Turkish Insurance Companies’ Risk Management Strategies and Structures: A Survey Study

Insurance industry is one of the cornerstones of both the financial system and the economy as it undertakes global risks and minimizes losses. The compensation of major losses by insurance companies means rapid recovery and resumption for investors. The insurance sector is very important for the development of the country's economy as it contributes premium volume and its support to investors as for compensation of the losses. However, the insurance sector faces a great deal of risks. Therefore, it is of importance for insurance companies to have a robust risk management system to constitute a basis for the growth of economy. Risk management enables insurance companies to identify measuring and analyzing risks, safeguard their assets, minimize potential risks and take them under control. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the risks assumed by insurance companies in Turkey and their risk management perspectives to struggle such major risks through a survey. This survey makes an evaluation about how insurance companies’ risk management departments are structured, risks that insurance companies foresee, their strategies to deal with such risks. Among the important findings of the survey; Top 10 risks for insurance companies are- “interest rate and foreign exchange rate fluctuation, political risks, economic slowdown, economic crisis, regulations, cyber-attacks, incompliance with the applicable legislation, increasing competition, digitalization/insurtech, business continuity interruption” and the second finding is Turkish insurance industry’s risk management set-up has a robust structure even though it has a small share in global insurance market and Turkish financial sector.