Every claim-free year on a motor policy moves you up a step, and each step reduces the premium. The scale is one of the few genuinely significant discounts in Turkish motor insurance.
It moves with you
The step attaches to the driver, not to the insurer. Switching companies does not reset it, and any insurer quoting you should be applying it. If a quote looks unexpectedly high, this is the first thing to check.
The small claim question
A claim drops you back down the scale, and the effect lasts for years rather than one renewal. For minor damage, the arithmetic often favours paying it yourself.
| Situation | Usually worth claiming |
|---|---|
| Damage well above your excess | Yes |
| Damage close to the excess | Rarely — you lose the step for little gain |
| Someone else at fault, and identified | Yes, and your step should not be affected |
| Glass only, with glass cover | Often handled separately without affecting the step |
Before you report minor damage, ask what it will cost you at renewal. We work that out with clients rather than letting them find out the following year.
Keeping the record clean
Do not let cover lapse between policies. A gap can cost you the accumulated step entirely, which is an expensive way to save a few days of premium.