Founded in Istanbul in 1999, NART has evolved from being a local broker into one of Turkey’s leading independent insurance and reinsurance brokers - while maintaining the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of a family-founded business. In 2025, the broker proudly celebrated its 25th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its journey of sustained growth and long-term client partnerships.

Today, with a team of over 120 professionals and a presence across six regions in Turkey, NART delivers comprehensive insurance and reinsurance solutions to a diverse and demanding client base. However, what truly differentiates NART, is not its scale, but its positioning at the intersection of local expertise and global capability. Through long-standing partnerships with international reinsurers and markets - including Lloyd’s of London - NART has built deep expertise across all lines. Its global reach is also significantly strengthened through its partnership with worldwide insurance broking network Brokerslink, that is present in 141 countries.

Growth with a purpose

NART has demonstrated consistent and above-market growth over the last few years, steadily strengthening its position in the Turkish insurance. Whilst the broker has grown in scale, the key ingredient driving its success remains the quality and depth of its client relationships, and it now serves a portfolio of industry-leading companies across a wide range of sectors, including chemicals, construction, automotive, pharmaceuticals, retail, food & beverage, energy, and logistics.

This diversified and high-calibre client base reflects NART’s ability to understand complex risk environments and deliver tailored, sustainable insurance solutions across different industries. Many of its clients are among Turkey’s leading industrial companies, further underlining NART’s strong positioning in the corporate segment.

In a market often characterized by price-driven competition, NART has deliberately positioned itself around long-term value creation - focusing on risk engineering, claims advocacy, and programme sustainability rather than as a purely transactional brokerage.

The value of Brokerslink

A key part of the success of NART’s international portfolio is the global reach and access to specialists that is gains through its partnership with Brokerslink, enabling it to operate not simply as a broker, but as a strategic risk adviser, particularly for large corporate clients operating in sectors such as varied as pharmaceuticals, construction, energy, retail, and manufacturing.

Brokerslink helps NART support Turkish clients with overseas operations or investments. Whether it is a manufacturing facility in North America, a construction project in Africa, or operations elsewhere around the world, Brokerslink provides NART with access to trusted local expertise, support navigating regulatory requirements, the ability to arrange local policy placements, and to co-ordinate claims handling - delivering truly global solutions while maintaining a single point of contact for clients.

Beyond business opportunities, Brokerslink provides invaluable access to international best practice, market insights, innovative products, and different approaches to risk management. It enables independent brokers to benefit from global expertise while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit and client focus that make local brokers successful.

NART has also been a long-time supporter of Brokerslink, and understood early on the benefits the network could bring, joining back in 2009 and in fact taking part in the very first Brokerslink Global Conference, held in Hong Kong.

Levent Nart, Denise’s father, founder of the business, and still Chairman of its Supervisory Board, was a key supporter and attended the Hong Kong conference along with 67 others. And since those early days, both NART and Brokerslink have come a long, with this year’s conference, hosted by NART in Istanbul, expecting to attract over 350 delegates from more than 70 countries.

José Manuel Fonseca and Denise Nart Ünal. Brokerslink Global Conference Madrid, 2025.

A global stage in Istanbul

“NART is absolutely delighted and deeply honoured to be hosting the 2026 Brokerslink Global Conference in Istanbul” comments Denise. “It is a very special moment for us—not only as a long-standing partner of Brokerslink, but also as a Turkish family-owned company that has grown together with the network over the years.

The Brokerslink Global Conference 2026 is being held at the iconic Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, located in the gardens of one of the city’s most prestigious landmarks on the European shore of the Bosphorus. Steeped in history, the former Ottoman palace occupies a site whose history dates to the 17th century, when it served as an imperial garden for Sultan Ahmed I.

The present-day palace was completed in the 19th century during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz. Designed by Armenian architect Nigoğayos Balyan, it was built by his sons Sarkis and Hagop Balyan between 1863 and 1867, and is the last example of an Ottoman sultan building their own palace. The inner walls and the roof were made of wood, the outer walls of colourful marble. A beautiful marble bridge connects the palace to the Yıldız Palace on the hill behind.

In November 1909, during the Second Constitutional Monarchy, Sultan Mehmed V allowed the Ottoman Parliament to hold their meetings in the palace. However this was also short lived, as two months later, on 19th January 1910, it was destroyed in a fire, only the outer walls surviving.

Its garden, called “Şeref Stadı”, served as a football field for Beşiktaş JK until 1987, when the ruined palace was bought by its present owners. The palace was restored – opening in 1992 – and a modern hotel complex built in its garden.

Today, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is a luxurious five-star hotel that brings together Ottoman heritage, contemporary luxury and waterfront views.

Istanbul: where continents, cultures and centuries meet

Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul has been a crossroads of civilizations for centuries, serving as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Its historic areas, including Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Süleymaniye quarter, are hugely popular destinations for visitors and are all recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A city of wonders

For visitors staying at Çırağan, the European side of Istanbul offers an ideal cultural route. A short distance away, Ortaköy is perfect for a Bosphorus-side walk, while Dolmabahçe Palace reflects the grandeur of the late Ottoman era. From there, visitors can continue to Galataport and Istanbul Modern, Turkey’s first museum of modern and contemporary art, located in Beyoğlu near the waterfront.

No visit to Istanbul is complete without exploring the Historic Peninsula. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar offer a powerful journey through the city’s layered past. In the evening, the route can continue toward Galata Tower, Karaköy, Pera and İstiklal Avenue, where historic architecture meets galleries, boutique shops, cafés and a vibrant urban culture.

A place to dine

Istanbul offers an exceptional dining scene, combining refined Turkish flavours with unforgettable views. For guests seeking an elegant experience close to the conference venue, Tuğra Restaurant at Çırağan Palace presents Ottoman-inspired fine dining in a truly historic setting. For a sophisticated evening elsewhere on the European side, Mikla and Sunset Grill & Bar stand out with their contemporary cuisine, stylish atmosphere and panoramic views over the city and the Bosphorus.

With its imperial palaces, world-class museums, Bosphorus views, elegant restaurants and dynamic modern culture, Istanbul promises conference guests not only a professional gathering, but also an unforgettable travel experience.

The insurance market in Turkey

The Turkish insurance market in has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last decade, both in terms of scale and structure. In 2025, total premium volume reached around US$ 23–25 billon (over TRY 1.2 trillion) making Turkey one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance markets in its part of the World. And looking forward, the Turkish insurance markets mixture of high growth potential and high volatility, has made it one of the most exciting, and closely watched, insurance markets in the world.

General insurance dominates the market, with non-life business accounting for approximately 85% of total premiums, and life and pensions accounting for the remainder. Within the non-life segment, motor and motor third-party liability insurance remain the largest lines, representing around 40–45% of business, reflecting both regulatory requirements and the scale of the Turkish automotive market.

Over the last decade, the overall Turkish insurance market has expanded almost 20-fold in nominal terms. However, when adjusted for inflation and currency depreciation, actual growth is significantly more moderate highlighting both the macroeconomic environment and the still substantial untapped potential of the Turkish insurance sector.

In fact, with an insurance penetration rate of approximately 2.5 - 3% of GDP, Turkey remains well below the European average. This gap clearly shows that, despite recent rapid growth, the market is still very much in the development phase with significant upside potential. Key drivers are its young population, increasing awareness of insurance, and the growing sophistication of corporate risk management.

Turkey currently hosts over 71 licensed insurance and reinsurance companies, including approximately 45 non-life insurers, over 50 life and pension providers, along with a small number of reinsurers. Despite this fragmented structure, competition is intense and continues to increase year on year.

Strong international input

One of the defining characteristics of the Turkish insurance market is its strong international integration. Around two-thirds of the sector is backed by foreign capital, with many leading insurers operating either as subsidiaries or joint ventures, including global groups such as Allianz, AXA, and Sompo. This structure brings global expertise, underwriting discipline, and reinsurance capacity into the local ecosystem, effectively placing Turkey at the intersection of emerging market growth and developed market know-how.

At the same time, Turkey has developed several unique public-private insurance mechanisms to manage systemic risks. These include the compulsory earthquake insurance scheme managed by Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool (DASK), agricultural insurance pools, and state-supported pension systems.

From a market cycle perspective, Turkey has benefitted from a significant hardening phase in recent years, particularly following the devastating 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, which led to substantial insured losses and a tightening of reinsurance capacity. However, since 2025, the market has begun to soften again, with increasing capacity, easing rates, and intensified competition across most lines of business.

Looking ahead, the Turkish insurance market continues to offer a compelling story: a market where structural growth drivers remain strong, yet where economic volatility, regulatory evolution, and global capital flows are constantly reshaping the competitive landscape.

While short-term volatility—driven by economic and political factors—continues to shape the market, the long-term outlook remains exceptionally strong. Turkey’s young and dynamic population, combined with low insurance penetration across both life and non-life segments, creates a powerful foundation for future growth.

That is why the Turkish insurance market is not just a developing market—it is a structural growth story, with significant opportunities ahead for those able to navigate its complexity and unlock its full potential.