{"id":3643,"date":"2022-12-19T15:12:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T15:12:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpcv.pt\/em-caso-de-acidente\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T11:47:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T11:47:13","slug":"in-case-of-accident","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gpcv.pt\/en\/in-case-of-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"In case of accident"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We Help<\/h2> <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n
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For any accident, in Portugal or abroad, and immediately at the scene.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before setting off on your journey, check the prevention and safety recommendations of your insurer and the competent authorities and drive with caution.<\/p>\n

No matter how careful you are when driving, the unfortunate possibility of being involved in an accident with one or more foreign-registered vehicles cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n

While the majority of these vehicles are perfectly documented, there is a minority that is undocumented and, more seriously, that drives in our country with false license plates or without valid insurance.<\/p>\n

To ensure that the claim is duly settled, especially when a third party is liable, the GPCV gives you some advice on how to act in the event of an accident:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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ASSESS THE SITUATION AND CONTACT 112<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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If there are injured people, call 112 immediately and ask for authority intervention (you can call 112 in any emergency that requires an ambulance, the fire department or the police). 112 is the Single European Emergency Number, available throughout the EU, free of charge and accessible from landlines and mobile phones.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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SET HAZARD WARNING DEVICES<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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In this case, road signs and warning devices are more important than ever. It is essential to set hazard warning devices to warn other drivers of what has happened.
\nTurn on all four indicators, put on the reflective vest before getting out of the vehicle and place the warning triangle at a distance of no less than 30 meters from the vehicle, so that it is visible from at least 100 meters away.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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FILL IN THE ACCIDENT REPORT<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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Have both drivers fill out and sign the Accident Report (DAAA \u2013 Declara\u00e7\u00e3o Amig\u00e1vel de Acidente Autom\u00f3vel), whenever possible.<\/p>\n

The DAAA is the European accident report, commonly accepted in different countries, and is a document that gathers the personal details of those involved and details the circumstances of the accident.<\/p>\n

All the fields of the DAAA must be filled in legibly, but the date, time and location of the accident, the identification of the insurers, the license plate number and make of the vehicles and the circumstances and layout of the accident are absolutely essential.
\nEach driver should keep a copy of the DAAA or choose to take a photo with their mobile phone.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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COLLECT WITNESS DATA<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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Make a note of the name, address, telephone number or other contact details of any witnesses who witnessed the accident. Witness testimony can make all the difference when it comes to proving the circumstances of the accident.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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IF CASE OF HIT-AND-RUN, CALL THE POLICE<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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Ask the competent authorities to intervene immediately if the other vehicle flees, if there is a conflict or if there is disagreement about the circumstances of the accident.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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IF IT IS AN ARTICULATED VEHICLE, WRITE DOWN THE TWO LICENSE PLATES<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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If the other party is an articulated vehicle (tractor\/trailer), you must write down the two license plates and the two proofs of insurance, both for the tractor and the trailer.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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Use your mobile phone’s camera to obtain a copy of all the documents and to photograph the scene of the accident, the vehicles and the damage suffered by each of them.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/span>\n\n\n\n

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Accident in Portugal with a Foreign Vehicle<\/h2> <\/div>\n
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We operate within the Green Card System.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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I KNOW THE INSURER OF THE FOREIGN VEHICLE, BUT NOT WHO REPRESENTS IT IN PORTUGAL<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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This is where the Correspondents come in, that is, the entities appointed by the insurers in the Green Card System adhering countries to represent them in Portugal.<\/p>\n

You should submit your claim to the foreign Insurer’s Correspondent in Portugal, as they will be responsible for handling your claim. The Correspondent will arrange the expert’s appraisal and the investigation process, will establish liability and, if necessary, will pay any compensation that may be due.<\/p>\n

Go to the “Correspondents<\/a>” page for more details and to use our Correspondent search system.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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I DON’T KNOW THE INSURER OF THE FOREIGN VEHICLE. HOW SHOULD I PROCEED?<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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If you don’t know the Insurer of the foreign vehicle, or if a search for the correspondent returns the GPCV, then contact the GPCV to formalize your claim.<\/p>\n

The GPCV will contact the Green Card Bureau of the country where the vehicle is registered in order to establish whether the foreign vehicle is normally based in that country and which Insurer insures it and its Correspondent.<\/p>\n

If there is no valid third party liability insurance of the foreign vehicle (in the case of signatory countries to the “Multilateral Agreement”) or if its Insurer has not appointed a correspondent in Portugal, the claim will be handled by the GPCV itself.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO RESOLVE?<\/h3> <\/div>\n
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The duration of the process depends on several factors, such as the correct identification of the foreign vehicle and the respective Insurer, which will allow you to quickly find the Correspondent in Portugal and to start the claim handling process through the appointed Correspondent, after confirming the insurance cover.<\/p>\n

It also depends on whether there is the need to confirm if the foreign vehicle is normally based in a certain country (or has valid insurance), which can take up to 42 days (the maximum period for this).<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, despite technological advances, the deadlines to resolve accidents involving foreign vehicles are always longer than claims involving only domestic vehicles.<\/p>\n <\/div> \n\n <\/div>\n

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Accident abroad, with injured party resident in Portugal<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n
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In case of a claim for an accident that took place abroad, its resolution is outside the scope of action of the GPCV. It then falls under the Protection of Visitors system, implemented by the 4th<\/sup> Motor Insurance Directive, for which the Motor Guarantee Fund (FGA) is the competent body.<\/p>\n

Compensation Body<\/h2>\n

The FGA, as the Portuguese Compensation Body, \u00a0is the body responsible for paying compensation to injured parties resident in Portugal who have been victims, in another Member State or in a country adhering to the Green Card System, of a road accident caused by a vehicle normally based and insured in another Member State, other than that of their residence, in the following situations:<\/p>\n

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  1. The foreign Insurer has not appointed a claims representative in Portugal.<\/li>\n
  2. Lack of a reasoned response from the foreign insurer or its claims representative within the time limit set for reporting liability.<\/li>\n
  3. Impossibility of identifying the vehicle responsible for the accident.<\/li>\n
  4. Impossibility of identifying the vehicle’s insurer within two months of the accident.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Information Centre<\/h2>\n

    If you don’t know the insurer or the claims representative of the vehicle responsible for the accident that occurred abroad, you can use the license plate of the foreign vehicle to request that information from the Information Centre. In Portugal, this is the FGA\u2019s responsibility. You can submit your request here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Search for Claims Representatives<\/h2>\n

    You can search here <\/a>for the Claims Representatives of foreign insurers (ASF).<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n