What the law requires
The compulsory policy (seguro de responsabilidade civil automóvel) covers the damage your vehicle causes to third parties — other vehicles, property, passengers, pedestrians — up to at least 6 450 000 € per accident for bodily injury and 1 300 000 € for property damage, amounts fixed by article 12.º of the regime republished by Decreto-Lei n.º 26/2025 and revised every five years with the EU. The driver’s own injuries and the insured vehicle’s own damage are not covered by the compulsory policy.
Driving without it is an offence with a fine and immobilisation of the vehicle; victims of uninsured drivers are compensated by the Fundo de Garantia Automóvel, which then pursues the driver.
- 6,45 M€ / 1,3 M€ minimum cover per accident
- Third party only is the legal minimum; own damage is optional
- 15 days for an insurer to issue your claims-history statement (DL 26/2025, art. 20.º)
- Foreign history can lower the premium if documented
Third-party, third-party plus, comprehensive
| Level | Covers | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Responsabilidade civil (third party) | the legal minimum; usually with roadside assistance and legal defence added | older cars of low value |
| Third party + fire, theft, glass, natural events | the car’s loss by theft or fire, windscreens, storms, and often a driver’s personal accident cover | mid-value cars |
| Danos próprios (comprehensive) | own damage in a collision, with an excess (franquia) chosen at purchase | cars under about five years or financed |
Premiums depend on the driver’s age and licence age, the car’s value and power, the postcode, the annual mileage declared and the claims history. Insurers apply a bonus-malus; a foreign no-claims record from your previous insurer, translated, is accepted by most Portuguese insurers when applying for a first policy.
Cars brought from abroad
A foreign-registered car may circulate temporarily on its foreign policy with a valid green card or an EU plate. Once you are resident, the car must be registered in Portugal (with the ISV registration tax unless the transfer-of-residence exemption applies) and insured under a Portuguese policy — the foreign policy stops meeting the Portuguese obligation. The office runs the import file with customs, IMT and the registry, and places the policy the day the Portuguese plates are issued. Your driving licence follows its own rules: EU, OECD and CPLP licences remain valid after residence under the conditions on the transport page.
Insurers quote on the vehicle registration document (DUA), the driver's licence and the claims-history statement. Newcomers without a Portuguese address at Finanças cannot be quoted correctly — the postcode is a rating factor — so the NIF and the fiscal address come first.
Claims and the direct-settlement system
For collisions between two insured vehicles in Portugal, the drivers fill in the European accident statement (Declaração Amigável) and each claims from their own insurer under the direct-settlement convention (IDS), which then recovers from the insurer at fault — fast for small damage. Injuries and disputes go through the at-fault insurer or the courts; CIMPAS offers arbitration for motor disputes.
Questions
Can I insure a car in Portugal as a non-resident?
A car registered in Portugal can be insured by its owner with a NIF and a Portuguese address for correspondence; some insurers require residence. A foreign-registered car keeps its foreign policy while it may lawfully circulate.
Is roadside assistance included?
Not by law. Most policies bundle it (assistência em viagem); check the towing distance and whether it applies from the home address.
Does my policy cover other drivers?
Third-party cover follows the vehicle: any authorised driver is covered for damage to others. Own-damage cover may restrict named or young drivers — read the conditions.
Sources and official references
- Decreto-Lei n.º 26/2025, de 20 de março — motor liability insurance regime (transposing Directive 2021/2118): art. 12.º minimum amounts 6 450 000 € / 1 300 000 €, claims-history statement within 15 days (art. 20.º) — checked 18.9.2026
- ASF — insurance supervisor: register of insurers and intermediaries — checked 18.9.2026
- IMT — foreign driving licences accepted or exchanged after residence (OECD, CPLP, convention countries) — checked 18.9.2026