# Car insurance in Portugal: 2nd hand car purchases.



## ExpatNick

Hello All.

Does anyone have any guidance or advice to offer with regard to sourcing car insurance within Portugal? 

I'm expecting to be resident there before too long and will need a car. I have no existing no-claims discount to transfer from anywhere, not because I've been a naughty boy but because I haven't owned a car for 20+years (I've made do with company cars, lease cars, hire cars - or more often than not - no car at all, which is not really a problem in Singapore or Macau or Hong Kong, all places I've been living in since 1993).

Are there any reputable 2nd hand car dealers around the Algarve / Baijo Alentejo areas? No Arthur Daleys please!!

Finally, any info on the PT equivalents of road tax, MOTs, etc?

Many thanks!


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## travelling-man

Road tax is calculated on engine size & age of vehicle so newer cars with big engines cost more than old cars with small engines & going from memory I pay around €125 per year for my 2000 model 4x4 with 3.2 TDI engine & the same car costs about €180 per year to insure.

It's almost impossible to get properly kosher fully comp cover for cars over 5 years old for some bizarre reason.

MOTs are done annually & cost about €30


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## Maggy Crawford

I agree about fully comprehensive insurance not being generally available. We have a very good broker who acts for Zurich and we got it for our car, which was more than five years old, as did my brother in law. Usually, you have to own the car for fewer than five years and when it gets over that age you can continue to have fully comprehensive. Best to shop around but that is our experience.


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## ExpatNick

Thanks to all who've replied.

Do your experiences suggest it would be possible to build up no claims for a year or two with a run-around (i.e. a wreck - but a legal one), then buy a new(er) car and find comprehensive cover?


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## travelling-man

ExpatNick said:


> Thanks to all who've replied.
> 
> Do your experiences suggest it would be possible to build up no claims for a year or two with a run-around (i.e. a wreck - but a legal one), then buy a new(er) car and find comprehensive cover?


I didn't even think to ask about NCB when I came here but didn't find vehicle insurance particularly expensive either........ but it might be worth doing that if you feel the need. 

Alternatively, wait until you get here and then ask for quotes for various vehicles.

I've just renewed the road tax on two of mine today. They're right at opposite ends of the spectrum but this might help you get a further idea of costs. 

One is a 125cc mini motorcycle which is now 3 or 4 years old and that cost €5 and odd for the year and the other is a 5.9 litre V8 classic which is rated at €776 per year but I'm glad to say is registered as a car of historical interest to PT which makes it exempt from road tax. 

On the subject of motorcycles: Parking in many Portuguese villages/towns is often hard to find, especially in the tourist season and a little two wheeled runaround is often worth it's weight in gold in the summer months!


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