Portuguese Insurance Regulator issues final rules updating compulsory motor liability insurance policy wording

The Portuguese Insurance Regulator (ASF) published the outcome of Public Consultation No. 11/2025 and set out how feedback was reflected in the final regulatory standard amending the uniform general conditions for Portugal’s compulsory motor third-party liability insurance policy. The changes primarily align policy wording with the updated legal regime introduced by Decree-Law 26/2025, including clarifications to the scope of cover and updated references to the “claims history statement”. Beyond the EU-driven updates, the final text also reflects developments on electronic proof of insurance, clarifies how civil and insurance law interact when determining compensation in a given case, and shifts detailed information on international cover into the contract’s special conditions. ASF received two submissions (from the Portuguese Insurers’ Association and the Portuguese Consumer Association) and, among other drafting decisions, reverted to the prior structure for clauses on coverage, duration and contract termination after respondents raised interpretive concerns, while adding targeted clarifications including around “denunciation”, resolution mechanics and the content of the claims history statement. On temporal application, ASF opted to extend the updated wording to existing contracts, with a reasonable deferral to the first renewal after the regulatory standard’s entry into force and a requirement for insurers to provide advance notice to policyholders.