Insurance in Portugal – make sure you protect your home, property and lifestyle
Given the uncertainty of life sometimes, it’s so important to ensure you, your property, family and belongings are protected upon your arrival in Portugal.
Diligent research into the ins and outs of your chosen corner of Portugal, as well as the best insurance policies available, will be the only way that you can minimise the risks of natural disasters, accidents or thefts.
There are a number of areas you will need to consider here:
Property insurance
Property insurance will often be a mandatory condition of your mortgage agreement, and your lender will usually require proof that you are covered for the minimum amount of buildings insurance. If you choose a mortgage from a Portuguese bank, then you will usually be required to have buildings insurance from a Portuguese bank.
Property insurance will often be a mandatory condition of your mortgage agreement.
When taking out this insurance, it’s important to ensure that you understand exactly the eligibility requirements for your property and everything within it. Each policy and its cost will vary depending on the provider, so you will need to spend some time assessing each possible option in order to choose the correct policy for you – one that is comprehensive and tailored to meet your needs. It’s also a good idea to make sure the policy is written in your native language.
You will need to ensure that your provider is aware that you are moving to Portugal full time, and that your contents value limit is suitably high.
Renting out your property
If you are purchasing your property as a holiday home or an investment that you intend to rent out, you will need to ensure that your insurance policy allows this. If you will remain a UK resident, it can be a good idea to purchase your property from a UK-based insurance provider that specialises in holiday homes. There are numerous benefits to choosing this option – the ability to pay for your policy in sterling and by direct debit, higher liability limits, and often a 24-hour helpline for your use in domestic emergencies. We can put you in touch with a leading UK-based holiday home insurance firm offering this.
Make sure your new life is adequately protected.
You will also need to purchase public liability insurance if you rent your property out. This will cover you if any of your guests have an accident, and protect you from the damage caused to your property or possessions.
Health insurance
It’s often wise to purchase health insurance as an expat, so that you can ensure you are covered for everything that you are used to receiving on the NHS – and will also give you more chance of being treated by a doctor who can speak to you in your native language, which can be reassuring in an emergency.
We can put you in touch with the right people to help you with this. Call us on 020 7898 0549 to discuss your options.
It’s often wise to purchase health insurance as an expat, so that you can ensure you are covered for everything that you are used to receiving on the NHS.
Car insurance
If you will be driving in Portugal, it is so important to ensure that your car has at least third party insurance. Proof of this insurance must be carried at all times, and you will be penalised if you do not have valid insurance.
The cost of your policy will depend on the provider and your car, as well as your own age and driving history. It’s important to shop around to find the best policy to suit you.
The Property Buyer’s Guide to Currency will help you: