Claiming in Portugal when you are used to a US adjuster

A US claim usually runs through an adjuster who calls, inspects, and often settles over the phone within days. A Portuguese claim runs on a different rhythm — written, slower in places, and built around documentation rather than a single adjuster relationship. Knowing the difference before something happens is the point of this page.

There is no single "adjuster" the way US clients expect

Where a US claim often has one named adjuster managing the file end to end, a Portuguese claim typically moves through several distinct steps and, on larger or disputed losses, a loss adjuster (perito) instructed specifically to assess that loss — not a permanent case manager assigned to you as a customer. Correspondence is written rather than a single ongoing phone relationship, and for an international client working in English, that written form is an advantage, not a downside: it creates a record of exactly what was said and agreed.

What the sequence actually looks like

1. Notify the insurer promptly and in writing, with what happened, when, and the immediate scale of the damage.
2. For anything beyond a minor loss, expect a loss adjuster's visit or a request for documented evidence (photographs, invoices, quotes).
3. The insurer issues a written assessment of the loss and, where relevant, applies the proportional rule if the sum insured has fallen behind the true value.
4. If you disagree with the figure, Portuguese policies carry their own dispute mechanism — covered in full in disputing a settlement figure in Portugal.
5. Settlement follows, in writing, once the figure is agreed or the dispute mechanism has run its course.

What to expect that is genuinely different from a US claim

• Timelines are not guaranteed by a service-level promise the way some US carriers advertise. A straightforward claim moves faster than a disputed or complex one, but there is no universal "settled within X days" standard to expect.
• Everything of substance happens in writing. A phone call does not replace a written notification or a written settlement figure — keep records of both.
• The language of the process is Portuguese by default. Working with an English-speaking broker from the outset, rather than only once something goes wrong, is what keeps the written record usable to you throughout.

Adler & Rochefort is a commercial brand of Ownizo, Unipessoal Lda., registered with the Portuguese Insurance and Pension Funds Supervisory Authority (ASF) under no. 425591790/3. General information only, not personalised advice; the exact process and timeline depend on the insurer, the policy wording and the circumstances of the loss.

More on this subject: Disputing a settlement figure in Portugal · Insurance for Americans in Portugal