You believe that the other driver was responsible for the accident, but the system assigns all or a significant share of fault to you. An incomplete diagram or inaccurate statement in the accident report may have influenced the assessment. An effective challenge should explain the technical sequence of the collision with concrete evidence.
In brief: Rather than stating only that the result is unfair, identify new evidence or material that was overlooked. An insurer’s fault assessment, the Insurance Information and Monitoring Centre (SBM) process and judicial review are different mechanisms, and notification dates can be important.
Which assessment are you challenging?
A jointly completed material-damage accident report, a police report and the fault allocation made in the insurance process are not the same document. Establish which authority or process produced the percentage being challenged. Accidents involving injury or other special circumstances may follow a different procedure.
SBM guidance provides an objection mechanism in specified cases where insurers have reached an assessment, including a five-business-day period following notification for submission of new information and documents. That period should not be confused with every limitation or court deadline relating to the accident.
What should photographs show?
The final position of the vehicles is relevant, but road markings, signs, lane configuration and points of impact can be equally important. A close-up photograph of damaged bodywork may not, on its own, explain the manoeuvre that caused the collision. Preserve images taken from different angles.
Annotated copies can be useful, but keep the originals separately. Cropping or altering images may remove context. Speed or distance should not be stated as a precise technical conclusion unless there is a reliable basis for doing so.
Preserving camera footage
Nearby businesses, buildings or vehicles may have recordings. Retention periods can be short, so identify possible footage and the relevant time without delay. Use lawful preservation and disclosure routes rather than attempting unauthorised access to another person’s system.
Where footage will be requested through a formal process, identify the location, camera direction and a reasonably narrow time range. Recording shortly before and after the collision may also be relevant.
What should an objection file contain?
- The accident report and record notifying the fault percentage.
- Accident location, date and time.
- Original photographs and any available video.
- An annotated diagram showing road signs and lane layout.
- Available witness details and camera locations.
- A comparison between impact points and the account of how the accident occurred.
A concise explanation of where each vehicle came from, what manoeuvre it made and where contact occurred is usually more useful than a long accusatory statement. Distinguish what a witness actually saw from what they later heard.
Does a changed fault percentage resolve every payment issue?
Fault is an important part of liability, but the amount of loss and insurance cover are separate. A corrected percentage does not mean that every claimed expense is automatically covered. Repair costs, diminished value and other losses should be addressed separately.
If the insurance process does not resolve the dispute, the appropriate arbitration or judicial route may be considered. Not every challenge is directed to the same body, and existing files and deadlines should be reviewed together.
Frequently asked questions
I signed the accident report. Can I still challenge the assessment?
The effect of the signature and statements in the report should be considered, but newly available evidence or an alleged error in the later assessment can still require examination.
What if I have no new evidence?
Existing evidence may have been assessed incorrectly, although the conditions of the specific objection procedure should still be checked.
Does the insurer’s fault percentage always bind a court?
No. An insurance assessment and judicial evaluation are not identical. A court evaluates evidence and liability under its own procedural rules.
DISCUSS YOUR CASE
Discuss your accident fault assessment
We can review the accident report, photographs and available camera recordings to assess your options under Turkish law.
A brief summary and important dates are enough for an initial enquiry. Send documents only when requested by our lawyers, through the channel they specify. Do not share passwords, one-time codes or wallet keys.
Sources and legislation
Insurance Information and Monitoring Centre (SBM): Accident report inquiry and objection
Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098
Insurance Arbitration Commission: Application requirements
Originally prepared on 8 September 2026. This article provides general information on Turkish law. Remedies and deadlines should be assessed against the documents and circumstances of each case. The image is illustrative.
Related reading
Vehicle Diminished Value Underpayment
Comprehensive Motor Insurance Claim Rejected
Related practice area: Insurance & Vehicle Diminished Value.