While the earthquakes affecting 11 provinces mobilized the business world, the banking sector also announced the board decisions on banking transactions after the earthquake. It was aimed to provide convenience to earthquake victims with regulations regarding loans, credit cards, salary payments and other banking transactions.
While Turkey was trying to heal the wounds of the earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaraş and affected 6 provinces on Monday, February 11, a statement came from the banking sector regarding the banking transactions after the earthquake. Accountkurdu, which allows users to compare bank and insurance products and choose the product that suits them, shared the decisions announced by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) and the Banks Association of Turkey (TBB) on its website. In its statement, which includes the words "We are deeply saddened by the earthquake disaster", the decisions made by the BRSA and the TBB for credit, credit cards and other banking transactions were summarized.
Loan payments delayed for 6 months
In the statement made by the TBB, it was decided to postpone the debts due or due in 6 months for 6 months, upon the request of bank customers who were exposed to the negative effects of the earthquake. In the text of the decision, which also advised banks to provide additional facilities to earthquake victims, it was stated that the supply of credit rating grades and additional documents required for bank customers who want to use credit was left to the bank's decision. In addition, while the valuation of the real estates that the earthquake victims used as collateral for the loans was postponed, the members of the Risk Center were informed that the credit risk, loan payment, promissory notes and check transactions of the bank customers in the earthquake region should be made within the framework of the force majeure regulation.
The Banks Association of Turkey pointed out that bank customers who want to benefit from the facilities provided for earthquake victims should document their requests in accordance with the regulations and convey them to the banks.
Improvement to credit card limits
Updates on credit cards were also made in the announced decisions. According to what was shared by Accountkurdu, TBB announced its principle decision not to collect transaction fees for ATM transactions in the earthquake zone with a statement published on February 6, and decided to increase the limits taken into account by the banks when determining the card limit. It was decided that the total card limit would not exceed 4 times the monthly average net income for the first year, and 8 times for the second and subsequent years.
While banks are offered the opportunity to grant grace periods to earthquake victims, the total limit of credit cards that can be obtained by real persons in case their income level cannot be determined has been updated as 5 thousand TL. While the application of 20% and 40% in the minimum amount was removed, it was announced that the minimum amount would be 20% of the period's debt, regardless of the limit. The text of the TBB also drew attention to the issue of requiring a password for the first contactless card transaction for all bank customers across the country.
Salary payments can be made with an identity document.
Banks directed their mobile ATMs to the region within the first hours to replace the dysfunctional ATMs in the earthquake-affected regions. In addition, many banks have started to provide up-to-date information on mobile ATM and working ATM locations on their websites. It was also stated in the information statement published by Accountkurdu, which offers comparison opportunities for banking and insurance products such as loans, credit cards, insurance, deposits and is audited by the BRSA, and that with the arrangement made, earthquake victims can perform their salary transactions with any document showing their identity. It was pointed out that the earthquake victims will be able to get their lost IDs free of charge, and it was noted that bank customers who cannot access any identity or identity document can make salary payments and other banking transactions with the information they will declare.