New Regulation Effective as of April 1: Single Report Era in Vehicle Damage and Depreciation Assessment

The “Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Appointment of Insurance Adjusters,” published in the Official Gazette dated February 12, 2026, and numbered 33166, has introduced a fundamental and revolutionary change in insurance law and compensation claims arising from traffic accidents. As of April 1, 2026, the process of claiming “vehicle depreciation” (diminution in value) compensation, one of the greatest grievances faced by vehicle owners involved in accidents, has been established on a completely transparent, fast, and citizen-oriented ground with this new legal arrangement.

The Concept of Vehicle Depreciation and Its Legal Basis

In the context of Turkish law, vehicle depreciation refers to the difference between the pre-accident second-hand market value of a vehicle and its post-accident (repaired) second-hand market value after it has sustained damage and undergone proper repair. In accordance with the “tort” provisions of the Turkish Code of Obligations, it is mandatory that this financial decrease in the assets of the injured party be compensated by the faulty party or the motor third-party liability insurance that assumes their legal liability. However, until now, administrative and legal practices had turned the collection of this compensation into a lengthy and grueling procedure for vehicle owners.

Deficiencies in the Old System and the New “Single Report” Regulation

In previous practices, an insurance adjuster appointed after a traffic accident would only determine the repair costs for material damages such as bodywork and mechanical issues. For a vehicle owner to claim the depreciation they deserved, they were required to initiate a separate legal process completely independent of the damage repair process, re-apply to the insurance company, and often seek judicial remedy before the Insurance Arbitration Commission or Civil Courts of First Instance.

With the new regulation, this fragmented and complex structure has been eliminated. Now, the independent insurance adjuster appointed for damage assessment will simultaneously calculate the vehicle depreciation amount within the same report while determining the repair cost. Thus, right holders have gained the opportunity to learn the depreciation value suffered by their vehicles directly and through official channels via a single adjuster report, without making an additional administrative application.

Exclusion of Intermediaries and Legal Certainty

One of the most critical reflections of this regulation is the exclusion of unauthorized entities operating under the name of “damage consultancy.” These structures, which possess no legal qualifications, often exploit the shock and lack of information of citizens following a traffic accident to collect powers of attorney with the promise of “obtaining the highest compensation.” Determining the depreciation value directly in the adjuster’s report automates the process and prevents these unofficial entities from demanding exorbitant commissions. As we at Esenyel Partners always emphasize to our clients; the management of disputes requiring technical and specific expertise, such as compensation law, must be carried out through expert lawyers as a legal necessity and the only way to prevent loss of rights. The new legislation aims to establish legal certainty by preventing the financial exploitation created by illegal intermediaries.

EKSİST Infrastructure and Appeal Mechanisms

Another significant innovation introduced by the regulation is the EKSİST (Adjuster Appointment and Tracking System) application, established under the infrastructure of the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency (SEDDK). Adjuster appointments will now be conducted automatically through the system based on objective criteria such as regional distribution, field of expertise, and merit, free from manual intervention. In the context of procedural economy, adjuster appointment has not been made mandatory for damages below 40,000 TL (one-tenth of the minimum material coverage limit) set for 2026, allowing parties to reach a quick agreement.

The right to appeal the issued assessment reports has also been meticulously designed. Interested parties may object to the assessment within 3 business days from the notification of the report. In this case, a “Referee Adjuster” with at least 10 years of professional experience in the relevant branch will be appointed through EKSİST to resolve the dispute, and this report will be accepted as final at the administrative stage. This system, which started as a pilot in the provinces of Bursa and Ordu as of April 1, 2026, is planned to be implemented throughout Turkey as of July 1, 2026.

It is of great importance to receive expert legal services to avoid loss of rights and to manage the process accurately regarding your material damage and vehicle depreciation compensation rights arising from traffic accidents, appeal processes against adjuster reports, and all kinds of legal disputes arising from insurance policies. To obtain more detailed information on the subject, learn your legal rights, and receive professional support in your legal processes, you may contact Esenyel Partners.