The declaração amigável de acidente automóvel (DAAA) is the accident report form that drivers in Portugal fill in together after a crash, to report it to the insurers. It is not an admission of fault: it records what happened. If both drivers sign it, the insurer must decide in half the usual time.
You can use the paper form, the PDF from the Portuguese Insurers Association or the free e-SEGURNET app. Either way, you must report the accident to your insurer within eight days at the latest.
This guide explains where to get the accident report form, how to fill in the DAAA field by field, who keeps the original, what to do if the other driver refuses to sign and which deadlines the insurer must meet.
What is the accident report form (DAAA)?
The DAAA is the official motor accident report form. According to the ASF «Acidente Automóvel» brochure, it gathers the information insurers need to settle the claim and, at the same time, counts as the accident notification. Whenever possible, it should be filled in at the scene and signed by both drivers.
Signing the form does not mean admitting fault. Neither driver has to declare themselves guilty, and according to the ASF, filling it in does not raise the premium of a driver who was not responsible. The insurers decide liability based on what was written and drawn.
What it is for: the IDS system
When both drivers agree and sign the same DAAA, each hands it to their own insurer. This triggers Direct Compensation of the Insured (IDS): your own insurer handles the claim and later settles with the other driver's insurer. According to Portugal's insurance supervisor, the ASF, IDS applies when:
- only two cars are involved, with a direct collision between them;
- both are insured with insurers that belong to the system;
- the accident happened in Portugal;
- nobody was injured;
- material damage does not exceed 15,000 euros per vehicle.
Where to get the accident report form
The easiest option is to keep a blank form in the glove box, next to your insurance certificate. You can ask your insurer or broker for one. If you have none on the day of the accident, there are two alternatives.
Printable PDF of the accident report form
The Portuguese Insurers Association (APS) publishes the DAAA template as a PDF, with its 15 numbered fields. If you print it at home, print two copies so each driver keeps one, and make sure both copies match and carry both signatures.
Filling in the form online: the e-SEGURNET app
e-SEGURNET is the digital version of the DAAA, created by the APS with the insurers. It is free, works on iOS, Android and in a browser, and is recognised by every insurer on the Portuguese market. It has the same fields as the paper form, plus photos, geolocation and help drawing the sketch.
- The report is filled in on a single phone, even with several drivers.
- Each driver signs with a code sent by SMS, within two hours.
- Afterwards, each has up to eight days to send extra information to their own insurer, the old «back of the DAAA».
- It only works for cars insured in Portugal. With a foreign car, use the paper form.
It is worth installing the app before you need it, saving your own and your car's details and trying the demo mode. On the day of an accident it saves time and stress.
How to fill in the accident report form, field by field
The front of the DAAA has two columns, one for each vehicle (A and B), and 15 numbered fields. On the APS template, the fields are:
- 1 and 2. Date and place of the accident, with street and town;
- 3. Injuries: say whether there were any, even minor;
- 4. Material damage to vehicles other than A and B or to other objects;
- 5. Witnesses: name and contact of anyone who saw the accident;
- 6. Policyholder: name, address and phone;
- 7. Vehicle: registration, make and model;
- 8. Insurance company: insurer name and policy number, both on the insurance certificate;
- 9. Driver: details from the driving licence;
- 10 and 11. Point of impact and visible damage on each car;
- 12. Circumstances: tick the boxes that apply and write how many you ticked;
- 13. Sketch of the accident: as detailed as possible;
- 14 and 15. Remarks and signatures of both drivers.
Circumstances and sketch: where disputes start
Fields 12 and 13 carry the most weight in the decision. Tick only the circumstances that actually happened and write down the number of boxes ticked, so nothing can be added later. In the sketch, draw the road, the direction of travel, where the cars were at the moment of impact and the road signs.
Read everything before signing. When both drivers sign the form, the law presumes the accident happened as described, unless the insurer proves otherwise. If you disagree with a detail, note it in field 14 («As minhas observações»). If you disagree with the essentials, do not sign.
Who keeps the original?
The form is filled in once and each driver keeps one copy, which they hand to their own insurer. What matters is that both copies say exactly the same and carry both signatures. Take a photo of the completed form before you part ways.
After signing: the deadlines
Decree-Law 291/2007, which governs compulsory motor insurance, requires the policyholder to report the accident to the insurer as soon as possible, and never more than eight days later. If the other driver makes a claim and you still do not report it within eight days of the insurer asking you to, you may owe the insurer a penalty equal to that year's compulsory insurance premium.
The insurer also has deadlines to meet:
- 2 working days for first contact and to book the damage assessment;
- 8 further working days to complete the assessment (4 with an accident report form);
- 30 working days to communicate its decision on liability when there is only material damage;
- 15 working days instead of 30 when there is an accident report form.
Deadlines can be extended or suspended in exceptional situations, such as extreme weather, many accidents at once or suspected fraud. If you disagree with the decision, you can complain to the insurer, turn to the customer ombudsman, arbitration or the courts.
When to call the police
The ASF advises calling the police when someone is injured, when the drivers cannot agree on what happened and when the other driver shows no proof of insurance. In that case you can check whether the car is insured from its registration and, if it is not, the Motor Guarantee Fund may cover the damage.
Our article on what happens if you do not pay your car insurance explains the consequences for that driver.
What if the other driver refuses to sign?
The DAAA is amicable, not compulsory. If there is no agreement, each driver fills in and signs their own form and sends it to the other vehicle's insurer. Photos of the damage and the scene and witness details then matter even more. In e-SEGURNET, a driver who disagrees chooses «Não assinar» and the report goes ahead with that note.
The form is only one part of what to do after an accident. Our guide on what to do after a car accident sets out the steps in order, from making the scene safe to the damage assessment.
Accidents and used cars
Many cars that had accidents end up repaired and for sale. Anyone buying a used car should ask whether it has had accidents and check. Of the 7,683 used cars for sale on auto.moto.pt, only about forty mention accidents in their description, most of them to say the car has never had one.
That is the seller's word. Before you buy, run a history check using the VIN and take the car to a mechanic you trust. If your own car was badly damaged and repairs are not worth it, see where to sell a damaged car.
Frequently asked questions about the accident report form
What is the DAAA?
It is the declaração amigável de acidente automóvel, the accident report form in which drivers describe an accident to report it to the insurers. It exists on paper, as a PDF and in the e-SEGURNET app.
Where can I get the accident report form?
From your insurer or broker, as a PDF on the Portuguese Insurers Association website or, in digital form, in the free e-SEGURNET app.
Who should fill in the form?
The drivers of the vehicles involved, ideally at the scene and together. If they cannot agree, each fills in their own.
What is the deadline to send the accident report?
The accident must be reported to the insurer as soon as possible, at most eight days after it happened or after you became aware of it.
Does signing the accident report mean admitting fault?
No. The DAAA describes the accident; it does not assign blame. Liability is decided by the insurers based on what it says.
Can I fill in the accident report online?
Yes, in the e-SEGURNET app or its web version at e-segurnet.pt, for accidents involving cars insured in Portugal. The report goes straight to the insurers.
