THE ESSENTIALS
Before you start
- Article 33 distinguishes vessel type, engine and length.
- Type 5 alone does not establish an exemption from compulsory insurance.
- Compulsory liability and damage to your own boat are separate questions.
The list in article 33
Decree-Law 93/2018 requires owners to arrange third-party liability insurance for recreational vessels of types 1, 2, 3 and 4; type 5 vessels equipped with an engine; and type 5 sailing vessels longer than seven metres.
Article 2 also contains exclusions from the decree-law’s scope. Do not turn the list into a rule for every floating object or an exemption certificate for an unidentified case. Resolve uncertainty about classification or the applicable regime before navigating.
Compare three fields without guessing the type
DGRM distinguishes design category, navigation area, hull and propulsion. Letters A, B, C or D and numbered types are different fields. A design-category reference should not replace the vessel type used in the insurance question.
Editorial method: privately record the documented type, propulsion and stated length. Flag missing or conflicting fields and request clarification from the competent authority. Do not infer the type from a photograph or your intended distance from shore.
An engine changes the question
Henrique finds two boats documented as type 5. One has an engine; the other is a sailing boat eight metres long. With Clara, he identifies that the descriptions fit different parts of the statutory list. The words type 5 alone would not have allowed that assessment.
This example checks fields; it does not authorise a trip or classify a real vessel. Before installing or replacing an engine, include current and planned specifications in the documentary and insurance review instead of relying on the earlier position.
Compulsory liability does not settle all damage to the boat
MAPFRE’s public product table lists compulsory liability separately from optional material damage to the vessel. This product-specific example separates third-party obligations from protection of your own property; it does not establish what your policy covers.
Keep two questions in the comparison: «is this vessel’s compulsory liability correctly addressed?» and «which damage to my own boat do I want insured?». Then request each benefit’s limits, exclusions and conditions. A hull value is not a substitute for that distinction.
Prepare the quotation request
Prepare the vessel’s documentary details and intended use, including planned changes. For a RMACHADO quotation, select Boats and identify the question about compulsory insurance. Send documents only through the appropriate channel you are given.
An insurance review does not replace registration, operator qualifications, safety or navigation requirements. Professional use, competition or another special regime needs its own assessment. Do not apply the recreational rule automatically. A quotation activates no policy and confirms no cover.
KEEP THESE QUESTIONS
Your checklist for the next conversation
- Check documented type, propulsion and length.
- Clarify the regime before assuming an exemption.
- Separate compulsory liability from own-vessel damage.
- Describe special uses and planned modifications.
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 — Decreto-Lei n.º 93/2018, artigos 2.º, 33.º e 62.º completos; versão consolidada em vigor, última alteração indicada em 13/10/2020, lida em 02/11/2026 ↗
- DGRM — Classificação e arqueação das embarcações de recreio: conceção, zona, casco e propulsão; página lida em 02/11/2026 ↗
- MAPFRE — Embarcações de Recreio, quadro de coberturas obrigatórias e opcionais; página lida em 02/11/2026 ↗
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.