1529 - 1529

Creation of the task of Scribe Insurance and appointment of Brás Eanes

In Portugal, the first known document on the concrete existence of insurance is the charter of 15^th October 1529, which creates in the country the position of insurance scribe. This position was held by Brás Eanes, master of Fernão D’Álvares, treasurer of the king and scribe of the public treasury.

The function could only be performed by those who could read and write, which was rare at the time. The scribe had a monopoly on the records of all insurance contracts and their policies.

It was also responsible for recording all doubts and differences (disputes) and taking any other necessary measures, that was the first insurance supervisory authority and the first institution with an arbitration function.

Source
“Os Seguros em Portugal, da Fundação à Modernidade”, Exposição Documental da Actividade Seguradora dos Séculos XIII a XIX, Galeria do Instituto de Seguros de Portugal (set. 2010)-pág. 24
https://www.asf.com.pt/isp/catalogo_digital/files/catalogo_exposicao.pdf

Document caption
“Chancelaria D. João III”, Livro 48, fólio nº 98
PT-TT-CHR-L-1-48
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