Page 7 - Turkinsurance Digital Magazine

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that our stakeholders are swiftly and completely informed about highest number of agricultural policies were issued in Tekirdağ
the current updates and news regarding agricultural insurance. On compared to other cities, and “wheat” saw the highest number of
the other hand, we will continue our efforts towards enhancing the policies compared to other agricultural products.
satisfaction level which is of vital importance for the sustainability
of our system. Currently, we are carrying out intensive promotion- Could you inform us about the incentives and steps you are
al and training activities. We intend to transform them into new taking towards increasing the insurance awareness of citizens
formats that will fit better with the characteristics of different re- and penetration rates? Are you offering any special support
gions, which will help us take a broader stand in the field in order for female and young farmers? Do you have any plans in this
to determine and implement new strategies. Pace and impact of area?
digital technology in our lives increase on a daily basis. TARSİM
cannot stay out of it. We will keep monitoring innovative business The system is supported by the State. At least 50% of the pre-
models and practices, making investments to integrate them in miums to be paid by policyholders are paid by the State. It goes
the TARSİM System with the aim of simplifying the lives of our as high as 67% for certain products and certain branches. At the
farmers, breeders and stakeholders, accelerating their transac- same time, we are applying discounts of up to 50% for female
tions; and therefore ensuring that they have positive experiences and young farmers, in addition to no-loss discounts, cash payment
concerning agricultural insurance. discount, and special discounts for precautions to prevent and mit-
igate risks.
What kind of new coverage types can we expect from agri-
cultural insurance in the future? Increasingly frequent cata- Our farmers and breeders need to be registered in the systems of
strophic losses is a significant reality. What is the importance the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to benefit from the ag-
of agricultural insurance against this threat? ricultural insurance system. Therefore, not being registered is a
factor preventing people from buying agricultural insurance. How-
All our activities focus on the vision of being an exemplary insti- ever, I want to emphasize that we provide several conveniences to
tution that is trusted by our farmers and can provide the widest simplify the conditions of registration.
insurance coverage possible for every cultivable product in every
cultivable region of our country. In this respect, within the scope As of 2020, a number of incentive steps were taken for premium
of State Supported Agricultural Insurance, we try to provide cov- and claims payments to ensure that the expansion of our system
erage for insurable risks that might interrupt agricultural activ- and higher number of farmers and breeders benefit from state-sup-
ities and cause financial suffering for our farmers, by assessing ported agricultural insurance. We offer several discounts and pay-
them according to the sustainability of our system. ment advantages for farmers and breeders who wish to buy ag-
ricultural insurance policies. In addition to the 5% discount for
Every year, we receive recommendations of our stakeholders re- female and young farmers (which is applied separately for each
garding insurance practices, and evaluate them through detailed case), we offer other discounts including a “no-loss” discount of
examinations and in accordance with the insurance principles and 5% to 25%, a “cash payment” discount of 5%, and a discount
sustainability of the system. Plus; the Science and Consultation of 25% to 50% for “Loss Prevention and Reduction” measures
Committee, which consists of representatives from TARSİM, depending on type of risk.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Ministry of Treasury
of Finance, proposes projects that will shed light on the improve- As I mentioned earlier, expanding the use of our system is our
ment of our system. These projects are carried out by the technical primary target. Therefore, we travel from village to village to
teams of TARSİM and stakeholder institutions. Ultimate results meet with the farmers and breeders. We visit our stakeholders to
of these intense efforts are then evaluated, and translated into new find out about their requirements about and expectations from the
arrangements and innovations for the benefit of our farmers and system. We remind them of the catastrophes that have occurred,
breeders such as tariff prices, discounts, exceptions and joint in- and try to underline the importance of taking measures against
surance rates in General Conditions and Tariff Regulations, ex- the climate change and accompanying natural catastrophes. We
pansion of existing coverage structure, new insurance programs are trying to increase the recognition of agricultural insurance by
etc. When we see and evaluate catastrophic and local risks, insur- attending market-specific organizations. Moreover, we are con-
ance is a must for agricultural sector, which makes its production stantly broadcasting informational contents and warnings via our
in the form of an open-air factory. We currently cover a majority corporate accounts. We have been attending shows in local TV
of the meteorological and catastrophic risks; however, our efforts channels to encourage people in buying agricultural insurance.
to include nearly all of them are in progress.
Our distribution channels, which are in direct contact with the
How do you evaluate penetration rates for crop and livestock farmers and breeders, are of utmost importance for the System.
insurance lines? We hold regular meetings with the representatives from the 23
insurance companies that are members of our System at our Head
Despite being a 13-year-old system, TARSİM has a penetration Office in Istanbul. Together, we share the evaluations of previous
rate of 20% in Crop Insurance, in terms of registered cultiva- years, and discuss what can be done for the coming years. We or-
tion areas. It is around 8% in Cattle Insurance. Current picture ganize trainings for distribution channels, and organize frequent
indicates that farmers tend to buy Crop Insurance more. We see visits through our Regional Offices. We are preparing a variety of
that penetration rate decreases as we move from the west to the materials and ensure that they are distributed to our farmers and
east of our country. Insurance awareness is stronger in the western producers via our Regional Offices with the aim of informing them
regions, particularly in the Thrace (Trakya) Region. Last year, and raising awareness about agricultural insurance.

Rabia Kübra Kanun / kubrac@bestyayincilik.com