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Condominium insurance in Portugal
Condominium insurance in Portugal explained: compulsory fire cover, the block policy of the owners’ association and your own home insurance. What a condominium in Portugal has to insure, what makes sense and who is responsible for what. With an independent comparison and advice in English.
✅ For buildings across Portugal: office in Almancil, Algarve
✅ Independent broker: several insurers compared
✅ Advice in English: also in German and Portuguese
Free and with no obligation · reply usually within 24 hours (working days)
We compare offers from these insurers
How condominium insurance works in Portugal
A building divided into separately owned units is called propriedade horizontal in Portugal. It consists of the individual units (frações autónomas) and the common parts (partes comuns) such as the roof, façade, stairwell, lift and pipes. Together, the owners form the condomínio.
The law requires fire insurance for these buildings, covering both the units and the common parts (Article 1429 of the Portuguese Civil Code). The owners have to take it out. If they do not do so within the deadline and for the amount set by the owners’ meeting, the building administrator must take out the insurance.
Many associations go beyond the legal minimum with a Seguro Multirriscos Condomínio, a block policy that adds further risks and the association’s liability to the fire cover. How home insurance for your own apartment works is explained on our page House insurance in Portugal.
What a condo insurance policy can cover
Only fire insurance is compulsory. The association decides which other sections to add. These four come up most often:
Fire for the whole building
The legal minimum for the units and the common parts. The owners’ meeting sets the sum; it should reflect the cost of rebuilding, not the market value of the apartments. Fire caused by an earthquake is normally excluded from the compulsory fire cover.
Common parts and equipment
Water damage from shared pipes, storm damage to the roof, broken glass in the entrance, damage to the lift, pool or garden. The more shared facilities a building has, the more these sections matter.
Liability of the association
Pays when the association is liable for harm caused to third parties by the common property, for example by a falling roof tile or a fall in the stairwell. It matters whether owners in the building also count as third parties.
Earthquake and natural hazards
Earthquake cover (fenómenos sísmicos) is an optional section. The excess is often a percentage, which depending on the policy is calculated on the loss or on the sum insured; the amount is set out in the specific conditions. More in our guide Earthquakes in Portugal.
Depending on the building, assistance (such as an emergency service for burst pipes), legal protection, theft from common areas and aerials or solar panels on the roof can be added. We build the policy around the building and its facilities rather than selling a standard package.
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Who insures what: administrator, owners’ meeting, owners
In a condominium, several parties share responsibility for the insurance:
Administrator
Administração do condomínio
Must take out the fire insurance if the owners do not do so in time.
Owners’ meeting
Assembleia de condóminos
Sets the deadline and the amount for which the building has to be insured, and decides on additional sections such as earthquake or liability.
Owners
Your unit (fração autónoma)
Check whether the block policy also includes your unit. Your contents, personal liability and your own fittings such as kitchen or floors are covered by your own home insurance.
Letting
Holiday apartment in the building
If you let an apartment under an Alojamento Local (AL) registration, the law requires your own liability insurance of at least 75,000 euros per claim. The block policy does not replace it. More on insurance for holiday letting.
We work out with you, and with your administrator if you wish, which policy covers what, and explain the Portuguese policy terms in English before the owners’ meeting decides.
Block policy or your own policy: who pays for what?
This question often comes up after a claim. A rough guide:
| Damage | Block policy | Your own policy |
|---|---|---|
| Fire in the stairwell | Common parts; your unit if the policy includes it (the law requires fire cover for the units too). | Your contents, e.g. furniture damaged by smoke; your unit if you insure it yourself. |
| Water from a shared pipe | If water damage is included: damage to the common parts; repairing the pipe itself only with leak detection and repair cover. | Damage to your contents and fittings. |
| Storm damages the roof | Only if storm cover is included in the block policy; the legal minimum is fire only. See Storm damage in Portugal. | Resulting damage inside your apartment, depending on the terms. |
| Earthquake | Only with earthquake cover. | Your contents only if your policy includes earthquake. |
| Visitor falls in the stairwell | Liability of the association, if included. | Usually not affected. |
What applies in an individual case is set out in the terms of each policy. This overview is a general guide.
Insurers we compare
We compare offers from several insurers in Portugal. Which of them offer a suitable block policy for your building is part of the comparison. C1 Broker is not tied to any insurer.
Allianz
International
An international insurance group with a brand familiar to expats.
Hiscox
SPECIALIST INSURER
A specialist insurer with an international profile.
Innovarisk
INSURANCE SOLUTIONS FOR EXPATS
Insurance solutions for international clients and property owners in Portugal.
Zurich
International
A well-established international insurer.
Victoria
ESTABLISHED IN PORTUGAL
A long-standing insurer with a strong presence in the Portuguese market.
Generali
LEADING EUROPEAN INSURER
One of Europe’s largest insurance groups.
This overview is neutral and not a ranking. We identify the most suitable insurer and policy by comparing your property, its location and how it is used.
Compare insurers with independent advice
We obtain suitable quotations and explain the differences in clear English.
Your English-speaking Insurance Broker in Portugal
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Advice in your language
ASF
Authorised under ASF 923047667 (APROSE 5503)
7+
insurers compared independently
24 h
initial response (working days)
Personal advice from the Algarve
C1 Broker · Almancil office, Algarve
“We support owners and administrators across Portugal from choosing the right building policy to settling a claim, in person and in your language. You deal with the same people at our office in Almancil.”
- Phone: +351 289 392 452
- Email: [email protected]
- Office: Av. Duarte Pacheco 13 R/C, 8135-104 Almancil (Quinta do Lago), Algarve
- Languages: English, German and Portuguese
Related insurance & guides
Holiday letting
Insurance for Alojamento Local, hotels and holiday villas in Portugal.
Frequently asked questions about condominium insurance in Portugal
Is condominium insurance compulsory in Portugal?
Yes, for fire insurance. Buildings divided into separately owned units must be insured against fire, both the individual units and the common parts (Article 1429 of the Civil Code). Further sections such as water damage, storm, earthquake or liability are voluntary.
Who takes out the insurance, the owners or the administrator?
By law, the owners. If they have not done so within the deadline and for the amount set by the owners’ meeting, the administrator must take out the insurance. In practice, many associations decide on one block policy for the whole building.
What is the difference between fire insurance and a multirisk policy?
Fire insurance covers damage caused by fire, which is all the law requires. A Seguro Multirriscos Condomínio also includes risks such as water damage, storm and glass breakage, and usually the liability of the association. Which sections are included depends on the cover chosen.
Are earthquakes covered by the building policy?
Only if the association explicitly adds earthquake cover. The excess is then often a percentage, which depending on the policy is calculated on the loss or on the sum insured; the amount and limits are set out in the specific conditions. More in our guide Earthquakes in Portugal.
Do I need my own insurance as an apartment owner?
Usually yes. The block policy mainly protects the building. Your contents, personal liability and your own fittings are normally not covered, or only to a limited extent. We match your own home insurance to the association’s policy, so there are no gaps and no double cover.
What applies if an owner in the building is injured?
That depends on the liability section of the policy. Some policies do not treat the owners as third parties, so the association has to bear the claim itself. More comprehensive policies cover such cases through cross liability. We pay particular attention to this point when comparing policies.
Where is your office and which languages do you speak?
Our office is at Av. Duarte Pacheco 13 R/C, 8135-104 Almancil. We advise owners and administrators in English, German and Portuguese, by phone on +351 289 392 452, by email at [email protected] or at the office by appointment.
How much does condominium insurance cost?
The premium depends on the sum insured, the number of units, the size and age of the building, shared facilities such as a lift or pool, the sections chosen and the excess. A higher excess lowers the premium; in a claim the association then pays a fixed amount or a percentage itself. A reliable flat price is not possible. We prepare a free comparison quote for your building.
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