Zekeriyaköy and Bahçeköy: A Guide to Insuring Villas and Homes with Gardens

Zekeriyaköy is known for its villas and green spaces, and Bahçeköy for its closeness to wooded areas. Detached houses, homes with gardens and villas within gated complexes are common in both, and many international families choose them. Living in a house with a garden calls for a different insurance plan from a flat, because there is more to protect than four walls: the garden, the boundary wall and everything else around the house. This guide explains how residents of Zekeriyaköy and Bahçeköy can plan home and car insurance.

The headings here are general. Every villa differs in structure, garden and contents, so the policy should be prepared with details specific to your home. Our aim is to give you a roadmap so nothing is overlooked at the quote stage.

Setting the scope for a detached house

In an apartment building the structure is the joint property of the flat owners; in a detached house the whole building is yours. So the building sum insured should consider the cost of rebuilding the entire structure, from roof to foundations. It should also be clear how elements that are not attached to the main building appear in the policy.

We suggest discussing these at the quote stage:

• The main building and any outbuildings, garage or storage,
• The boundary wall, garden gate and landscaping,
• Fixed features such as a pool, pergola or garden lighting,
• Outdoor equipment such as solar panels, a generator or a heat pump,
• Garden furniture and equipment.

Not all of these are included automatically in every policy. Whether each belongs in the building value, the contents value or needs a separate declaration depends on the policy conditions.

Risks often discussed for homes with gardens

Branches falling after a storm, water collecting after heavy rain, and roof and gutter damage are situations that often come up for homes with gardens. Because the surroundings of a detached house are more open than an apartment block, theft cover also becomes important. You can read more in theft cover in home insurance.

Liability is another key heading. If a guest is injured in your garden, or a tree in your garden damages a neighbour’s property, you need to know whether third-party liability cover is in the policy.

DASK and earthquake cover

For homes with a title deed, DASK, the compulsory earthquake insurance, is mandatory under Law No. 6305 and is requested for title deed, electricity and water subscription transactions. DASK covers earthquake damage to the building up to a set limit. In detached houses the building value can often exceed this limit, so adding earthquake cover to home insurance can be discussed. See our DASK earthquake insurance and home insurance pages.

Car insurance: part of daily life

For many families in Zekeriyaköy and Bahçeköy, a car is an essential part of daily life. People drive to work, to school and to the shops, and there may be more than one car at home. Traffic insurance, the compulsory motor third-party liability cover, is required for every vehicle under Law No. 2918, the Highway Traffic Law. For damage to your own car you need kasko, which is comprehensive motor insurance.

With several cars in the household, it helps to track the expiry dates together, know which car’s kasko includes which services and keep driver information up to date.

A practical checklist for villa owners

1. List the total living area, outbuildings and garden features.
2. Assess the building sum insured on the basis of rebuilding cost.
3. Check whether garden furniture and outdoor equipment are included in the contents value.
4. Ask about the conditions of theft cover, especially for periods when the home is empty.
5. Make sure third-party liability cover appears in the policy.
6. Check that your DASK policy is current and for the correct address.
7. Keep the traffic and kasko expiry dates of all household cars in one list.

You do not need to come to the office for a quote

You are welcome at our office in Maslak, but we can also handle the whole process by phone and WhatsApp. The address, building details, a list of garden features and any existing policies are enough to begin. If you hold a residence permit, your foreign ID number (Yabancı Kimlik No) is used in place of a Turkish ID number. We compare the quotes from several insurers item by item before presenting them to you.

A note for people who work from home

Some residents of detached houses use part of the home as a workspace, with a study, computer, printer and files, and sometimes clients or business partners visit. In that case, find out how your home policy treats work equipment and work-related visits.

If a regular business activity is carried out at home, say so at the quote stage. Whether work equipment is handled in the home policy or in a separate business policy depends on the nature of the activity and the policy conditions. If people such as a housekeeper or gardener work at the home, it is also worth discussing what this means for liability. Clarifying these details at the start saves you from asking “which policy covers this?” at claim time.

If you would like a policy with complete scope for your villa or home with a garden, visit our office at the Maslak Atatürk Oto Sanayi Sitesi, or call +90 530 375 89 61 or message us on WhatsApp for quotes from several insurers. Support is available in English, and with experience since 1996 we will prepare your policy with you without rushing.