DASK and home insurance should be considered complementary types of coverage. Home insurance policies protect houses in many situations, while DASK is the compulsory earthquake insurance mandated by the state. Home insurance consists of private package policies that are optional and not required by law. Holding both home insurance and DASK together protects property owners against a wider range of potential losses. When DASK coverage is insufficient to cover the full extent of damage, a home insurance policy can step in and cover losses that exceed DASK limits. It is important to check your DASK policy details and renew expired policies. Since DASK is a government-mandated earthquake insurance, policyholders should obtain or renew it easily through insurance companies.
What is DASK?
Compulsory earthquake insurance known as DASK is designed to cover damage to registered properties, such as homes and workplaces, resulting from earthquakes. DASK compensates for losses and damages caused by earthquakes up to the limits specified in the policy. Payments under DASK are made in cash. DASK policies are issued through insurance companies and generally cannot be canceled. If the property owner sells the house, the DASK policy does not automatically terminate and remains in effect for the insured risk.
What is Home Insurance?
Purchasing home insurance allows homeowners to secure their properties against various risks. Home insurance typically covers events such as fire, theft, collapse, and accidents, providing protection against likely risks. Unlike DASK, home insurance is optional. In private home insurance contracts arranged through insurance companies, both insurer and insured retain rights to terminate the policy under certain dispute conditions. Optional home insurance can also cover the contents of a house. Optional coverages usually include fixed installations and other building systems. Home insurance policies that protect both the building and its contents ensure that both the structure and internal belongings are included under protection.
Additional Coverages in Home Insurance
Home insurance coverages are commonly divided into two categories:
- Main coverage and
- Additional coverages
The main coverage common to most policies is fire protection. Additional coverages vary by insurer and are not always included in every policy. When taking out a mortgage, it is important to review and confirm which coverages are included. Common additional coverages available in mortgage-related home insurance include:
- Protection against natural disasters such as floods, inundation, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
- Glass breakage and theft coverage. Glass breakage coverage typically applies to fixed mirrors and windows. Theft coverage protects the insured residence against losses when burglars enter and remove belongings.
- Inflation protection to preserve the current value of the insured building and contents against rising prices.
- Coverage for vehicle impact, which protects properties against damage caused by road or air vehicles colliding with the insured building.
- Internal water damage coverage and support services. Internal water coverage protects against damage from burst, overflowing, leaking, frozen, or clogged plumbing. Other assistance services can include glass and electrical repair, locksmith services, and emergency response services.
Scope of DASK Coverage
DASK earthquake insurance requires that buildings be covered for damages resulting from earthquakes. DASK protects structures that are wholly or partially damaged by an earthquake, within the policy limits. The parts of a building typically covered by compulsory DASK insurance include:
- Foundations and main load-bearing walls
- Garden walls, retaining walls, and party walls that separate independent units
- Ceilings and floor slabs within the building
- Elevators and elevator shafts located in the building
- Corridors and landings
- Roof structures and chimneys
- Other similar complementary structural parts of the building
Exclusions from DASK Coverage
Situations excluded from DASK coverage include the following:
- Costs for debris removal
- Loss of income or rental income
- Business interruption losses
- Costs for alternative accommodation or workplaces
- Damage caused by defects in the building unrelated to an earthquake
- Damages that occur from causes other than earthquake-related events such as fire, explosion, landslide or tsunami unless explicitly covered
- Bodily injury and death compensation claims
- Claims for non-material or moral damages
DASK Insurance Rates
DASK insurance rates are applied uniformly across insurance companies. Premiums for compulsory earthquake insurance are calculated in accordance with the “Compulsory Earthquake Insurance Tariff and Directive.” Prices cannot exceed the maximum coverage amounts specified in the directive. To calculate the DASK premium for a dwelling, the following are taken into account:
- The per-square-meter rate specified in the compulsory earthquake insurance tariff
- The gross floor area of the dwelling multiplied by that per-square-meter rate
If the market value of the dwelling exceeds the maximum insured amount, homeowners can optionally purchase additional coverage for the excess value. Additional coverages beyond DASK are provided through optional home insurance policies.
Home Insurance Rates
Pricing for home insurance policies varies by city and district. Factors that affect home insurance premiums include:
- Number of floors in the insured building
- Construction type of the building
- Number of apartments in the building
Homeowners can also insure household contents by declaring a contents value and paying an additional premium so that belongings are included in the coverage.
DASK Policy Inquiry
To check a DASK policy and determine whether a policy is active or expired, the easiest method is to use national ID-based inquiries. DASK policy queries are available through the government e-services portal. Online avenues for DASK inquiries include the official government e-services site and the DASK organization’s website. When performing a policy inquiry, individuals may be asked to provide:
- National ID information
- Tax identification numbers
- Passport or foreign ID numbers
Providing an address code or policy number yields more detailed information. Information available through a DASK policy inquiry includes:
- Policy start and end dates
- Policy number
- Insured address
- Plot, block, and parcel numbers
- The insurance company that issued the policy
- Policy insured amount and the premium