In short
The Compulsory Liability Insurance pays up to $4,500.00 per accident for damage the insured vehicle caused to another vehicle. It does not pay for damage to the vehicle that caused the accident, does not pay for injuries and does not pay for property that is not a vehicle. There are three clocks: report to the police within 48 hours, notify the accident to the insurer, and file the claim within one year of it happening. Two rules surprise almost everyone: under Ley 253-1995 only estimates from — and payments to — shops registered in Hacienda’s Merchant Registry are accepted; and under Regla LXXI, the Initial Liability Determination System, insurers resolve the claim with the information the parties provide and may not use police reports. Beyond the repair, the policy carries benefits you have to claim with evidence: a $100.00 repair incentive, reimbursement of the sales tax on parts and labour, reimbursement of your deductible and reimbursement of the tow.
What is it?
An SRO claim is the process by which the injured party in a traffic accident collects, from the insurer of the vehicle that hit them, the damage to their vehicle up to the $4,500.00 limit. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner establishes by regulation the Initial Liability Determination System, which applies to every insurer providing the Compulsory Insurance: Regla LXXI includes diagrams assigning a negligence percentage to the parties involved, and insurers may only resolve the claim with the information the parties provide, without using police reports. Payment is issued under Ley 253-1995: in the name of the registered owner of the affected vehicle, of the repair shop chosen by the injured party, or of both; and for vehicles under a lease contract, in the name of the lessee.
Who can do it?
The coverage answers for damage that a vehicle insured under a valid SRO policy causes to another motor vehicle in a traffic accident within the territory of Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra. Outside the coverage: damage caused to property intentionally; the insured’s liability if the vehicle was illegally appropriated, stolen or driven without authorization; liability for use of the vehicle in clandestine or speed racing; any liability arising from fraudulent conduct in the accident; and accidents outside Puerto Rico’s territory. The OCS warns that other exclusions may apply under current law.
Requirements
- Reporting the accident to the police within 48 hours.Verified against the official source
- Notifying the accident to the vehicle’s insurer.Verified against the official source
- Filing the claim within one year of the accident.Verified against the official source
- Allowing inspection of the vehicles involved.Verified against the official source
- Submitting proof of the loss suffered as a result of the accident.Verified against the official source
- Cooperating with the process: failing to do so breaches the policy’s duties, is treated as a misdemeanour and can carry a fine of up to $500.00.Verified against the official source
Documents you need
Cost
Step by step
Step 1: Police within 48 hours
The first clock. If the vehicle insured under a Compulsory Insurance policy was involved in an accident, the owner or driver must report it to the police within 48 hours. Do not leave it for after the weekend.
Step 2: Notify the insurer
The second duty: notify the accident to the vehicle’s insurer. If you do not know which insurer provides that vehicle’s SRO, the OCS publishes the list of participating insurers on its portal.
Step 3: Get the estimate from a registered shop
This is where a lot of time gets lost. Ley 253-1995 provides that only estimates from — and payments to — repair shops properly registered in the Department of Treasury’s Merchant Registry can be accepted. An estimate from an unregistered shop is useless to the insurer, however good it is. Ask the shop whether it is registered before it writes your estimate.
Step 4: Claim within the year
The third clock and the longest, but also the one most people let run out: the claim must be filed within one year of the accident. You must provide the documents needed to process it, allow inspection of the vehicles involved and submit proof of the loss suffered.
Step 5: How fault is decided
The OCS established by regulation the Initial Liability Determination System, applying to every Compulsory Insurance insurer. Regla LXXI includes diagrams assigning a negligence percentage to the parties involved in the accident and — this is the surprising part — insurers may only resolve claims with the information provided by the parties, without using police reports. If you assume the police report decides the claim, it does not under this system: what you explain and document to the insurer is what counts.
Step 6: Collect the benefits nobody offers you
Beyond paying for the damage, the SRO policy carries four more things. Reimbursement of tow costs if the vehicle could not be moved because of the accident, by presenting the invoice to the insurer: only tow services authorized by the Public Service Commission, at the rates it sets, are honoured. A $100.00 repair incentive for any injured party who presents evidence their vehicle was repaired after receiving payment, as long as the damaged vehicle was not in any way responsible for the accident. Reimbursement to the injured party of the sales tax paid on parts and labour for the repair. And reimbursement of the deductible charged to injured parties who hold traditional insurance that responded for damage caused by a vehicle insured under a valid SRO policy.
Step 7: Whose name the cheque is made out to
Under Ley 253-1995, payment must be made in the name of the registered owner of the affected vehicle, of the repair shop chosen by the injured party, or of both. For vehicles under a lease contract, payment is issued in the name of the lessee. Be clear on this before arguing it at the counter.
Where to do it
The claim is filed with the insurer that provides the vehicle’s SRO. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner publishes on its portal the list of participating insurers, the Uniform Policy and the applicable laws, rules, normative letters and circulars. The OCS is at Edificio World Plaza, 268 Ave. Muñoz Rivera, Piso 9, San Juan, PR 00918; PO Box 195415, San Juan, PR 00919-5415; switchboard 787-304-8686, toll free 1-888-722-8686, fax 787-273-6082.
How long it takes
What to do if something goes wrong
If the person who hit you carried nothing but the marbete insurance, this is the policy you will be dealing with and its cap is $4,500.00. If your vehicle’s damage exceeds that, the SRO does not cover it in full: that is the per-accident cap regardless of how many claimants there are under that policy. If anyone was injured, the SRO does not answer for that; the route for bodily injury in traffic accidents is the ACAA. If what was damaged was not a vehicle but a structure or an object on the roadway, it is excluded. If you were hit by a stolen car or one driven without authorization, the insured’s liability is excluded. If the insurer tells you the other party is not cooperating, that failure is a misdemeanour carrying a fine of up to $500.00 and can additionally expose that person to causes of action for damages. This guide does not say how long an insurer takes to resolve a claim or how much you will be paid: the OCS does not publish that and PRFácil does not invent it. Nor is this legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for the police to “resolve” it and letting the one-year claim window lapse.
- Bringing an estimate from a shop not registered in Hacienda’s Merchant Registry.
- Counting on the police report to decide fault: under Regla LXXI the insurer cannot use it.
- Not reporting to the police within 48 hours.
- Repairing the car and never claiming the $100.00 incentive for lack of repair evidence.
- Paying sales tax on parts and labour and not asking for the reimbursement.
- Using a tow not authorized by the Public Service Commission, and losing the reimbursement.
- Believing the SRO pays for the damage of the person who caused the accident.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a claim?
One year from when the accident happened. In addition you must report to the police within 48 hours and notify the accident to the insurer.
Does the compulsory insurance pay for my car if I caused the accident?
No. The SRO does not cover damage suffered by the insured vehicle that caused the traffic accident. It covers the damage that vehicle caused to another vehicle.
What if someone was injured?
The Compulsory Insurance only covers damage caused to other motor vehicles. Physical injuries to the people involved in the accident are not covered under this policy.
Can I bring an estimate from whatever shop I want?
No. Ley 253-1995 provides that only estimates from — and payments to — repair shops properly registered in the Department of Treasury’s Merchant Registry can be accepted. You can choose which registered shop, and payment can be issued in the name of the shop you select.
Does it cover more than one accident a year?
Yes. The Compulsory Insurance covers multiple accidents during the policy term, with no limit on incidents. Damage is only covered up to a maximum of $4,500.00 per accident.
Does it cover an accident in Vieques or Culebra?
Yes. The exclusion is for accidents outside the territory of Puerto Rico, and the OCS expressly clarifies that Vieques and Culebra are included.
Official sources
These are the government pages this guide is based on.
- Oficina del Comisionado de Seguros (OCS)
OCS
www.ocs.pr.gov
Last verified
August 15, 2026
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