← Calculators · TVDE Portugal · 6 min read
TVDE Insurance in Portugal: the guide without the sales pitch
Regular car insurance isn't enough to drive for Uber, Bolt or Free Now — the law requires a specific policy built for professional use. Here's what you need to know before signing up, no sales pitch attached.
Why regular insurance doesn't work
Personal car insurance covers private use. The moment you accept paying passengers, you're using the car commercially — and if you have an accident on a personal policy, the insurer can simply refuse to pay, citing improper use. TVDE insurance exists specifically to close that gap.
What the law requires
Law 45/2018, of 10 August requires two types of coverage: civil liability adapted for professional use, with a minimum coverage of 7.75 million euros, and protection for transported passengers. This is the absolute minimum — without it, you're operating illegally and risk fines and vehicle impoundment, on top of having no real protection in an accident.
What it actually costs
There is no single figure to quote here, because the price turns on your age, your driving history, the car you drive, and whether own-damage cover is included. Two quotes can look far apart and still both be honest — one may include own-damage cover and the other may price it separately, or leave it out entirely. TVDE cover costs more than the equivalent personal policy, because the car is in intensive professional use for hours at a stretch. Get 3 or 4 quotes, then line them up on the same baseline before comparing prices: civil liability at the 7.75 million euro minimum plus passenger protection, with own-damage shown separately.
Mandatory vs optional
Civil liability and passenger protection are mandatory by law. Own-damage cover — covering repairs to your own car even when you're at fault — is optional, but on newer or financed cars it usually pays off, since an accident without it can get very expensive out of pocket.
What is mandatory and what is optional
| Coverage | Required? | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Civil liability for professional use | Mandatory | Minimum coverage of 7.75 million euros, required by Law 45/2018 |
| Protection for transported passengers | Mandatory | Covers the passengers you carry while working |
| Own-damage cover | Optional | Repairs to your own car even when you are at fault |
What the 7.75 million actually means
The figure that confuses most drivers is the 7.75 million euros, so it is worth unpacking. It is the minimum civil liability cover for professional use under Law 45/2018, of 10 August. Civil liability covers harm to other people and their property — the pedestrian, the other driver, the passenger — not your own car. That distinction is the whole shape of a TVDE policy: the law forces you to be able to pay for damage you cause to others while carrying paying passengers, because the sums involved in a serious accident dwarf anything a driver could pay personally. Passenger protection sits alongside it for the people you transport. Your own car is a separate question, handled by own-damage cover, which is why a policy can satisfy the law completely while leaving your own repairs unpaid after an at-fault accident. Reading a quote means checking which of these three buckets each line belongs to, not just the total price.
Comparing quotes, step by step
The page recommends getting quotes from 3 or 4 insurers, and the comparison only works if the quotes cover the same thing. Start by fixing the baseline every quote must include: civil liability adapted for professional use at the 7.75 million euro minimum, plus passenger protection. Then, for each quote, note whether own-damage cover is included or priced separately, because that is usually where the biggest price gap comes from. A quote that looks cheapest but drops own-damage cover is not comparable to one that includes it — on a newer or financed car, an accident without own-damage cover can cost far more out of pocket than the premium difference, and on a financed car the lender may effectively require it anyway. One last check on each quote: what the insurer excludes for professional use, since a personal policy that does not cover paying passengers is not a cheaper alternative at all. Price matters, but only between quotes that insure the same risk.
The personal-policy trap, spelled out
Consider a driver who keeps a personal policy and has an accident while carrying passengers. The insurer's first question is what the car was doing, and personal insurance covers private use. The moment paying passengers are involved, the use is commercial, and the insurer can refuse to pay, citing improper use. The driver is then left paying for the damage personally, on top of driving without the coverage the law requires — which risks fines and vehicle impoundment. The premium saved by staying on a personal policy is small next to either consequence. This is also why the licence and the insurance have to be read together: the TVDE licence page covers the certificate you need before your first ride, and this page covers the policy you need before that same ride. One without the other leaves the driver exposed, legally and financially. Once both are in place, the ongoing question becomes cost control, and the Monthly Income page puts insurance where it belongs in the monthly accounts, next to fuel, commissions and taxes.
Frequently asked questions
Does regular car insurance work for TVDE?
No. You need a specific TVDE policy. Using personal insurance for professional activity can mean the insurer refuses to pay out on a claim, and is also illegal under the law regulating the activity.
How much does TVDE insurance cost in Portugal?
There is no single figure: it varies by driver profile and car, and by whether own-damage cover is included, and it is always higher than equivalent personal insurance, given the greater risk of intensive professional use. Get 3 or 4 quotes and compare them only once every quote includes the same baseline — civil liability at the 7.75 million euro minimum plus passenger protection, with own-damage cover shown separately.
What minimum coverage is required?
Mandatory civil liability for TVDE has a minimum coverage of 7.75 million euros. For years it was common for insurers to require much higher amounts (15.5 or even 50 million), but that stopped being a legal requirement — they're still available as an option, not a requirement.
Do I need insurance if I work for a fleet company?
If you drive a car belonging to a TVDE fleet company, it's usually that company that arranges and pays for the vehicle's insurance. Still, it's always worth confirming in writing what's covered before you start working.
What happens if I crash on a personal policy?
The insurer can refuse to pay, citing improper use, because personal insurance covers private use and accepting paying passengers is commercial use. That leaves you paying for the damage yourself, and driving without the required TVDE coverage also risks fines and vehicle impoundment. This is the core reason TVDE insurance exists: to close the gap between private cover and professional use.
How many quotes should I get?
Three or four. The comparison only works if every quote includes the same mandatory baseline — civil liability at the 7.75 million euro minimum plus passenger protection — with own-damage cover shown separately so you can see what you are actually paying for. A quote that looks cheapest but drops own-damage cover is not comparable to one that includes it.