Injured in a Car Accident? CTP Claims by State
After a crash, the steps are similar everywhere: get treatment, report it, find the right insurer or scheme, and lodge the claim form in time. The deadlines are not similar at all.
If you are injured in a car accident, you claim on compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, not on your car insurance. Get medical treatment first, report the crash to police, find out which insurer or scheme handles the claim (usually the one covering the vehicle that caused the crash, or your state’s government scheme) and lodge the claim form before your state’s deadline. Deadlines range from 13 weeks in the ACT to 12 months in Victoria and Tasmania, and some benefits depend on claiming even sooner.
This guide sets out the steps that apply everywhere, a deadline table for every state and territory, and what changes if you caused the crash.
First steps after any crash
- Get treatment. Every scheme wants you treated first. WA’s Insurance Commission says you do not need to report the crash or seek financial support before getting treatment.
- Report it to police. The rules differ. In NSW you need a police event number to claim (the Police Assistance Line is 13 14 44). In the ACT, if police did not attend, report the crash within 24 hours. In Tasmania, if police did not attend, report it in person at a police station. In South Australia, report any crash where someone was injured or killed. In WA, injury crashes are reported online to the Insurance Commission and WA Police.
- Collect the details. Names, addresses and licence details of the drivers, number plates, witnesses’ contact details, the time and exact place, and photos or dash cam footage.
- Check whether it was work-related. If you were working, workers compensation usually comes first. Victoria’s TAC asks you to lodge a WorkSafe claim first, NSW says you will also need a workers compensation claim, and the NT’s MAC Scheme excludes work injuries.
- Keep every receipt. Treatment you pay for before the claim is accepted can often be reimbursed.
Who you claim against
In the four states with private CTP insurers (NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT), you claim against the insurer of the vehicle that caused the crash, or was most at fault. Tools to find it:
- NSW: SIRA’s CTP Connect tool, or CTP Assist on 1300 656 919.
- Queensland: MAIC’s Find a vehicle’s CTP insurer tool, using the registration number.
- South Australia: EzyReg shows the CTP insurer of any SA-registered vehicle.
- ACT: the MAI Commission’s guidance on identifying the right MAI insurer.
In Victoria, WA, Tasmania and the NT you claim with the state scheme: the TAC, the Insurance Commission of WA, the MAIB, or TIO MAC for the NT’s MAC Scheme.
If the at-fault vehicle is registered in another state, you generally follow the claims process where the crash happened, but the claim is managed by that vehicle’s own insurer or scheme. If it was unregistered or drove off, you can usually still claim: in Queensland against the Nominal Defendant, and in South Australia by sending the form to the CTP Regulator.
Claim deadlines by state
| State | Main deadline | Other time limits | Where to lodge |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Within 3 months of the crash | Within 28 days to be paid lost income back to the crash date. Common law claims within 3 years (within 2 years to keep weekly payments past 2 years) | The insurer of the vehicle most at fault, through the insurer, your MyServiceNSW account or the claim form |
| VIC | 12 months from the accident, or from when an injury first became evident | Work-related crashes go to WorkSafe first | The TAC |
| QLD | The earlier of 9 months from the accident (or from when symptoms appeared) and 1 month after first seeing a lawyer | 3 months if the vehicle cannot be identified. Children generally have until their 21st birthday to start court proceedings | The insurer of the vehicle that may be at fault, through the Queensland CTP portal or the PDF form |
| SA | As soon as possible. After 6 months you must explain the delay | Generally not accepted after 3 years | The at-fault vehicle’s insurer, or the CTP Regulator for unknown or unregistered vehicles |
| WA | Report the crash online as soon as possible | ICWA’s claim pages do not state a separate deadline; ask ICWA if you are reporting late | The Insurance Commission of WA |
| TAS | Application for Benefits within 12 months | Common law compensation generally within 3 years | The MAIB |
| ACT | Personal Injuries Application within 13 weeks | Quality of life benefit: apply between 6 months and 4 years 6 months after the accident | The MAI insurer of the vehicle most at fault |
| NT | Within 6 months | Claims up to 3 years may be considered; none after 3 years. Minors: within 3 years of turning 18 | TIO MAC, the MAC Scheme’s claims manager |
Sources: SIRA, TAC, MAIC, CTP Insurance Regulator (SA), Insurance Commission of WA, MAIB, ACT MAI Commission and NT MACC, checked 28 September 2026.
If you are near a deadline, lodge what you have. Most schemes accept incomplete forms and ask for the rest later, and late claims usually need a written explanation.
What you can claim
Broadly, the schemes pay two kinds of benefit.
Statutory or defined benefits, paid while you recover, regardless of fault in the no-fault schemes:
- NSW: treatment and care, and income support at up to 95% of pre-crash earnings for the first 13 weeks and up to 85% from week 14. The insurer can approve a GP visit and two more treatment sessions before a formal claim.
- ACT: treatment and care for up to 5 years, and income replacement at rates that depend on your pre-accident weekly income. Before you apply, the insurer can reimburse 2 doctor visits and 2 allied health sessions (capped at $150 each).
- Victoria: medical treatment including ambulance, support services, income support, return-to-work support and, if eligible, a lump sum.
- Tasmania: medical, hospital and rehabilitation costs, long-term care and a disability allowance for people in paid work.
- NT: periodic benefits for as long as they are necessary and reasonable, with lump sums limited to death and permanent impairment of at least 5%.
Compensation (damages), where someone else was at fault:
- Queensland: treatment and rehabilitation, past and future lost income, general damages for pain and suffering calculated on the Injury Scale Value (0 to 100), and legal costs. Lost wages are negotiated as part of the settlement, not paid as you go.
- NSW: a common law lump sum for economic loss and permanent impairment if your injury is not a threshold injury and you were not mostly at fault.
- ACT: common law damages if you meet a threshold, such as a whole person impairment of at least 10%.
- Tasmania: a common law lump sum for lost earnings, pain and suffering, expenses and future care.
If you caused the crash
This is where the states differ most. In NSW an at-fault driver can claim up to 52 weeks of benefits. Victoria’s TAC, Tasmania’s MAIB and the NT’s MAC Scheme pay benefits regardless of fault, subject to their exclusions, and the ACT pays defined benefits for up to 5 years. In Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, a driver who was totally at fault generally cannot claim for their own injuries, although children under 16 are covered in SA and catastrophic injuries are covered by separate no-fault schemes in all three. Our guide to what CTP covers has the full comparison.
Do you need a lawyer?
Not to lodge a claim. Queensland’s MAIC and South Australia’s CTP Regulator both say you can deal directly with the insurer. Legal advice becomes more useful when a claim is disputed or involves common law compensation, and Tasmania’s MAIB recommends seeking it early for common law claims because time limits apply. Free help is available: NSW’s CTP Assist (1300 656 919) and CTP Legal Advisory Service, and the ACT’s Defined Benefits Information Service (1300 209 642).
If you disagree with a decision in NSW, you have 28 days from the notice to ask the insurer for an internal review, and after that you can apply to the Personal Injury Commission. Other states have their own dispute processes, set out by each regulator.
Money you may have to repay
When a claim settles, other government payments may be clawed back. In Queensland the CTP insurer may have to repay Medicare (for claims settling for more than $5,000), Centrelink and WorkCover Queensland, and deducts those amounts from your settlement. In WA, you may need to reimburse Medicare when your claim is finalised.
Watch out for claims farming
Queensland’s MAIC warns about car crash scams, also known as claims farming, and has a page for reporting them. Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue about an accident and offers to run a claim for you. Your state’s regulator can tell you who the real insurer is.
For each scheme’s rules in full, start from our CTP comparison across Australia.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to make a CTP claim?
It depends on the state. The ACT asks for an application within 13 weeks, NSW within 3 months (28 days to be back-paid lost income), Queensland by the earlier of 9 months or 1 month after first seeing a lawyer, the NT within 6 months, and Victoria and Tasmania within 12 months. South Australia asks for a reason after 6 months and generally will not accept claims after 3 years.
Can I make a CTP claim if the accident was my fault?
In NSW (up to 52 weeks of benefits), Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT (up to 5 years of benefits) and the NT, yes, subject to each scheme's rules. In Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, generally not, although children under 16 are covered in SA and catastrophic injuries are covered by separate schemes.
What if the other driver was uninsured or drove off?
You can usually still claim. In Queensland the claim goes to the Nominal Defendant, and must be lodged within 3 months if the vehicle cannot be identified. In South Australia the claim form goes to the CTP Regulator. In WA, ICWA says you may still be able to claim if the at-fault vehicle is unidentified or unlicensed.
Do I need a lawyer to make a CTP claim?
Not to lodge one. Queensland's MAIC and South Australia's CTP Regulator both say you can deal with the insurer directly. Legal advice can help with complex or disputed claims and common law compensation, and NSW funds some advice through its CTP Legal Advisory Service.
Can I claim damage to my car on CTP?
No. CTP covers injury and death only. Damage to your car is claimed on your own comprehensive policy or, if someone else caused it, against their property damage insurance.
Who pays my hospital bills after a crash?
In NSW, public hospital treatment costs are covered by the Fund Levy without a claim. In the ACT, Canberra Health Services sends invoices to the MAI insurer once your application is accepted, and ambulance services on ACT roads are free. Elsewhere, reasonable hospital costs are paid by the CTP insurer or scheme if your claim is accepted.
