THE ESSENTIALS
Before you start
- The address for letters and the insured property are different details.
- Leaving, transporting contents and moving in can happen on different dates.
- Confirmation should identify property, locations and the start and end of cover.
What to update when you move
The gov.pt Moving home guide, updated on 4 September 2026, advises notifying insurers of your new address. Updating an identity document does not prove that your home insurance contract has been reviewed. Confirm the change directly with the entity responsible for the contract.
As a preparation method, split the request into two parts: where you want to receive communications and which property and belongings you want insured. For Rui, the first question concerns letters; the second concerns the apartment he is leaving, the new home and the objects he is moving.
Location is part of the risk description
For fire cover, Article 151 of Portugal’s Insurance Contract Law requires the policy to specify the building’s location and use and where insured movable property is kept. Changing a contact address alone does not demonstrate agreement to insure a different building or contents location.
This is the distinction to clarify using the actual documents. Having the same policyholder does not make two homes the same insured property. Ask the response to identify the location, what is included and the dates, rather than relying on the phrase “the address has been updated”.
Map the transition between homes
Fictional example: Sofia receives the new keys on Monday, moves the contents on Saturday and hands back the old home the following week. Clara writes down all three dates. This lets them ask what happens at each location during the overlap, without assuming simultaneous cover.
Also separate damage during transport and moving operations from risks while belongings are inside either home. Identify any moving company and request the information applicable to its service. Do not infer protection for contents in transit solely from the title of a home insurance policy.
Describe the new home
Prepare the property type, use, relevant characteristics and separate descriptions of the building and contents. If you retain an interest in the old home, explain whether it will be empty, rented out or used differently. Flag information awaiting confirmation; do not copy the old home’s floor area or use into the new description.
Article 91 provides for communicating changes to risk relating to relevant contractual information. Notification and confirmation of applicable terms are separate steps. This does not establish a universal grace period or prove that sending a message has changed the cover.
Check the outcome before closing the task
Compare your request, the response and any updated document supplied. Check the insured location, property, limits and start and potential end dates. Ask explicitly what remains to be dealt with under the old home’s policy.
To prepare an assessment of the new home, select MR Habitação under Request a quote or Please contact me on the RMACHADO website. Changes to an existing policy should go through policy support. This review does not instruct cancellation of any contract or confirm that cover for the new home is already in place.
KEEP THESE QUESTIONS
Your checklist for the next conversation
- Separate contact address, insured building and contents location.
- Give the dates for keys, transport and handing back the old home.
- Describe both properties and the intended use of the old home.
- Check locations, property and dates in the confirmation and updated document.
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.
- gov.pt — Moving home, Employment, insurance and banking section; guide updated 04/09/2026, read 01/11/2026 ↗
- Diário da República — Insurance Contract Law, complete Articles 37, 91 and 151; current consolidation, last amendment shown 17/03/2026, read 01/11/2026 ↗
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.