Tarabya Insurance Before You Travel: Home, Green Card, Health

Tarabya, with its bay and seafront promenade, mixes older houses with apartment blocks. Many residents leave the city for long stretches in summer or during public holidays, some drive their own car abroad, and others travel frequently for work. Expat families here often spend the summer back home in Europe. So our Tarabya guide focuses on one question: what should I check on my insurance before I leave?

The home while you are away

When a home is empty, the risks change. An unnoticed leak can run for days, and a break-in may only be discovered later. When you take out home insurance, declare accurately how often and for how long the property stands empty; some cover can depend on how the home is used. Before a holiday we suggest:

• Turn off the main water valve to prevent leaks in the pipes.
• Check doors, windows and the alarm if you have one.
• Make sure the policy does not expire while you are away.
• Keep photos and invoices of valuables somewhere you can reach from abroad.

Leaving a key with a trusted neighbour or relative is more than a practical step: spotting damage early stops it growing and avoids a late claim notification.

Driving your own car abroad

Turkish compulsory traffic insurance is not valid outside Türkiye. To drive into countries that are members of the Green Card system you need Green Card insurance, which acts as compulsory motor insurance in those countries. Whether your kasko (comprehensive motor insurance) applies abroad is a separate matter that depends on your policy. Send us the countries you will visit and cross in transit, and we will check the Green Card coverage and your kasko together.

Documents matter as much as the policy. The vehicle registration and the Green Card certificate must stay in the car throughout the journey. If the car is not registered in your name, for example a relative’s car or a company car, a notarised power of attorney may be requested at the border. Make sure the Green Card start and end dates include your return day; if the trip runs longer, let us know before you come back so we can extend it.

Health on the road

By car or by plane, falling ill or having an accident abroad is both costly and exhausting. Travel health insurance is required for Schengen visa applications, and we recommend it for visa-free destinations as well. Travel health insurance is arranged according to the length of the trip and the region. If something happens during the journey, going into hospital on your own without first calling the assistance line on your policy can complicate reimbursement in some cases, so keep the policy number and contact details easy to find on your phone.

A short summary

Ask yourself three questions before you leave: Is my home insured and is the policy current? If I am driving, do I have a Green Card, and does my kasko work abroad? Are my family and I covered for health throughout the trip? If the answer to any of them is “not sure”, write to us before you set off.

You can call us the day before you leave

Green Card and travel health policies can usually be issued quickly. Send your vehicle registration, passport details and travel dates on WhatsApp to +90 530 375 89 61, or visit our office at Maslak Mah. Atatürk Oto Sanayi Sitesi 1. Kısım, 40. Sokak No: 296, Sarıyer. Before holidays we are also open on Saturday mornings, 09:00–13:30; weekdays 09:00–18:00. We are glad to help in English.

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