When the whole family applies for residence, every member — children included — needs insurance. Parents' questions: a single family policy or separate ones, what cost, and when is the SGK worthwhile? In this guide, we explain how to insure your family for residence in 2026, with documents and payment.
A Separate Policy per Member
In mandatory residence insurance, each person is insured with a separate policy according to their year of birth. There is no single «family» policy at a flat price; a separate policy is issued for spouses and for each child. The reason is that the price and calculation depend on the person's age.
In practice, you do this one after another in a single app: you enter each member's data and get their policy. Coverage is identical for all — standard for residence.
Insurance for Children
Children must also buy a policy for their residence; their price depends on their year of birth and is usually low for young ages. Their coverage is standard: outpatient and inpatient care within the set limits.
The child's policy is issued with the passport or the YKN. The child's policy start date must match the start of their residence. If you apply for family residence, each child has their policy with their own data.
How Much Insuring the Family Costs
The total cost is the sum of the separate policies, each varying by the holder's age. Since the price depends on year of birth, it varies between members: low for children, high for adults.
To calculate the total, check each policy in the Yab Sigorta app and add them up; the app shows the price per person instantly. If you plan a two-year stay, two-year policies are usually a bit more advantageous, and the saving adds up across the family.
When the SGK Is Worthwhile for a Family
For large families, comparing the SGK option is worthwhile: a single contribution can, under its conditions, cover family members, and coverage is wider (public hospitals, prescription medicines). But the monthly contribution may, over a year, exceed the sum of the private policies.
Practical comparison: multiply the monthly SGK contribution by 12 and compare with the annual sum of all members' private policies. For a young, healthy family, private policies are usually more advantageous; if regular medicines and public hospitals are needed, the SGK may suit.
Special Cases in Family Composition
If one of the spouses is a Turkish citizen with active, debt-free SGK, the foreign spouse may not need a separate policy for their residence; but foreign children usually need a policy according to their residence basis.
If family members apply on different dates (for example if one arrived later), each one's policy start date matches the start of their own residence. So the policies are issued individually, with date checks.
Students and Seniors in the Family
If there is a student in the family, they have a separate path: reduced student SGK within the first three months, or a private policy with a student discount (student certificate required).
For older members, the price is higher by age, and above 60–65 availability depends on the company — compare the options in the app. For them, the unlimited coverage of inpatient care at contracted hospitals is especially valuable.
Documents for the Family
Each member's residence file usually includes: e-ikamet form, passport and copy, biometric photo, proof of address and means, fee receipts and their own policy. For family residence, proof-of-kinship documents may also be requested.
Order for each member: buy their policy → fill in their form → enter the policy number → appointment → attend with the originals. Bring a printout of all the policies to the appointments.
Payment for Several Policies
Each policy is paid separately, but you can do this in a single session in the app: issue the members' policies one after another and pay by international Visa/Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. If your local card does not work due to restrictions, use an international card.
Each policy is paid in one go, upfront. After issuance there is no refund, only if there is an error on a policy is it corrected free of charge. Check each member's data separately.
How to Insure the Family Online
In the Yab Sigorta app, issue the policies one after another: for you, your spouse and each child — with the passport or the YKN — and pay. All policies arrive by email as separate official PDF files.
Make sure each policy's start date matches the start of the relevant member's residence and that the data matches each person's passport. If there is an error on a policy, it is reissued free of charge.
Buy Safely for the Whole Family
Buy the family's policies through the official app of the authorized agent Yab Sigorta; you get for each member an official policy with a verification code, electronic signature and correct data. Avoid dubious cheap offers on social media.
Make sure each policy is an actual residence policy (yabancı sağlık sigortası), not travel insurance; some cheap offers are travel insurance invalid for residence, which leads to rejection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a single policy possible for the whole family?
No, in mandatory residence insurance each member is insured with a separate policy by year of birth; they are issued one after another in a single app.
Do children need insurance?
Yes, each child must buy a policy for their residence; their price depends on year of birth and it is issued with the passport or the YKN.
How much does insuring the family cost?
It is the sum of the separate policies by each person's age. Calculate the total by checking each policy in the app.
For the family, private policy or SGK?
For a young, healthy family, private policies are usually more advantageous. If public hospitals and medicines matter, the SGK may suit but it is a monthly contribution. Compare both.
If my spouse is Turkish and has SGK, is insurance needed?
If the spouse has active, debt-free SGK, the foreign spouse may not need it; but foreign children usually do.
If members apply on different dates?
Each one's policy start date matches the start of their own residence. The policies are issued individually, with date checks.
Is there a discount for the family's student?
Yes, for the student there is student SGK within the first three months or a private policy with a student discount (with a student certificate).
How do I pay the family's policies?
Each policy separately, but in a single session in the app by international card or Apple/Google Pay.
What documents for the family?
For each member: e-ikamet form, passport, photo, proof of address and means, fee receipts and their policy. Kinship documents may also be requested.
Are the family's policies bought online?
Yes, all in a single app and they arrive by email as separate official PDFs.
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