{"id":175,"date":"2022-08-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/karayollari-motorlu-araclar-zorunlu-mali-sorumluluk-sigortasi-zmss-trafik-sigortasi-teminatlari\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T19:28:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T16:28:06","slug":"coverage-compulsory-motor-third-party-liability-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/karayollari-motorlu-araclar-zorunlu-mali-sorumluluk-sigortasi-zmss-trafik-sigortasi-teminatlari\/","title":{"rendered":"Coverage under Compulsory Motor Third-Party Liability Insurance (ZMSS) (Traffic Insurance)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pm\" data-utu-pm=\"1\">\n<p class=\"pm-giris\">Compulsory financial liability insurance for motor vehicles on highways, or, as it is known in everyday life, <strong>traffic insurance<\/strong>is a financial liability insurance policy made compulsory by the state. In this article we discuss the legal basis of traffic insurance, what it does and does not cover, the types of cover and which year\u2019s cover limits apply.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"pm-ozet\" aria-label=\"In brief\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">In brief<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Traffic insurance is the compulsory financial liability insurance that operators of motor vehicles must take out every year under Article 91 of Highway Traffic Law No. 2918.<\/li>\n<li>Traffic insurance does not cover damage to the insured vehicle itself; it covers third parties' losses in proportion to the driver's fault, within the policy limits.<\/li>\n<li>The coverage consists of material damage, health expenses, permanent disability and loss of support (death) coverage.<\/li>\n<li>According to the article, the coverage limits are updated every year and, in an accident, the limits of the year of the accident apply; the operator or owner of the vehicle is liable for damage exceeding the limits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"pm-not\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">Currency note<\/p>\n<p>This article was prepared in accordance with the legislation and practice in force on the date of publication. The cover limits in the article relate to the years at the date of publication; the limits and the provisions on the assessment of diminution in value and on the scope of medical expenses cover may have changed since that date. You are advised to consult a lawyer on the current position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<details class=\"pm-ic\" open>\n<summary>Contents<\/summary>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#yasal-dayanak\">Legal basis of traffic insurance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#teminatlar\">Traffic insurance cover<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#limitler\">Cover limits and annual updating<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sss\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#iletisim\">Consultation request<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/details>\n<section id=\"yasal-dayanak\">\n<h2>Legal Basis of Traffic Insurance<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pm-tanim\"><strong>Traffic Insurance<\/strong> is an insurance policy that, under Article 91 of Highway Traffic Law No. 2918, must be taken out anew every year by the operators of motor vehicles used on highways.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pm-kanun\">\n<p>Article 91 of the Highway Traffic Law provides: \u201cOperators are obliged to take out financial liability insurance to ensure that their liabilities under the first paragraph of Article 85 of this Law are covered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>Highway Traffic Law No. 2918, Art. 91<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Through this compulsory type of indemnity insurance, damage to the property and physical integrity of third parties arising in a traffic accident caused by motor vehicle operators\/owners is compensated within the policy limits.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pm-kanun\">\n<p>Looking at paragraph 85\/1 of the Highway Traffic Law, it provides: \u201cIf the operation of a motor vehicle causes the death or injury of a person or damage to property, where the motor vehicle is operated under the title or trade name of an enterprise or with a ticket issued by that enterprise, the operator of the motor vehicle and the owner of the enterprise to which it belongs are jointly and severally liable for the resulting damage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>Highway Traffic Law No. 2918, Art. 85\/1<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In order to prevent the vehicle owner\/operator from incurring very large financial liabilities in the cases specified in the provision, Traffic Insurance, regulated in Article 91 of the Highway Traffic Law, is made compulsory by the state for motor vehicle owners\/operators every year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pm-not\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">A commonly confused issue<\/p>\n<p>A matter frequently confused by motor vehicle owners is that traffic insurance (ZMSS) does not cover damage to the insured vehicle itself. In a traffic accident, the damage to the other vehicle, or the losses of third parties who are disabled or temporarily unable to work, will be covered within the policy limits in proportion to the fault of the driver of the vehicle insured under traffic insurance (ZMSS).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"teminatlar\">\n<h2>Traffic Insurance (ZMSS) Cover<\/h2>\n<p>The cases covered by traffic insurance (ZMSS) are as follows:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pm-cipler\" aria-label=\"Traffic insurance cover\">\n<li>Property Damage Cover<\/li>\n<li>Medical Expenses Cover<\/li>\n<li>Permanent Disability Cover<\/li>\n<li>Loss of Support (Death) Cover<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"pm-ikili\">\n<div class=\"pm-kart\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">1 \u00b7 Property Damage Cover<\/p>\n<p>This is the reduction in the right holder\u2019s property directly, as defined in these General Conditions, including the loss of value of the damaged vehicle. Where loss of value is claimed, it is determined by licensed insurance loss adjusters in the relevant branch, appointed in rotation through a system to be established at the Insurance Information and Monitoring Centre, in accordance with the principles set out in the annex to these General Conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Material damage may include damage to the other party\u2019s vehicle, loss of value and the temporary loss of use of that vehicle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-kart\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">2 \u00b7 Medical Expenses Cover<\/p>\n<p>This cover includes all treatment expenses, including the cost of prosthetic organs, incurred to restore the third party physically to their former condition following a traffic accident. Carer expenses arising during treatment, from the start of the victim\u2019s treatment following the accident until the victim obtains a permanent disability report, other treatment-related expenses and expenses relating to the partial or total reduction of working capacity due to the traffic accident are within the scope of the medical expenses cover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-ikili\">\n<div class=\"pm-kart\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">3 \u00b7 Permanent Disability Cover<\/p>\n<p>This is the cover, determined in accordance with the principles set out in the annex to the ZMSS General Conditions, to meet the pecuniary losses that the third party will suffer economically in the future as a result of permanent disability. Medically necessary carer expenses arising after the completion of the victim\u2019s treatment following the accident and the determination of the permanent disability rate by a medical board report obtained from an authorised hospital fall within the scope of the permanent disability cover, subject to the limits of this cover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-kart\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">4 \u00b7 Loss of Support (Death) Cover<\/p>\n<p>This is the compensation, determined in accordance with the principles set out in the annex to the ZMSS General Conditions, to meet the loss of support suffered by those deprived of the support of a third party who has died.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"limitler\">\n<h2>Coverage Limits and Annual Updates<\/h2>\n<p>The cover set out above is updated every January by regulation published by the Ministry of Treasury. For this reason, the most common problem in practice is as follows: although a Traffic Insurance (ZMSS) Policy is taken out for 1 year, a policy beginning on 02.05.2019 will end on 02.05.2020. A person holding a policy issued according to the limits of 2019, the year in which the policy was issued, assumes that, following a traffic accident occurring in 2020, the cover limits are those of 2019.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pm-not\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">Important \u00b7 The limit of the accident year<\/p>\n<p>However, following a traffic accident occurring in 2020, the cover limit that will apply will be that of 2020.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"pm-tablo-baslik\" id=\"tablo-2020\">Cover Limits for 2020<\/p>\n<div class=\"pm-tablo-kap\">\n<table class=\"pm-tablo\" aria-labelledby=\"tablo-2020\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Medical Expenses<\/th>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Disability and Death<\/th>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Maddi Zarar<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Person<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Person<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Vehicle<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>410.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>2.050.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>410.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>2.050.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>41.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>82.000 TL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"pm-tablo-baslik\" id=\"tablo-2021\">Cover Limits for 2021<\/p>\n<div class=\"pm-tablo-kap\">\n<table class=\"pm-tablo\" aria-labelledby=\"tablo-2021\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Medical Expenses<\/th>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Disability and Death<\/th>\n<th scope=\"colgroup\" colspan=\"2\">Maddi Zarar<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Person<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Person<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Vehicle<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Per Accident<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>430.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>2.150.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>430.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>2.150.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>43.000 TL<\/td>\n<td>86.000 TL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-not\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">Damage exceeding the limits<\/p>\n<p>For amounts exceeding the limits stated, the operator\/owner of the insured vehicle will be liable for the resulting damage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"pm-dipnot\">Related page: <a href=\"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/ankara-traffic-accident-lawyer\/\">Traffic Accident Lawyer in Ankara<\/a> \u2014 diminution in value, replacement vehicle, and compensation for accidents involving injury and death<\/p>\n<p class=\"pm-dipnot\">Related page: <a href=\"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/flood-damage-compensation-lawyer\/\">Flood Damage Compensation Lawyer<\/a> \u2014 comprehensive insurance claims for flood-damaged vehicles and compensation from the administration<\/p>\n<p class=\"pm-dipnot\">Related legislation: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mevzuat.gov.tr\/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=2918&amp;MevzuatTur=1&amp;MevzuatTertip=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Highway Traffic Law No. 2918<\/a> (mevzuat.gov.tr)<\/p>\n<section id=\"sss\" class=\"pm-sss\">\n<h2>Traffic Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<details open>\n<summary>Is traffic insurance compulsory?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>Yes. Under Article 91 of the Highway Traffic Law, operators are required to take out financial liability insurance to cover their liability arising from the first paragraph of Article 85 of the same Law; the policy is renewed every year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Does traffic insurance cover damage to my own vehicle?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>No. Traffic insurance does not cover damage to the insured vehicle; it covers damage to the other vehicle and third parties' losses in proportion to the fault of the insured vehicle's driver, within the policy limits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Does material damage coverage include loss of value?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>According to the General Conditions definition cited in the article, material damage covers the direct reduction in the value of property, including the loss of value of the damaged vehicle; the loss of value is assessed by insurance loss adjusters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What does health expenses coverage include?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>It covers treatment expenses, including the cost of prosthetic organs, for the third party's physical recovery, caregiver expenses incurred during treatment until a permanent disability report is obtained, and other treatment-related expenses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Who is liable for damage exceeding the traffic insurance limit?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>According to the article, the operator or owner of the insured vehicle is liable for the portion exceeding the limits. The article also states that in an accident, the limits of the year in which the accident occurred apply, not those of the year the policy was issued.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"iletisim\" class=\"pm-form-kap\">\n<div class=\"pm-form-sol\">\n<p class=\"pm-etiket\">Consultation request<\/p>\n<h2>Do you have a question about traffic insurance?<\/h2>\n<p>As UTU Hukuk Dan\u0131\u015fmanl\u0131k, we provide legal representation and advisory services in the field of Insurance Law.<\/p>\n<p>Fill in the form and we will call you. You can also contact us directly:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pm-kanal\">\n<li><a href=\"tel:+905365931600\">+90 536 593 16 00<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"mailto:bilgi@utuhukuk.com\">bilgi@utuhukuk.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<form class=\"pm-form\" data-alan=\"Sigorta Hukuku\" novalidate action=\"\">\n<div class=\"pm-alan\"><label for=\"pm-ad\">Full name *<\/label><input id=\"pm-ad\" name=\"ad\" type=\"text\" autocomplete=\"name\" required><\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-alan\"><label for=\"pm-tel\">Phone *<\/label><input id=\"pm-tel\" name=\"tel\" type=\"tel\" autocomplete=\"tel\" inputmode=\"tel\" required><\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-alan\"><label for=\"pm-mail\">Email<\/label><input id=\"pm-mail\" name=\"mail\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-alan\"><label for=\"pm-konu\">Your situation in brief<\/label><textarea id=\"pm-konu\" name=\"konu\" rows=\"4\" placeholder=\"\u00d6rne\u011fin: Kar\u0131\u015ft\u0131\u011f\u0131m kazada kar\u015f\u0131 taraf\u0131n zarar\u0131 trafik sigortas\u0131 limitini a\u015ft\u0131, a\u015fan k\u0131s\u0131mdan sorumlu olup olmad\u0131\u011f\u0131m\u0131 \u00f6\u011frenmek istiyorum.\"><\/textarea><\/div>\n<div class=\"pm-bal\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><label for=\"pm-web\">Website<\/label><input id=\"pm-web\" name=\"website\" type=\"text\" tabindex=\"-1\" autocomplete=\"off\"><\/div>\n<p><label class=\"pm-onay\"><input name=\"kvkk\" type=\"checkbox\" required> <span>I consent to the processing of my personal data for this request and to being contacted.<\/span><\/label><br \/>\n<button type=\"submit\">Send request<\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"pm-durum\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"trp-form-language\" value=\"en\"\/><\/form>\n<\/section>\n<footer class=\"pm-imza\">\n<div class=\"pm-imza-logo\" aria-hidden=\"true\">UTU<\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"pm-imza-ad\">UTU Hukuk ve Dan\u0131\u015fmanl\u0131k<\/p>\n<p>Since 2016 it has been providing legal and advisory services in Ankara in many areas, labour law in particular. <a href=\"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/insurance-law\/\">Our insurance law practice area \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pm-uyari\">This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. You are advised to consult a lawyer about your specific situation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Karayollar\u0131 motorlu ara\u00e7lar zorunlu mali sorumluluk sigortas\u0131 ya da g\u00fcnl\u00fck ya\u015fant\u0131da bilindi\u011fi gibi trafik sigortas\u0131, devlet taraf\u0131ndan zorunlu tutulan\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":405,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sigorta-hukuku"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":835,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175\/revisions\/835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utuhukuk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}