive in Turkey.
What is Turkish MTPL (Zorunlu Trafik Sigortası)?
MTPL stands for Motor Third Party Liability. In Turkey, it is formally called Zorunlu Trafik Sigortası — literally "Compulsory Traffic Insurance." It is the minimum legal insurance required for any vehicle to operate on Turkish public roads.
The system is governed by SEDDK (Sigortacılık ve Özel Emeklilik Düzenleme ve Denetleme Kurumu — the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency of Turkey). SEDDK regulates all insurers and brokers operating in the Turkish market, sets mandatory minimum coverage limits, and enforces compliance.
MTPL policies are issued by Turkish insurance companies. Claims made against MTPL policies are processed through the Turkish TRAMER system — a national database that tracks all vehicle insurance and enables police to verify coverage electronically using a vehicle's plate number.
What Turkish MTPL covers
A Turkish MTPL policy covers:
- Third-party bodily injury: Medical expenses, permanent disability, and death of other people injured in an accident caused by your vehicle. This includes passengers in the other vehicle, pedestrians, and cyclists. It does not cover the policyholder or their passengers.
- Third-party property damage: Damage to other vehicles, roadside barriers, buildings, and other property caused by your vehicle in an accident.
- Legal defence costs: In some policy wordings, basic legal costs related to defending a claim.
Coverage limits are set by SEDDK and are updated periodically. As of 2025, minimum limits are significantly higher than historical levels following regulatory updates that increased protection for accident victims.
What MTPL does not cover
Turkish MTPL is third-party only. It explicitly does not cover:
- Your own vehicle: Damage to your car, motorcycle, or other vehicle caused by an accident is not covered. For this, you would need comprehensive or KASKO insurance — which is generally not available to foreign-plated vehicles in Turkey.
- Your own injuries: Bodily injury to the policyholder (the driver) is not covered under MTPL. Passenger cover depends on the specific policy.
- Theft: Vehicle theft is not covered by MTPL.
- Natural events: Flooding, storms, earthquake damage — not covered by MTPL.
- Intentional damage: Any damage caused deliberately is excluded.
For overlanders and long-stay drivers, we offer optional add-ons including Personal Accident insurance (covering the driver) and Roadside Assistance.
Who needs Turkish MTPL?
Every vehicle on Turkish roads needs a valid Turkish MTPL policy — this is non-negotiable under Turkish traffic law. This includes:
- Foreign-plated vehicles entering Turkey by land border — your home-country insurance is not accepted
- Foreign-plated vehicles arriving by ferry — you need cover before you can drive off the ferry terminal
- All vehicle types: cars, motorcycles, campervans, pickup trucks, minibuses, trucks, motorhomes, and buses
- Temporary visitors staying one day or months — the minimum policy period is 1 month
How Turkish MTPL works in practice
When you purchase a Turkish MTPL policy, the insurer registers it in the TRAMER national database against your vehicle plate number. Turkish traffic police can verify your insurance in seconds using your plate — they do not need to see your policy document to check cover status. Your TRAMER Belge No is printed on your policy PDF and is required if you need to complete an accident report form.
Property-damage-only accidents (no injuries)
If both drivers are cooperating and no one is injured, you do not need to call the police. Instead, both drivers complete and sign Turkey's official Maddi Hasarlı Trafik Kazası Tespit Tutanağı (property-damage accident report form). The process:
- Photograph the vehicles and the scene from multiple angles before moving anything
- Move vehicles to the roadside if they are blocking traffic
- Exchange: full name, phone number, vehicle plate, insurance company, policy number, and TRAMER Belge No
- Complete the accident report form together — both drivers sign both copies; each keeps one
- Submit your copy to your insurer within 5 business days
- Do not admit fault or make any payment at the scene
The form has a dedicated section (section 8) for Green Card holders — if the other driver has a Green Card rather than Turkish MTPL, you will need their Green Card number, country, and passport number.
Accidents involving injuries
If anyone is injured, call the police immediately (155) and emergency services (112). The police will attend, prepare an official report, and manage the scene. Do not move the vehicles until the police arrive and give permission.
Your TRAMER number
Your TRAMER Belge No is printed on your Turkish MTPL policy PDF — it is the reference that links your policy to the national database. Keep your policy PDF accessible on your phone so you can provide this number at an accident scene, at police checkpoints, and at the border.
Your policy PDF should be kept accessible at all times — Turkish customs ask for it at the border, traffic police may ask to see it, and you will need it to complete an accident report form.
How much does Turkish MTPL cost?
Prices for foreign-plated vehicles are regulated by SEDDK. As of 2025:
- Cars: from €26 per month. Six months €130 (best value). Twelve months €221.
- Motorcycles: from €26 per month. Six or twelve months €39.
- Campervans and pickups: from €117 per month. Six months €195 (best value).
- Minibuses (10–17 seats): from €150 per month.
- Tow trucks / Buses (18+ seats): from €195 per month.
Prices include all taxes and broker fees. There are no hidden charges or extras required beyond the policy premium.