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Car Insurance

Car Insurance

Vehicle owners are responsible for any damage they cause to third parties and may be liable to pay out large sums of money in the event of an accident. To protect the interests of injured parties, who are entitled to have their losses paid for, regardless of whether or not the person responsible for the accident is financially able to do so, third-party liability insurance for motor vehicles and their trailers is compulsory.

A vehicle for which liability insurance has not been taken out is in an illegal situation. By law, the vehicle can be seized and the owner may have to pay a fine.

 The compulsory insurance covers compensation for bodily injury and damage to property caused to third parties and persons carried, except for the driver of the vehicle.

A wide range of optional covers can be taken out to protect the vehicle and its occupants.

For companies with more than 5 vehicles, we offer the Fleet service, with advantages in terms of administrative management, treasury management and price stability.

Advantages

  • Fleet Policies: It is advantageous to have a good risk management of the companies' automobile fleet, a good history of absence of liability claims rewards companies through a system of insurance price reduction, which makes it more economical.
  • Car insurance adapts to the risk profile of each client, there is enormous flexibility in contracting cover.

Coverage

Third Party Liability ("third party") for land motor vehicles and their trailers with a minimum compulsory capital of 7.75 million euros (6.45 million for bodily injury and 1.30 million for property damage). It guarantees compensation for bodily injury and/or damage to property caused to third parties, as well as persons carried, except for the driver of the vehicle and the policyholder (including their respective spouses and family members).
  • Capital Facultativo – em responsabilidade civil superior ao mínimo obrigatório, alargando assim o âmbito da responsabilidade coberta;
  • Proteção Jurídica – representação judicial ou extrajudicial dos interesses do tomador de seguro, cauções e reclamações por reparação defeituosa em consequência de acidente de viação;
  • Personal Accident for Occupants of the Vehicle - predefined payment of a capital sum in the event of death or permanent disability, a daily allowance for hospitalisation and treatment expenses to the occupants of the insured vehicle (including the driver) as a result of a road traffic accident;
  • Own Damage - to cover losses suffered by the insured vehicle even if the driver is responsible for the accident, in accordance with the coverages that may be contracted, namely, resulting from impact, collision and overturning, theft or robbery, fire, lightning or explosion, malicious acts and phenomena of nature;
  • Quebra Isolada de Vidros – danos em virtude de quebra isolada dos vidros, para-brisas, óculo traseiro e vidros laterais do veículo seguro.
  • Privação Temporária de Uso e/ou Veículo de Substituição – pagamento de uma compensação pelos prejuízos decorrentes de privação forçada do uso do veículo seguro;
  • Assistência em Viagem – para o veículo e passageiros, a qual poderá conceder ao tomador do seguro, em caso de acidente ou avaria, a assistência necessária para o reboque do seu veículo, o transporte e deslocação de pessoas e bens, e, em alguns casos, o fornecimento de um outro veículo até ao final da viagem;

Care to be taken

Is it possible to insure "against all risks"?

Although we often hear the term "all-risk insurance", no insurance contract covers all risks. Generally, this designation refers to insurance that also covers own damage. This type of insurance covers damage to the insured vehicle, even in situations where the driver is responsible for the accident. Some of the covers that can be taken out include: impact, collision and overturning, fire, lightning and explosion and theft.

Does the excess affect the price of insurance?

The excess is the amount payable by the policyholder in the event of a claim. It reduces the cost of the insurance because it makes the policyholder responsible for part of the loss. The excess, where it exists, is defined in the particular conditions of the insurance policy. It can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the sum insured or of the damage. For own damage cover, the amount of the excess is deducted from the indemnity owed by the insurer to the policyholder.

What kind of information should one ask for and analyse before choosing car insurance?

Before taking out a motor insurance policy, the following information should be requested from the insurer: the price of the compulsory cover and optional covers; the risks that are covered and those that are excluded; the options regarding the excess and its impact on the price of the insurance; the table of premium penalties and bonuses; the countries where the various covers are valid; the criteria used by the insurer to determine and update the value of the insured vehicle (in own damage insurance) and the respective table of depreciation.

How is the value of the vehicle updated in own damage insurance?

The insured value of the vehicle, which is used to calculate the compensation in case of total loss, must be updated automatically every year by the insurer according to a devaluation table defined in the contract. The update takes into account the age of the vehicle and the price when new. Alternatively, the insurer and the policyholder may agree on another value, provided it is reasonable.

If I sell the vehicle, does the insurance transfer to the new owner?

No. The insurance ends at 24 hours on the day of the sale, so the new owner must conclude another insurance contract. The policyholder must immediately notify his insurer of the sale of the vehicle.

Other aspects to take into consideration:

  • You should always specify and value in the insurance proposal, all the optional equipment of your car, otherwise it will not be covered by the insurance.
  • In the cover of Phenomena of Nature, some policies provided by the Insurers do not cover damage caused by hail.
  • Some Insurance Companies charge higher excesses, if the Customer chooses to use workshops of his own choice instead of the Insurance Companies' agreed workshops.

Decree-Law No. 291/2007 - Compulsory Insurance - See here

The information contained in this website is merely indicative. The rights and obligations of the parties are defined in the Proposals, Conditions Special and General applicable terms of the respective insurance policies contracted.