SOAT, an AFOCAT's CAT or the Compensation Fund: who pays you after a traffic accident in Peru?
If the vehicle had SOAT, the insurer pays. If it had a CAT, the AFOCAT that issued it pays, but a CAT is only valid in the province or region where that AFOCAT is authorised. If the vehicle was never identified and fled, you apply to the MTC Compensation Fund within one year.
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Peruvian State portal (gob.pe) · SAT · SBS · El Peruano
Checked 1 Oct 2026Next review 29 Mar 2027
Three payers, three situations
After a traffic accident in Peru, who pays for your care depends on what cover the vehicle had and whether it could be identified. What SOAT covers in general is on SOAT: mandatory car insurance in Peru. This page deals with the other two payers: the AFOCAT and the Compensation Fund (Fondo de Compensación).
| Situation | Who pays |
|---|---|
| The vehicle had SOAT | The insurer that issued the SOAT |
| The vehicle had a CAT and the accident happened inside the AFOCAT’s area | The AFOCAT that issued the CAT |
| The vehicle was not identified and fled | The SOAT and CAT Compensation Fund |
| The vehicle was identified but had neither SOAT nor CAT | The driver, the owner and, where relevant, the transport company |
According to the SBS, SOAT and CAT pay the same amounts: death 4 UIT, permanent disability up to 4 UIT, temporary incapacity up to 1 UIT, medical costs up to 5 UIT and funeral costs up to 1 UIT. Ley 27181 says both cover everyone, in the vehicle or not, who is injured or killed in a traffic accident.
What a CAT is and who issues it
A CAT (Certificado contra Accidentes de Tránsito) is not sold by an insurance company. It is issued by an AFOCAT, an association made up of the transport operators themselves. Article 30 of Ley 27181 allows a CAT instead of SOAT, but only for some vehicles:
“Todo vehículo automotor que circule en el territorio de la República debe contar con una póliza de seguros vigente del Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito - SOAT o certificados contra accidentes de tránsito - CAT, […] y serán destinados exclusivamente a vehículos de transporte provincial de personas, urbano e interurbano, incluyendo el transporte especial de personas en mototaxis que presten servicios al interior de la región o provincia, que sólo tendrán validez dentro de la respectiva circunscripción de funcionamiento.”
(Every motor vehicle must have SOAT or a CAT; CATs are only for provincial passenger transport, including mototaxis operating within the region or province, and are only valid within their area of operation.)
So a CAT is for provincial public passenger vehicles and mototaxis. A private car or an interprovincial bus cannot use a CAT; it needs SOAT (we cover buses in interprovincial bus travel and mandatory passenger insurance).
A CAT is only valid if the AFOCAT is registered. Article 6 of the AFOCAT Regulation, as worded in 2024, says:
“El CAT que sea emitido o renovado en contravención de esta disposición es nulo e inválido de pleno derecho, reputándose como no emitido”
(A CAT issued or renewed in breach of this rule is void and treated as never issued.)
Where a CAT is valid
This is the limit that matters most. The same law says SOAT has “cobertura a nivel nacional” (nationwide cover) and a CAT has “regional o provincial” cover. The National Transport Administration Regulation, amended in 2024, repeats it:
“El CAT solo tiene vigencia en la circunscripción para la cual esté autorizada la AFOCAT emitente y se rige por las normas de la SBS.”
(A CAT is only valid in the area for which the issuing AFOCAT is authorised, and it is governed by SBS rules.)
There is one exception: an AFOCAT may sign agreements to extend its CAT to neighbouring provinces or regions. Article 41 of the AFOCAT Regulation requires that agreement to be registered to be valid.
The rules we read do not say who pays the victim if a vehicle with a CAT causes an accident outside its area. We do not claim an answer. What still applies is the civil liability in article 29 of Ley 27181 (see below).
Who supervises AFOCATs
The SBS (the banking and insurance regulator). Article 30 of Ley 27181 says these associations “serán regulados, supervisados, fiscalizados y controlados por la Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y Administradoras Privadas de Fondos de Pensiones” (will be regulated, supervised and controlled by the SBS). The AFOCAT Regulation gives the SBS the AFOCAT register and ongoing supervision of AFOCATs and their funds.
The Compensation Fund: only if the vehicle was not identified and fled
The SOAT and CAT Compensation Fund sits under the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC). Its regulation, amended by D.S. 017-2022-MTC, sets out its purpose:
“El Fondo tiene como finalidad amparar a las víctimas de accidentes de tránsito ocasionados por vehículos que no hayan sido identificados y se den a la fuga en el momento del accidente y a sus familiares, […] hasta por los importes de cobertura correspondientes al SOAT o CAT.”
(The Fund protects victims of accidents caused by vehicles that were not identified and fled at the time, and their families, up to the SOAT or CAT amounts.)
Note both conditions: the vehicle was not identified and it fled. People often say the Fund also pays when an identified vehicle had no SOAT. The text we read does not say that.
What the Fund pays
Since the 2022 change, the Fund pays:
- Medical costs, until discharge or until 5 UIT is used up.
- Funeral costs, up to the SOAT or CAT amount.
- Compensation for permanent disability, up to 4 UIT, or for temporary incapacity, up to 1 UIT.
- Death compensation: the full 4 UIT, paid to the family.
For the compensation payments you need a certified copy of the police report stating “de modo inequívoco” (clearly) that the vehicle was not identified and fled. That makes a police report at the station essential.
Death compensation goes to family members in this order: spouse or cohabiting partner; children under eighteen or unable to work; adult children; parents; siblings under eighteen or unable to work; in-laws of the first or second degree.
The one-year deadline
Article 22 of the Fund’s regulation says:
“Los beneficios que otorga el Fondo únicamente pueden ser solicitados dentro del plazo de un (01) año, computados desde la fecha indicada en el cargo de recepción de la comunicación por escrito que los establecimientos de salud realicen a las víctimas o a sus beneficiarios […]”
(You can only apply within one year, counted from the date on the receipt for the health facility’s written notice to the victim or beneficiaries.)
The clock does not start at the accident. It starts when you receive the health facility’s written notice. Keep the notice and the dated receipt. According to the SBS, you register the accident through the MTC’s online SOAT and CAT Fund form.
If the vehicle was identified but had no SOAT or CAT
There is no insurer or AFOCAT to claim from, and the Fund, under its regulation, covers a different situation. What is left is civil liability. Article 29 of Ley 27181 says:
“La responsabilidad civil derivada de los accidentes de tránsito causados por vehículos automotores es objetiva, de conformidad con lo establecido en el Código Civil. El conductor, el propietario del vehículo y, de ser el caso, el prestador del servicio de transporte terrestre son solidariamente responsables por los daños y perjuicios causados.”
(Liability for traffic accidents is strict; the driver, the owner and, where relevant, the transport provider are jointly liable for the harm.)
“Jointly” (solidariamente) means you can claim the full amount from any of them. How to claim and the deadline to sue are on what to do after a car crash in Peru. Damage to your own vehicle is a separate matter: see vehicle insurance vs. SOAT.
If the AFOCAT does not pay
Article 42 of the AFOCAT Regulation gives you two routes: a complaint (reclamo) to Indecopi for failure to meet CAT obligations, or a report (denuncia) to the SBS for breaches of the rules. The SBS says it cannot order payment itself: only Susalud and Indecopi can.
What this page does not cover
It does not cover SOAT benefits in detail or the fine for driving without SOAT. We did not find who pays if a vehicle with a CAT causes an accident outside its area, and we do not describe the Fund’s internal procedure beyond what is quoted. We did not review the full original Fund regulation (D.S. 024-2004-MTC), only the articles changed by D.S. 017-2022-MTC.
How to file
- Find out what cover the vehicle hadNote the plate and photograph the SOAT or CAT certificate, or the windscreen sticker. The MTC keeps paper and electronic SOAT and CAT records in a database that the law makes available to the public.
- If it is a CAT, check the AFOCAT and where the accident happenedCheck that the AFOCAT is authorised: the SBS publishes the list of AFOCATs authorised to issue CATs. Also note the province or region where the accident happened, because a CAT is only valid in its AFOCAT's area.
- If the vehicle fled, get the police reportFor the Fund's compensation payments you need a certified copy of the police report (*parte* or *atestado*) stating clearly that the vehicle was not identified and fled. Report the accident at the police station.
- Apply to the Fund within one yearThe clock runs from the receipt for the health facility's written notice. The SBS says the accident is registered through the MTC's online SOAT and CAT Fund form.
- If the AFOCAT does not pay, complainYou can file a complaint with Indecopi for failure to meet CAT obligations, or a report with the SBS for breaches of the rules.
What people fail to ask in time
What if the insurer or the AFOCAT rejects your claim or never answers?
Find out before it matters →What most people believe — and what the law says
If the car that hit me had no SOAT, the Compensation Fund pays.
The Fund's regulation, as rewritten in 2022, limits it to accidents caused by vehicles that were not identified and fled. If the vehicle was identified, that rule does not send you to the Fund: the driver, the owner and, where relevant, the transport company are jointly liable (Ley 27181, article 29).
A CAT is a cheaper SOAT that works anywhere in Peru.
A CAT is only for provincial passenger transport vehicles, including mototaxis, and the law says it is only valid within the area of the AFOCAT that issued it. SOAT has nationwide cover.
The Compensation Fund only pays medical and funeral costs.
Since D.S. 017-2022-MTC it also pays compensation for permanent disability (up to 4 UIT), temporary incapacity (up to 1 UIT) or death (4 UIT).
Any AFOCAT can sell you a valid CAT.
If the AFOCAT is not registered, or its registration was cancelled, the CAT is void and treated as never issued.
Frequently asked questions
A mototaxi with a CAT hit me outside its AFOCAT's province. Who pays?
The law says a CAT is only valid in the area where the AFOCAT is authorised, unless the AFOCAT has a registered agreement extending it to neighbouring areas. The rules we read do not say what happens to the victim in that case. What does hold: the driver, the owner and the transport company are jointly liable for the harm.
How long do I have to apply to the Compensation Fund?
One year, counted from the date on the receipt for the written notice in which the health facility tells you that you are entitled to the Fund's cover. Keep that notice and the signed receipt.
My relative was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Who can claim the Fund's death compensation?
Family members, in this order: spouse or cohabiting partner; children under eighteen or unable to work; adult children; parents; siblings under eighteen or unable to work; in-laws of the first or second degree. The Fund pays the full 4 UIT for a death.
Can the SBS make the insurer or the AFOCAT pay me?
No. According to the SBS itself, only Susalud and Indecopi have that power. You can file a report (*denuncia*) with the SBS if an AFOCAT breaks the rules, and a complaint (*reclamo*) with Indecopi if it fails to meet its CAT obligations.
The exact law
Ley N.º 27181, Ley General de Transporte y Tránsito Terrestre (numeral 30.1 modificado por el Decreto Legislativo N.º 1051)Artículo 30, numeral 30.1, primer párraforead
SOAT or CAT is mandatory; CAT only for provincial transport and only within its area
«Todo vehículo automotor que circule en el territorio de la República debe contar con una póliza de seguros vigente del Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito - SOAT o certificados contra accidentes de tránsito - CAT, [...] y serán destinados exclusivamente a vehículos de transporte provincial de personas, urbano e interurbano, incluyendo el transporte especial de personas en mototaxis que presten servicios al interior de la región o provincia, que sólo tendrán validez dentro de la respectiva circunscripción de funcionamiento.»
↳Artículo 30, numeral 30.1, segundo párraforead
The SBS regulates and supervises AFOCATs
«Estos fondos y las asociaciones de fondos regionales o provinciales contra accidentes de tránsito serán regulados, supervisados, fiscalizados y controlados por la Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y Administradoras Privadas de Fondos de Pensiones»
Ley N.º 27181, Ley General de Transporte y Tránsito Terrestre (numeral 30.2 modificado por el Decreto Legislativo N.º 1051; numeral 30.4 incorporado por la Ley N.º 28839)Artículo 30, numerales 30.2 y 30.4, literal e)read
Who SOAT and CAT cover, and their territorial reach
«El SOAT y el CAT cubren a todas las personas, sean ocupantes o terceros no ocupantes que sufran lesiones o muerte, como producto de un accidente de tránsito. [...] e) Cobertura a nivel nacional en el caso del SOAT, y regional o provincial en el caso del AFOCAT; con periodicidad anual.»
Ley N.º 27181, Ley General de Transporte y Tránsito TerrestreArtículo 29read
Strict, joint civil liability
«La responsabilidad civil derivada de los accidentes de tránsito causados por vehículos automotores es objetiva, de conformidad con lo establecido en el Código Civil. El conductor, el propietario del vehículo y, de ser el caso, el prestador del servicio de transporte terrestre son solidariamente responsables por los daños y perjuicios causados.»
Decreto Supremo N.º 004-2024-MTC (modifica el numeral 3.16 del Reglamento Nacional de Administración de Transporte, D.S. N.º 017-2009-MTC)Artículo 2 (numeral 3.16 del artículo 3 del RENAT)read
A CAT is only valid where the AFOCAT is authorised and is governed by SBS rules
«3.16 Certificado contra Accidentes de Tránsito - CAT: Certificado físico o electrónico expedido por una Asociación de Fondos contra Accidentes de Tránsito (AFOCAT) que cubre a los ocupantes y terceros no ocupantes de un vehículo automotor destinado a la prestación del servicio de transporte público provincial, urbano e interurbano, en caso que sufran lesiones o muerte como consecuencia de un accidente de tránsito. El CAT solo tiene vigencia en la circunscripción para la cual esté autorizada la AFOCAT emitente y se rige por las normas de la SBS.»
Decreto Supremo N.º 004-2024-MTC (modifica el artículo 6 del Reglamento AFOCAT, D.S. N.º 040-2006-MTC)Artículo 1 (numerales 6.1 y 6.4 del artículo 6 del Reglamento AFOCAT)read
A CAT from an unregistered AFOCAT is void; the MTC keeps CATs in its database
«6.1. Es condición indispensable para la emisión del CAT físico o electrónico que éste sea emitido por una AFOCAT que se encuentre debidamente inscrita en el Registro y que no se haya cancelado su inscripción en el Registro. El CAT que sea emitido o renovado en contravención de esta disposición es nulo e inválido de pleno derecho, reputándose como no emitido; [...] 6.4 El MTC almacena los CAT físicos y electrónicos y los pone a disposición de las autoridades competentes y de la ciudadanía a través de la base de datos del MTC»
Reglamento AFOCAT, D.S. N.º 040-2006-MTC (artículo modificado por el D.S. N.º 039-2008-MTC)Artículo 4, numeral 1read
The SBS registers and supervises AFOCATs
«Son autoridades competentes: 1. SBS: tiene las siguientes facultades: [...] b) Registrar a las AFOCAT en el Registro, el que estará bajo su administración exclusiva. [...] d) Supervisar de modo permanente el funcionamiento de las AFOCAT y de los fondos que administran, detectar las infracciones por incumplimiento de las obligaciones establecidas en el presente Reglamento y, en su caso, imponer las sanciones que correspondan.»
↳Artículo 41read
Agreements to extend a CAT to neighbouring areas
«Las AFOCAT inscritas en el Registro podrán celebrar convenios para ampliar la validez del ámbito de aplicación del CAT en territorios continuos. [...] Para la validez y oponibilidad de dichos convenios es requisito indispensable su inscripción en el Registro.»
Reglamento AFOCAT, D.S. N.º 040-2006-MTC (numeral modificado por el D.S. N.º 039-2008-MTC)Artículo 42, numeral 42.1read
Where to complain if the AFOCAT does not pay
«Las víctimas de accidentes de tránsito ocasionados por vehículos coberturados con el CAT y/o sus beneficiarios, así como los establecimientos de salud que han atendido a los accidentados, podrán recurrir al Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual, INDECOPI, para presentar reclamos respecto del incumplimiento de las obligaciones derivadas del CAT y someter a su ámbito administrativo las controversias surgidas, según lo dispuesto en la norma de la materia, o a la SBS, para presentar denuncias por la comisión de presuntas infracciones a las normas vigentes»
Decreto Supremo N.º 017-2022-MTC (modifica la Cuarta Disposición Final del Reglamento Nacional de Responsabilidad Civil y Seguros Obligatorios por Accidentes de Tránsito, D.S. N.º 049-2000-MTC)Artículo 1 (Cuarta Disposición Final)read
The Compensation Fund sits under the MTC
«Confórmese el Fondo de Compensación del Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito y del Certificado contra Accidentes de Tránsito, dependiente del Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones»
Decreto Supremo N.º 017-2022-MTC (modifica el Reglamento del Fondo de Compensación, D.S. N.º 024-2004-MTC)Artículo 2 (artículo 3 del Reglamento del Fondo)read
The Fund's purpose: unidentified vehicles that flee
«El Fondo tiene como finalidad amparar a las víctimas de accidentes de tránsito ocasionados por vehículos que no hayan sido identificados y se den a la fuga en el momento del accidente y a sus familiares, mediante el pago de las coberturas que corresponden a gastos médicos y gastos de sepelio, así como el pago de una indemnización por invalidez permanente o incapacidad temporal en favor de la víctima o una indemnización por fallecimiento en favor de los familiares de la víctima, hasta por los importes de cobertura correspondientes al SOAT o CAT.»
↳Artículo 2 (artículo 22 del Reglamento del Fondo)read
One year to apply to the Fund
«Los beneficios que otorga el Fondo únicamente pueden ser solicitados dentro del plazo de un (01) año, computados desde la fecha indicada en el cargo de recepción de la comunicación por escrito que los establecimientos de salud realicen a las víctimas o a sus beneficiarios, según corresponda, que tienen derecho a ser cubiertos por el Fondo. Una vez aprobada la solicitud, se procede con la cobertura del mismo. La cobertura médica se otorga hasta la emisión del alta o hasta que se agote las cinco (5) UIT.»
Decreto Supremo N.º 017-2022-MTC (incorpora los artículos 18-A y 19-A al Reglamento del Fondo de Compensación, D.S. N.º 024-2004-MTC)Artículo 3 (artículos 18-A, numerales 18-A.2 y 18-A.6, y 19-A, numerales 19-A.1 y 19-A.5)read
Fund compensation: amounts, police report and family order
«c) Copia certificada del parte o atestado policial, en el que conste de modo inequívoco que las lesiones sufridas por la víctima son consecuencia de un accidente de tránsito ocasionado por un vehículo no identificado y que se ha dado a la fuga; [...] 18-A.6 El Fondo cubre la indemnización por invalidez permanente hasta cuatro (4) UIT y por incapacidad temporal hasta una (1) UIT, según sea el grado de invalidez o incapacidad [...] 19-A.1 Pueden solicitar pago de la indemnización por fallecimiento de la víctima, los familiares de esta, de acuerdo al siguiente orden de precedencia: a) El/la cónyuge o conviviente; [...] 19-A.5 El Fondo cubre el monto íntegro de cuatro (4) UIT por indemnización por fallecimiento de la víctima»
Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP — Portal del usuarioSeguros obligatorios de accidentes de tránsito: coberturas y preguntas frecuentesread
Mandatory traffic accident insurance (SBS)
«El seguro obligatorio de accidente de tránsito (SOAT) de cobertura nacional, ofrecido por las compañías de seguros. El certificado contra accidentes de tránsito (CAT) de cobertura regional, ofrecido por las asociaciones de fondo regionales contra accidentes de tránsito (Afocat). [...] Muerte 4 UIT Invalidez permanente Hasta 4 UIT Incapacidad temporal Hasta 1 UIT Gastos médicos Hasta 5 UIT Gastos de sepelio Hasta 1 UIT [...] ¿La SBS puede ordenar a la aseguradora o Afocat que proceda al pago? No. La SBS no cuenta con dicha facultad, esta corresponde de modo exclusivo a la Superintendencia Nacional de Salud (Susalud) y al Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (Indecopi) [...] Para acceder, debes registrar el accidente en el formulario virtual disponible en: https://fondosoatycat.mtc.gob.pe/.»
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