Caravela - Companhia de Seguros, S.A.
Caravela
Caravela is a motor third-party liability insurance for the Portugal market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
Caravela substitutes the insured in amicable or litigious claims handling and indemnifies third parties directly; for two-vehicle accidents in Portugal with material damage below the threshold, the IDS convention lets the policyholder be compensated directly by their own insurer.
Geographic scope
Portugal (mainland, Azores and Madeira)
Coverage applies throughout the EU/EEA member states, plus Switzerland, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, San Marino, Vatican City and Andorra, and any other country whose national insurance bureau adheres to the Green Card Agreement; the Travel Assistance, Occupants and Legal Protection covers apply worldwide.
Unique selling points
- The policy can be fully quoted and purchased online in minutes, with the Green Card issued automatically once payment is confirmed.
- 24/7 integrated travel assistance keeps drivers and occupants covered anywhere, including breakdowns, flat tyres and lost keys, not just accidents.
- A digital damage survey speeds up settlement of own-damage and glass-breakage claims without needing an in-person inspection.
- Pricing rewards safe drivers, aiming to charge good drivers less through the bonus/malus scale.
- Adherence to the IDS convention lets policyholders be compensated directly by their own insurer after two-vehicle accidents in Portugal, avoiding the need to deal with the other driver's insurer.
Coverage limits
Compulsory Bodily Injury Liability
€6,450,000
Mandatory third-party bodily injury cover up to €6,450,000 per claim, corresponding to at least the statutory minimum capital required by Portuguese law (Decree-Law 291/2007); the insurer's liability is always capped at the amount fixed in the Particular Conditions, never below this legal minimum.
Compulsory Property Damage Liability
€1,300,000
Mandatory third-party material damage cover up to €1,300,000 per claim, corresponding to at least the statutory minimum capital required by Portuguese law (Decree-Law 291/2007); the insurer's liability is always capped at the amount fixed in the Particular Conditions.
Legal Protection
€7,000 – €8,000
Optional 'Proteção Jurídica' cover included within the Travel Assistance rider, valid in Europe plus Morocco, Tunisia, Israel and Turkey. The annual aggregate limit is €7,000 (Normal grade) or €8,000 (VIP grade), capped per claim at €3,500/€4,000 respectively; lawyer/solicitor fees for criminal defence, damages claims and defective-repair claims are sub-limited to €1,750 (Normal) or €2,000 (VIP) combined; the VIP grade additionally covers third-party insolvency claims up to €5,000 (Portugal) / €2,500 (abroad).
International Motor Insurance Certificate (Green Card)
Covered
The Green Card is issued automatically once payment is confirmed via the online simulator; where only a provisional certificate was auto-issued (premium paid in instalments shorter than 4 months), the policyholder can request the full Green Card, which the insurer issues within 5 business days at no extra cost. It documents cover for circulation in countries beyond the standard EEA-agreement territory under Clause 3 of the General Conditions.
Roadside / Travel Assistance
€165 – €500
Optional 'Assistência em Viagem' rider sold in two grades: Normal and VIP. Towing/roadside repair (desempanagem/reboque) is capped at €165 per assistance, limited to 3 assistances per year, under the Normal grade, rising to €500 per assistance under VIP; vehicle transport/repatriation and recovery after theft are unlimited under both grades. The rider also includes worldwide medical/repatriation assistance for occupants.
Occupant Personal Accident – Driver
Optional
Optional 'Acidentes Pessoais Ocupantes de Viatura' rider providing death/permanent disability, funeral expenses, medical/repatriation expenses and a daily hospitalisation allowance (ITIH) for the driver, since the compulsory MTPL cover explicitly excludes the at-fault driver's own bodily injury. Capital sums are fixed in the Particular Conditions; death cover only applies from age 14; ITIH pays for up to 180 days per accident (max 360 days if hospitalisations recur).
Occupant Personal Accident – Passengers
Optional
The same optional 'Acidentes Pessoais Ocupantes de Viatura' rider extends cover to all persons carried free of charge in the insured vehicle (excluding hitchhikers), complementing the compulsory RC cover for third-party passengers, which already excludes certain relatives and passengers carried in breach of transport rules. Capitals for death/disability, medical expenses, repatriation and ITIH are fixed in the Particular Conditions.
Key conditions
Territorial scope
Coverage applies throughout the EU/EEA member states, plus Switzerland, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, San Marino, Vatican City and Andorra, and any other country whose national insurance bureau adheres to the Green Card Agreement; the Travel Assistance, Occupants and Legal Protection covers apply worldwide.
Green card rules
The Green Card is auto-issued after online payment; a full international certificate can also be requested and is issued within 5 business days free of charge; it is required to certify cover for circulation in Green-Card-Agreement states not automatically covered and for the direct cross-border route between two Agreement territories lacking a national insurance bureau.
Driver restrictions
Cover (particularly the optional covers) excludes accidents where the driver was under the influence of alcohol above the legal limit, drugs or other toxic substances, or in a state of dementia; where the driver was not legally licensed or held an expired driving licence; where the mandatory periodic vehicle inspection (IPO) had not been carried out; or where the vehicle was used for a service different from and riskier than that declared in the Particular Conditions.
Claim notification deadline
The policyholder or insured must report a claim in writing as soon as possible and never later than 8 days from the date of the event or from when they became aware of it.
Bonus-malus rules
A bonus/malus scale of 20 grades (tariff levels from 50% to 250%) applies to Liability, Own Damage and related covers. The entry grade depends on years insured and claims in the last 5 years; within the same annuity, the first claim drops 2 grades and each subsequent claim drops a further 5 grades, while each claim-free annuity raises the level by 1 grade.
Where to buy
Policy specifics
IDS Direct Compensation to Policyholder
Protocol among Portuguese insurers enabling direct compensation to policyholders for motor vehicle accidents with material damages only
Source24/7 Travel Assistance
Round-the-clock roadside assistance available for vehicle breakdowns and accidents during travel
SourceDigital Claims Survey
Streamlined digital inspection process for motor vehicle damage claims when optional coverage is purchased
SourceCompulsory Third-Party Liability
Mandatory base coverage for motor vehicle insurance protecting third parties against bodily injury and property damage caused by the insured vehicle
SourcePremium Payment Obligation
Initial premium or first installment must be paid on the contract signature date; subsequent annual installments are due on contractually defined dates
SourceRisk Aggravation Notification Duty
Policyholder or insured must notify the insurer within 14 days of becoming aware of any circumstance that increases the risk if it could have influenced the insurer's decision
SourceVehicle Transmission Policy Termination
In case of vehicle sale or transmission, if the policyholder does not request suspension, the policy terminates at 24:00 on the transmission date
Source