DPVAT Insurance BR

DPVAT Indemnity — Death and Permanent Disability (Brazil)

DPVAT (Seguro de Danos Pessoais por Veículos Automotores Terrestres) is a mandatory Brazilian insurance, regulated by SUSEP, that pays traffic accident victims whether or not anyone was at fault. The amounts are fixed. Death pays death = R$ 13,500. Permanent disability pays permanent disability = R$ 13,500 × disability_grade, scaled to how severe the injury is according to the official medical table. Medical costs are reimbursed up to medical expense reimbursement ≤ R$ 2,700 as long as you keep the receipts. For partial disability, the SUSEP scale applies, so the total loss of one upper limb counts as 70%.

DPVAT was created by Law 6.194/1974, and Law 11.482/2007 fixed the values used today. The Seguradora Líder consortium stopped operating in 2020, after which the remaining claims were handled through Caixa Econômica. In 2024 the program came back under Caixa Seguridade, with Law 14.785/2023 and Provisória 1.243/2024 restoring its funding through the IPVA collection.

Applications

Families of accident victims often want a figure in hand before they file the administrative claim. Personal injury lawyers work out the proportional amounts in partial disability cases. Healthcare providers check the ceiling on reimbursable medical costs (DAMS) ahead of time. Brokers and consumer-rights advocates compare what the operator actually paid and flag anything that came up short.

FAQ

Does DPVAT cover hit-and-run or uninsured vehicles? Yes. The coverage applies no matter whether the vehicle was ever identified, carried insurance, or had its paperwork in order. Even a pedestrian hit by an unknown car can file a claim.

How is partial disability grade determined? A physician appointed by the operator examines the victim and applies the official table annexed to Law 11.945/2009. Loss of a hand, for instance, is 70%, and loss of vision in one eye is 30%. You then take R$ 13,500 and multiply it by that percentage to get the payout.

What is the deadline to claim DPVAT? You have 3 years. For death or disability the clock starts on the date of the accident, and for medical expenses (DAMS) it runs from the day the cost was incurred, as set by STJ Súmula 405.