Types of Health Insurance in Turkey, Costs, and best Companies
2023
20 Oct
Are you interested in knowing the most accurate details about health insurance in Turkey, its advantages, types, and costs? Gars Consulting Company brings you the most important answers about your inquiries in one article while addressing the differences between public and private types of insurance for students and foreigners residing in Turkey, as well as other important information.
Table of Contents
What is health insurance in Turkey?
Health insurance or medical insurance in Turkey is a type of insurance against health risks and damages for the individuals.
The health insurance usually includes the costs of examination, diagnosis, and treatment, and its work system is based on the principle of social solidarity to face emergency situations in order to reduce burdens on the individual and society.
The concerned insurance companies and government institutions in Turkey organize ways to provide their services for specific fees.
The Turkish government requires some of the people who reside on its territory to obtain health insurance to complete their transactions, and we will know all about this matter in the following lines.
Advantages and benefits of health insurance in Turkey
The benefits of health insurance in Turkey are represented in two main things:
First: It makes sure that the documents you submit for the residency application are correct and full, as the Immigration Department in Turkey does not accept any residence application without health insurance that covers the required period of stay.
Second: It provides the minimum treatment necessities in case of an emergency during your stay in Turkey.
Types of health insurance for residents and foreigners in Turkey
Health insurance for a travel visa to Turkey
The Turkish embassies and consulates require all those wishing to travel to Turkey to provide proof of having health insurance for them on its territory covering the period of their stay in it, and a copy of the insurance should be attached to the visa application.
The insurance for the visa application to Turkey is actually considered of a low cost, it averagely costs 25 US dollars but covers a treatment value of approximately 30 thousand euros, this insurance covers the costs of treatment and transportation of the patient or the transportation in case of death.
Private health insurance
It is a type of insurance required for special cases and circumstances, it is considered a condition for obtaining tourist residency or other types of residency, which we will mention in the following paragraph.
General health insurance in Turkey
The Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services and the Ministry of Health, are the two bodies responsible for general health insurance in Turkey.
It is a type of insurance for the Turkish citizens usually, but the foreigners who are residing in Turkey can benefit from it when they obtain an official work permit in Turkey.
This type of insurance benefits the one to whom it has been issued along with the family members, including the mother, father, husband/wife, and children, as all of whom can get health care, treatment, and medicine for free or with almost full discount.
Private Health Insurance in Turkey
It is a type of insurance required to obtain all kinds of residencies in Turkey, without which the Immigration Department does not accept the residency applications submitted to it.
Insurance companies provide different types of health insurance, such as:
- Normal insurance for residency applications or renewing them: It is an insurance that covers the required period of stay and a lot of general medical aspects, but those who have this kind of insurance do not get big discounts regarding the costs of treatment in private or government hospitals, and this insurance does not cover the price of medicine, but it has a low price and it is easy to obtain.
- Accident, Medicine, and Examinations Insurance: This insurance covers the cost of examinations, tests, and accidents in Turkish hospitals.
- Full insurance: The insurance companies also provide a comprehensive type of health insurance that covers all types of treatments, operations, and accidents, but, undoubtedly, it is one of the most expensive types of insurance.
Health Insurance for Students in Turkey
Foreign students who are studying in Turkey are required to have health insurance from a Turkish insurance company, as a prerequisite for obtaining a student residence permit in Turkey.
According to Turkish law, all the residents are required to obtain health insurance valid for at least one year, so that they can obtain a short-term residence permit in Turkey, including the students.
Health insurance offices in Turkey provide this type of insurance at reasonable prices, usually.
Governmental Health Insurance in Turkey
Insurance types differ fundamentally between the residents and foreigners in Turkey, and categories of the health insurance system in Turkey are divided into the following:
The Green Card Insurance (yeşil kart)
It is a system introduced at the beginning of 2012 by the Social Security Institution, through which all members of the card-bearing family can benefit from government health services. This card is given to the families that have no breadwinner based on specific conditions.
General health insurance (GSS)
It is also a special aid system for Turkish citizens with specific conditions which allow access to health services for family members, the father, the mother, and the children under the age of 18 years, in addition to the children who are still studying in secondary school and their ages are under 21 years old and the children who are under 25 years old who are studying at the university.
Social security insurance (GSK-SSK)
It is general insurance that includes health and social insurance, which means that it includes health and pension insurance upon reaching retirement age or achieving a certain number of years of service. Those covered by this type of insurance can benefit from all public and private health services and pay a small percentage of treatment costs.
The Bagkur insurance (Bağkur)
it is a unique insurance system that covers people who cannot find a work in the public or private sectors, where people who are covered in this type of insurance and are not paying anything to the retirement fund or social security; can pay a monthly amount to the Bagkur and benefit from the retirement system after completing 15 or 25 years.
Full health insurance in Turkey
It is a type of insurance that includes a wide range of treatment options at full discounts.
This insurance is one of the most expensive types of health insurance in Turkey, its cost varies according to the beneficiary’s age group and it increases for the elderly.
The value of this insurance varies from one company to another according to the nature and type of the available services.
Health insurance cost in Turkey
The cost of health insurance in Turkey varies from one company to another especially with regards to travel and residence permit insurance, and the cost of this insurance varies according to the beneficiary’s age group.
How much does the health insurance cost in Turkey, and how are the age groups divided?
The age groups are usually divided into the following order:
From 18 years old to 25 years old.
From 26 years old to 35 years old.
From 36 years old to 45 years old.
From 46 years old to 50 years old.
From 51 years old to 55 years old.
From 56 years old to 60 years old.
From 61 years old to 65 years old.
People who belong to the age groups that are under 18 years old and over 65 years old are exempted from obtaining health insurance in Turkey.
Which health insurance companies are the best in Turkey?
Gars Consulting Company provides all types of health insurance from the most important and best health insurance companies in Turkey, and at the most reasonable prices.
Gars Consulting Company also guarantees to provide its clients with all services regarding the various types of residence permits, along with many other important services.
Edited by: Gars Consulting Company ©
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