Location: - Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (the West of the Bosporus portion is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; - Neighbours: Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Syria.
Climate: - temperate; - hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; - harsher in interior.
Natural hazards: - severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van.
Turkey's sovereign wealth fund announced its TVF Finansal Yatirimlar unit had agreed to purchase France-based Groupama Holding SA's 10% stake in Turkish insurer GUNES Sigorta, Reuters reported, quoting a statement from the sovereign wealth fund. No further details including financial terms of the transaction were available.
The Turkish insurance industry totaled TRY 69.24 billion (EUR 10.37 billion) in premiums in 2019, according to data released by the Turkey Insurance Association (TSB). The figure represents a nominal increase in local currency of 26.69% over 2018, while the same indicator calculated in European currency was 14.90% due the deprecietion of Turkish Lira against Euro.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hitted eastern Turkey on 24 January can generate losses for insurers, mentioning that about one third (35%) of houses localised in the affected province (Elazig) had been insured, informed Middle East Insurance Review quoting local officials
At the end of 3Q2019, the SEE insurance market (inclusing Cyprus, Greece and Turkey) totaled about EUR 11.5 billion in GWP, 26.44% more y-o-y, according to preliminary figures centralized by XPRIMM.
As of 1 February 2020, Didem Ozsoy DIRICAN, currently Chief Commercial Officer of NN Hayat ve Emeklilik, will be appointed CEO NN Hayat ve Emeklilik on an ad interim basis and subject to regulatory approval.
Turkey's banks and financial institutions bought 85.05% of JCR Eurasia, the local unit of Japan Credit Rating Agency, Turkey's banking association announced last Friday, sealing the Turkey's longtime goal to create a national firm that will appraise the creditworthiness of businesses seeking to borrow, informed REUTERS.
The Turkish insurance market ended 3Q2019 with GWP worth TRY 48.4 billion, 22.5% up y-o-y. At the same time, the appreciation of the Turkish Lira against Euro has influenced the market rates calculated in European currency, translating them in a 38% positive change to EUR 7.8 billion.
A new player enters the Turkish non-life insurance market after the Treasury licensed TMT Sigorta, informed Middle East Insurance Review. The Turkish market is currently dominated by the non-life sector which accounts for more than 80% of premiums.
Dutch insurer ACHMEA informed that Uco VEGTER has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of EUREKO Sigorta, ACHMEA's subsidiary in Turkey. He succeeds Can Akin CAGLAR, who stood down this spring. Since then Uco VEGTER has been the acting CEO.
Turkish authorities opened the way for the setting up the SDDK - the new independent Insurance Regulation and Supervision Authority, by publishing the Presidential Decree in the Official Gazette. The SDDK is part of Turkey's "New Economy Programme Structural Transformation Steps 2019" announced in April 2019, that promises structural reforms for the financial sector.
The State Treasury and Finance Ministry of Turkey have announced the establishment of "Turk Re" as the national reinsurer, as a part of country's new program of economy revitalization.
The Turkish insurance market recorded again a double-digit nominal growth rate in 1H2019, with GWP increasing by 19.23% in local currency, to TRY 33.23 billion.
Turkish insurance market's GWP was of TRY 17.5 billion (about EUR 2.7 billion) in Q1 2019, ~20% up y-o-y in nominal terms, according to the preliminary data published by the local association - TSB. In European currency, the rate was negative (-7.7% y-o-y) due the depreciation registered by the local currency against euro (6.3188 TRY/EUR, March 31st, 2019 vs. 4.8673 TRY/EUR, March 31st, 2018).
Turkish authorities are ready to set up SDDK - the new independent Insurance Regulation and Supervision Authority, according to the Minister of Treasury and Finance, Berat ALBAYRAK quoted by Middle East Insurance Review.