How Do Insurance Contracts Respond To COVID-19 Outbreak?

1. General Overlook

Measures and restrictions being gradually introduced by the government against the COVID-19 outbreak, which was announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization and diagnosed for the first time in Turkey on 11 March 2020, aim to protect public health while sustaining employment, production and supply chains.

Restrictions, which were first imposed on flights to China in February, were introduced for flights to another 71 countries in March.¹ These were followed by other restrictions on inter-provincial public transportation, subject to certain exemptions. Lastly, in early April, any and all entrances and departures to and from 31 cities, including 30 metropolitan cities were banned for 15 days. Meanwhile, in mid-March, both the municipalities and the government impeded access to almost all of the public areas where cultural and social activities are performed, and imposed a curfew for those that are older than 65 years old and younger