THE ESSENTIALS
Before you start
- Photograph the initial condition and every dismantling stage.
- Separate diagnosis, safety work and repair.
- Notifying a claim is not confirmation of cover.
If dismantling has started, explain what happened
Ask the garage for a dated sequence: arrival, first inspection, parts removed, tests performed and the reason for each intervention. Include existing photographs and identify retained parts. Say if there are no initial-condition photographs; a later image must not be presented as an earlier one.
Article 100 of Portugal’s Insurance Contract Law requires information on circumstances, possible causes and consequences. Article 102 links performance to confirmation of the facts. Records assist assessment; they do not replace inspection or guarantee payment.
Preserve parts and images without creating another hazard
As an organisational method, match photographs to vehicle areas and removed parts to the work that produced them. Ask about retention and access for inspection before allowing components to be discarded or returned. Do not handle airbags, batteries or hazardous parts to obtain a photograph; professionals must assess that work.
Where intervention is needed to limit damage, Article 126 requires using available means. Record the urgency and work performed. This does not authorise a complete repair or by itself determine reimbursement.
Keep diagnosis and repair on separate lines
Request a breakdown of dismantling, diagnosis, transport, storage, parts and labour. Clarify who gave each instruction and whether the claims handler has responded in writing. A later estimate does not by itself show that everything was authorised beforehand.
Tiago needs the car for work and worries about accumulating costs. Clara helps him ask for the next step and identify charges still unresolved. She does not promise payment for loss of use or recommend driving an unsafe vehicle.
Send information without waiting for a perfect file
Notify the claim and work already completed through the insurer’s channel within the applicable contractual deadline. Identify missing information and supply it when available. Zurich’s FAQ lists arranging an inspection as a distinct step; this is a procedural example, not a universal insurer deadline.
For the question about starting repairs, also read the site’s guide «Is a garage estimate already the insurer’s authorisation to repair?». RMACHADO can help organise the matter but does not decide cover or carry the risk. Personal information and documents belong in the designated channel, outside public comments.
Sources: Zurich — Motor claims FAQ, arranging an inspection; page read 30 October 2026 ↗
KEEP THESE QUESTIONS
Your checklist for the next conversation
- Request a truthful dismantling timeline.
- Locate photographs and parts safely.
- Separate diagnosis, repair and charges.
- Notify the insurer and keep the response.
FROM THE ARTICLE TO YOUR SITUATION
Let us discuss your situation
Tell us what you want to protect. We review your request and help compare relevant terms. Requesting a quotation does not activate insurance.
Sources and transparency
Content updated on .
Consultation dates are stated in individual references when available.
Numerical examples are fictional and explain concepts. Editorial interpretations are identified in the text.
- Diário da República — Insurance Contract Law, consolidated text, Articles 100, 102 and 126; read 30 October 2026 ↗
- Zurich — Motor claims FAQ, arranging an inspection; page read 30 October 2026 ↗
Information from RMACHADO GROUP. This is not an insurance offer or individual advice. Covers, acceptance, exclusions, sums insured and costs depend on the policy. The intermediary does not underwrite the risks.