If the commercial taxi plate does not belong to them, taxi drivers are considered employees of the plate owner. The employment contract between the plate-owning employer and the taxi driver is one of the most important factors determining whether the driver is insured. In other words, a taxi driver can voluntarily complete (top up) their SSK (Social Insurance Institution) coverage, but certain conditions apply. You can find more detailed information about voluntary completion of SSK for taxi drivers in this article.
How Is Voluntary SSK Completion for Taxi Drivers Done?
Taxi drivers fall into three categories regarding insurance coverage. The first is drivers who work fewer than 10 days in a month. Drivers who work fewer than 10 days per month are responsible for paying their own SSK premiums. If the employer who owns the commercial taxi plate employs a driver for fewer than 10 days in a month, the employer is not required to pay that driver’s insurance premiums. In this situation, the taxi driver must pay their premiums to benefit from certain rights under Social Insurance Law No. 5510.
The second category is drivers who work 30 days in a month. This is treated as full-time employment under the law. If the plate-owning employer employs a driver full-time—30 days per month—the employer is responsible for paying that driver’s insurance premiums.
The third category applies to drivers who work more than 10 days but fewer than 30 days in a month. In this case, if the employer who owns the commercial taxi plate employs a driver for 10 days or more in a month, the employer is responsible for paying insurance premiums proportionate to the number of days worked. At this point, the taxi driver can apply the voluntary SSK completion to make up any needed coverage. This framework has been in place since a law enacted in 2011.
Conditions for Voluntary SSK Completion for Taxi Drivers
There are specific conditions for taxi drivers who wish to complete their SSK coverage voluntarily. First, the driver must be working under an employment contract. If the commercial taxi itself belongs to the driver, voluntary completion in this form is not possible. Likewise, drivers working for the state or on behalf of the state cannot use the voluntary SSK completion procedure. Additionally, a driver must lack existing optional SSK insurance in order to opt in voluntarily; if the driver is already insured under another scheme, voluntary completion is not applicable.
The driver must also not be receiving any monthly salary, income, or pension, because such payments are given for full 30-day coverage—implying full-time work—and in that case the employer should already be paying the premiums. Finally, a taxi driver must be at least 18 years old to apply for voluntary SSK completion.
If a taxi driver completes their insurance voluntarily under SSK, they become insured under SSK rules. Drivers who choose voluntary completion must apply at the social security provincial directorate of the city where they work. If drivers do not complete their SSK voluntarily, they will not benefit from certain rights under Law No. 5510. The law divides insurance branches into short-term and long-term categories. Short-term insurance covers work accidents, occupational diseases, maternity, and sickness benefits. Long-term insurance covers disability, old-age, and survivor (death) benefits.
Therefore, if a taxi driver’s insurance is paid for 10 days or fewer per month, they cannot benefit from long-term insurance rights. For example, if they become disabled for any reason, they cannot receive a disability pension because the long-term insurance premiums have not been fully paid. Similarly, if they die without having completed long-term insurance premiums (i.e., without voluntary SSK completion), survivor pensions cannot be granted to dependents such as a spouse, children, or parents. If a taxi driver is insured only under short-term branches and has not completed SSK voluntarily, they are entitled to allowances in case of a work accident or occupational disease. In addition, under the General Health Insurance (GSS), they can receive free treatment at state hospitals if they are ill, using their insurance coverage.