Azerbaijan, Türkiye to mutually recognize insurance rights of each other's citizens

Turkish citizens with travel insurance will be able to use their policies digitally in Azerbaijani hospitals, said Ozgur Obali, Secretary General of the Turkish Insurance Association, Report informs.

"In this case, a Turkish citizen will receive medical services in Azerbaijan as if they were insured locally. Likewise, Azerbaijani citizens will enjoy the same benefits when visiting Türkiye. Currently, foreign nationals pay out-of-pocket for accident-related expenses and can only claim reimbursement after returning home. This new approach will allow immediate access to services," Obali explained.

He noted that two key steps are essential for the integration: data exchange and regulatory harmonization. "Once these conditions are met, citizen satisfaction will increase significantly," he added.

Obalı said that Azerbaijan has almost completed its electronic document workflow. "Following passport-free ID transitions, substantial progress has been made in integrating the e-gov systems of both countries. Insurance can become a vital part of this integration. Recognition of insurance services between Azerbaijan and Turkey could lay the foundation for a unified insurance ecosystem among Turkic states," he noted.

For nearly a year, Azerbaijan and Türkiye have been working on integrating their government portals (e-gov). This initiative covers document circulation, citizen access to state services via ID cards, and more, enabling Azerbaijani citizens to use services in Türkiye and Turkish citizens to do so in Azerbaijan more conveniently.