Travel Insurance in Turkey

Turkey captures the heart of every visitor with dream beaches, ancient cities and incredible monuments – all the ingredients for a perfect trip! However, the unexpected can always lurk around the corner, which is why we recommend purchasing travel insurance if you’re planning to visit this country. By doing so, you’ll have coverage for medical and healthcare expenses, plus the possibility of being reimbursed for issues caused by lost or stolen luggage, as well as flight delays and cancellations due to the airline. So if you want to enjoy your holiday without worry, invest a small portion of your budget in travel insurance and set off with peace of mind.

We should note that travel insurance is not legally required to enter Turkey. However, it is strongly recommended and should be tailored to your actual needs. It’s worth considering that hospitalisation costs in Turkey and medical expenses can be very high. In the unfortunate event of injury or hospitalisation, you’ll certainly want the best possible care, receiving treatment at a private specialist clinic rather than public hospitals, which don’t meet our quality standards. Furthermore, doctors and nurses may only speak Turkish. Without insurance, you’ll have to pay the hospital bill out of pocket, which could become quite substantial depending on the severity of your injury.

But that’s not all: a trip to Turkey sometimes means dealing with certain problems, some typical of major cities, including petty crime, with the possibility of muggings, theft or robbery, particularly in Istanbul in the most touristy areas or, conversely, in less recommendable neighbourhoods. You also have the phone numbers for the police (115), the emergency health line (112) and roadside assistance +90-2122828140 – extension 217 or 223, managed by TTOK, the Touring and Automobile Association of Turkey, which is very useful if you’re driving on more remote roads in the country with your own car or a rental.

Which travel insurance to choose for Turkey

There are plenty of travel insurance options for Turkey to choose from, all similar in terms of coverage. Beyond obvious budget considerations, direct your choice towards those offering the most comprehensive coverage, but especially those that provide 24/7 assistance in English, so you’re never left alone if something unexpected happens over the weekend or at night, and you won’t have communication problems.

Always remember that, whatever insurance you choose, you must pay close attention to the excess, which represents the cost that always remains your responsibility, regardless of the damage you’ve caused or the reimbursement you’re entitled to. With a surcharge on your base policy, you can reduce the excess, or even eliminate it altogether. But that’s not all: you also need to carefully choose insurance that offers you the best maximum claim limit, which represents the maximum amount you’ll be reimbursed. These may seem like enormous sums, but it’s always better to choose something slightly higher than the minimum limit.

When going to Turkey, we reiterate the importance of choosing insurance that covers medical and hospital expenses, bearing in mind that insurance companies operate in two different ways: on one hand, those with direct payment, which are preferable since you won’t have to pay anything (the company will settle the bills directly), while on the other hand those that proceed with reimbursement directly to you: this means you’ll advance all medical or hospitalisation costs in full, and only after a certain period of time, varying from a few weeks to a few months, will you receive reimbursement from the insurance company.

Finally, if you’re planning to visit more countries beyond Turkey within the same calendar year, why not consider an annual multi-trip travel insurance? You’ll be able to save quite a bit compared to purchasing multiple single policies, and at the same time you’ll have the peace of mind of not having to remember to take out insurance for every trip. If, on the other hand, your only trip of the year will be to Turkey, go ahead without hesitation and purchase a single policy.

Confronto delle migliori assicurazioni di viaggio

Di seguito una tabella riepilogativa di quelle che riteniamo essere le migliori assicurazioni di viaggio.

Sono stati inclusi l’assicurazione sanitaria e, ove possibile, quella di annullamento. Tutte le assicurazioni di seguito inoltre includono assistenza H24 e pagamento diretto delle spese ospedaliere.

The benefits of travel insurance in Turkey

Having insurance before a trip to Turkey protects you from any problems that might occur during your stay in the country. Although we always hope every holiday goes smoothly, unfortunately there can always be hiccups. Here’s what they are and how to manage them through travel insurance.

Medical and healthcare expenses

In Europe, our health insurance card allows unrestricted access to all public hospital facilities. A truly valuable and useful guarantee, but one that doesn’t apply to Turkey since it’s not part of the European Union. For this reason, by travelling in the country with active insurance, you’ll protect yourself from high medical expenses that could ruin your holiday and more: you’ll have coverage for hospital admissions, surgical interventions, medication purchases and emergency repatriation to the UK by plane.

Immediate assistance

Although Turkey is only a few hours’ flight from the UK, you’ll still be in a completely different context from what you’re used to when travelling in Europe. And that’s why, to avoid risking being left isolated and not knowing how to make yourself understood, insurance companies provide an assistance service with an operations centre that answers from the UK 24/7, including weekends. You can contact it whenever you want, by phone or internet, so you can explain yourself and understand how the company can resolve your problems, even using interpreters who speak Turkish so you can communicate with local people and healthcare operators. Operations centres typically answer from the UK, but if you want to be sure because you’re uncertain with English, carefully verify before proceeding with the policy. Alternatively, look for an insurance company that offers assistance in English.

Flight reimbursement

If an unfortunate event occurs after you purchase your ticket that prevents you from travelling, without travel insurance there’s unfortunately not much you can do to recover the money spent: you can only ask the airline for a refund of airport taxes. On the contrary, by taking out specific travel insurance for flight reimbursement, you’ll have the possibility of being reimbursed for the amount spent, so you can book without worrying that your plans might change. Reimbursement for flight cancellation can include full reimbursement of ticket costs, or a portion, provided it can be proven that the cancellation was necessary.

If the airline you’re flying with cancels the flight or even goes bankrupt, some insurance policies provide for full or partial reimbursement, allowing you to rebook your trip with other airlines.

Baggage protection

Finally, an unfortunate situation that can happen during a trip to Turkey concerns lost or damaged baggage. When you arrive at baggage reclaim, your suitcase might not appear – something you’d never want to happen! But that’s not all: it could arrive broken or damaged. In this case, if you’ve taken out a baggage protection insurance policy, you can rest assured: you’ll be reimbursed for essential items you need to purchase, and in case of theft or damage, the cost of a new suitcase.

Healthcare situation and hospital facilities in Turkey

The healthcare situation in Turkey is good but not excellent, as some public hospitals are in poor condition. Private clinics are much better, although costs can become very high. Remember that for healthcare services such as emergency admissions, doctor visits or medication purchases, foreign citizens must pay fees and expenses, which sometimes become considerable. Tourists have access to the emergency health line 112, which answers in English, Arabic, Russian and German, as well as units for foreign patients in 18 Turkish provinces, plus provincial coordination centres for foreign patients in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Mugla and Aydin.

In summer, especially in south-eastern Anatolia, be careful with drinks, as the water is not drinkable to avoid contracting typhoid and gastrointestinal infections that could lead to more serious infectious diseases. Be also aware of E. coli in some food products and packaged items, such as minced meat and various types of packaged cold cuts and mixed salads.

Diseases present in Turkey

Moving away from major cities and main tourist hubs, endemic diseases such as intestinal infections, hepatitis and amoebas are still present. In central and eastern Anatolia, cases of haemorrhagic fever caused by tick bites have been reported in recent years, many of which have been fatal. It’s therefore advisable to take measures against insect bites, especially since during the summer of 2010 West Nile Virus infections were reported in Manisa, Izmir, Aydin, Isparta and Sakarya, transmitted by infected mosquito bites.

Vaccinations required for Turkey

In general cases, no vaccinations for Turkey are mandatory. The only exception is if you’re departing from or travelling to countries with regions affected by endemic poliomyelitis, such as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Tajikistan. If you enter Turkey from these countries, you must undergo vaccine prophylaxis before your trip, or be vaccinated upon arrival in Turkey; alternatively, you must sign a declaration of express refusal of preventive measures.

Safety in Turkey

Safety in Turkey is generally good, although the country is always somewhat in the spotlight regarding stability. Following the attempted military coup in July 2016, the country’s security apparatus has been strengthened, with frequent checks. Common crime is usually low, although you need to be appropriately cautious in more touristy areas.

As regards terrorist attacks, Turkish authorities have raised the alert level and strengthened security measures. The situation is calm overall and remains monitored. If possible, stay vigilant in high-traffic areas of Istanbul and Ankara, in main seaside resorts and in Cappadocia, avoiding gatherings when possible and celebrations, especially political or religious ones.

Furthermore, Turkey is a country with a high seismic risk: in the event of an earthquake, follow official communications from local authorities and immediately contact the Ankara Embassy or the nearest consulate to your location. There are also frequent floods in the north-east of the country, whilst summer wildfires are not uncommon on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.

Finally, avoid travelling to areas near the Syrian border if possible, where the risk of kidnapping is high. The Turkish-Syrian border is closed to transit and the mere fact of being there could result in detention and expulsion from the country. Naturally, the Turkey-Armenia border line is also closed and patrolled since 1993, immediately after Armenian independence from the USSR. In Turkey’s south-eastern provinces, clashes between the separatist Kurdish PKK party and Turkish police forces are still ongoing.