Payment Release Gate — Building Insurance
Start by identifying the source of the requirement
Additional building insurance is not a universal statutory condition for every Turkish property sale in the same way DASK is compulsory for covered buildings. It may become required because of the sale contract, financing documents or the buyer's risk policy. The gate should therefore state where the requirement comes from: a contract clause, lender instruction or buyer condition. Without that source, a transaction may retain money for an assumption that neither law nor contract requires.
Separate DASK from fire/property insurance
SEDDK's official Fire Insurance General Conditions describe core cover for direct material damage caused by fire, lightning, explosion and related smoke, vapour or heat within the terms, while other perils may require additional agreement. DASK operates under a separate earthquake regime. The gate must identify which policy is actually required and whether DASK is an independent prerequisite.
Identify the insured property precisely
Match the policy address, property description and relevant unit information to the transaction. If a policy is written for the whole building or complex, understand exactly what it insures and whether the individual unit's interest satisfies the transaction requirement. A project name on a certificate does not by itself prove that the apartment is insured in the required manner.
Review the sum insured and building components
The general conditions explain that land value is not part of the insured amount and that certain fixed installations and building components may fall within cover, while other items require specific mention. Do not compare the policy sum with the property's sale price and assume they should be identical. Understand the basis of the insured value and whether it meets the contractual or lender requirement.
Check perils and exclusions, not the product label
A product called “home insurance” or “building insurance” does not prove every peril is covered. Read the schedule, clauses and endorsements. Some perils require additional agreement, and voluntary earthquake cover has its own relationship with compulsory DASK. If the contract expects fire, water damage, liability or another defined peril, verify it by name, limit and condition rather than relying on the policy title.
Verify premium status and effective dates
A policy document whose premium is unpaid, or whose cover starts after closing, may fail the transaction condition. Record inception, expiry and premium/payment status. Where financing requires continued cover for a longer period, do not stop at issuance; understand renewal responsibility and whether the contract requires evidence of continuation.
Review lender or mortgagee interest where financing applies
A lender may require its interest to be noted or another policy arrangement. Do not invent the wording; read the lender's requirement and confirm the final document reflects it. Where a buyer presents an alternative policy that meets the necessary cover, its acceptance should follow the contractual and regulatory framework rather than brand preference.
Define release evidence
The release pack may include the final policy, coverage schedule, premium evidence, address match, validity period and lender confirmation where relevant. A quote or application draft is not an active policy. If evidence is missing but curable, keep the condition open or apply the agreed interim mechanism until the final evidence exists.
Recheck immediately before funds move
Changes to closing date, property, loan amount or lender instruction can invalidate a previous insurance check. Reopen the gate when a material input changes. A property-data correction should produce a clear endorsement or final policy rather than an informal explanation that leaves two conflicting versions in the file.
Record the limits of the decision
At release, state that the review confirms only the defined insurance condition. It does not guarantee that every property risk is insured or that the sum insured is adequate for every loss scenario. Broader adequacy requires policy analysis and, where appropriate, professional insurance advice. This boundary prevents a “PASS” status from becoming a general warranty to the buyer.