Professional indemnity insurance in Portugal

Professional indemnity insurance covers legal liabilities that liberal professionals or service undertakings have to their clients while providing a service, in the event of negligently caused loss, damage, errors or omissions caused by a breach of their professional duties.

On its website, the Insurance and Pension Funds Supervisory Authority (ASF), the Portuguese regulator of insurance activity and its respective insurance management and brokerage bodies, publishes a list of compulsory insurance currently needed for the various occupations:

• Accidents at work (construction workers, forest rangers, professional sports persons, temporary employment undertakings, farm workers, self-employed workers)
• Accidents on duty (senior officers and staff of the Polícia Judiciária [Portuguese police])
• Personal accidents (referees, athletes, trainers, tourist development companies, lifeguards, divers, crew members, etc.)
• Personal assistance (tourist development companies and maritime tourism operators)
• Indemnity insurance (industry, legal activities, dental clinics, private security, etc.).

Compulsory insurance policies may cover different risks, according to the respective legislation. The specific features of each kind can be consulted on the ASF website, as can the specific legislation of each professional activity covered by the applicable exclusions.