When can you make a comprehensive car insurance claim?
Comprehensive car insurance is the highest tier of car insurance, protecting you from losses incurred from damage to your vehicle and other people’s property (only for insured events).
All drivers can typically submit claims through their own insurer, regardless of whether they are at fault or not at fault in an accident.
Generally, there is no specific time limit for comprehensive car insurance claims.
That said, it is recommended that you get in touch with your insurer as soon as possible following an accident and file a claim.
You will need to give your insurance provider information about the accident, including:
- Details of the other driver (or drivers) involved
- Photos and/or videos
- Any witnesses
- Any police report filed.
When can you make a CTP insurance claim?
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance protects drivers financially from legal liability if someone is injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident.
Generally, people with injuries caused by an accident or not-at-fault drivers can submit claims to the at-fault driver’s CTP insurer.
Some states may permit the at fault driver to claim compensation through their own CTP insurer, but this varies between states.
Time limits range from 13 weeks to three years, depending on your state or territory.
Here’s an overview of the current time limits in each state and territory, according to the relevant CTP regulator.
Note: If you are intending to make a claim, it’s a good idea to check the requirements with your CTP regulator directly. You could also consider consulting a lawyer.
New South Wales (NSW)
In NSW, CTP insurance is known as Green Slip Insurance.
All drivers regardless of fault and victims of a road collision can submit an injury claim up to three months after the accident.
- If you submit a claim within 28 days of the accident, you may be entitled to receive back pay from the date of the accident.
- If you submit later than 28 days, some of your entitlements may only begin from the date the claim is made.
Note that in NSW, drivers mostly at fault have their benefits capped at 52 weeks from accidents. This rule came into effect on April 1, 2023.
Green Slip insurance is provided by AAMI, Allianz, GIO, NRMA, QBE and Youi. If you don’t know who provides insurance for the at-fault driver, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) says it can find out for you.
You can also use its CTP Connect with the Insurer tool or call or email CTP assist.
Victoria (VIC)
In VIC, all drivers regardless of fault and victims of an incident have 12 months to lodge a claim from the date of your accident, or the date an injury from the accident first becomes evident.
However, some exceptions apply. For example, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) says it may consider claims made within three years if there are reasonable grounds for the delay.
CTP insurance in VIC is exclusively provided by the TAC.
Queensland (QLD)
In QLD, you generally have nine months after the motor vehicle crash, or the date of the first appearance of symptoms if they are not immediately apparent, to make a claim.
However, if you are the driver, you generally need to show you weren’t at fault, and you claim against the at-fault driver’s CTP insurer.
If you have a solicitor managing your claim, you have to make a claim within one month of first consulting with the solicitor.
In QLD, CTP insurance is provided by Allianz, QBE and Suncorp. It is regulated by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC).
You can find the CTP insurer of the at-fault driver online if you have the vehicle’s registration number and the date of the crash.
If you cannot identify the vehicle that caused the crash, you may still be able to claim. You can lodge your claim against the Nominal Defendant and you have three months to do so.
South Australia (SA)
In SA, you have six months from the date of the accident to make a claim, or as soon as reasonably practicable if the at-fault vehicle was unable to be identified or was unregistered at the time of the accident.
South Australia has a fault-based scheme. A driver who was totally at fault can't claim CTP, except children under 16 and people covered by the no-fault Lifetime Support Scheme for catastrophic injuries.
In South Australia, CTP insurance is provided by AAMI, Allianz, NRMA, QBE and Youi. It is regulated by the CTP Insurance Regulator. You can find out the CTP insurer of the at-fault vehicle using EzyReg.
Western Australia (WA)
You are required to make a claim as soon as practicable following a crash in WA. Generally speaking, though, you can make a motor vehicle accident claim within three years of the date of the accident.
Keep in mind that only not-at-fault drivers and victims of a road accident are permitted to lodge a claim.
In WA, CTP Insurance is provided by the Insurance Commission of Western Australia as part of motor injury insurance.
Tasmania (TAS)
In TAS, you must complete an ‘Application for Benefits’ (Form B) and return it within 12 months of the date of the accident.
CTP Insurance in Tasmania is provided by the Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB).
It pays for a range of treatment and support services for eligible people (e.g. drivers, passengers, pedestrians) who have been injured, regardless of fault.
Northern Territory (NT)
In the Northern Territory, you should make a claim as soon as practicable after the accident, and no later than six months after the date of the accident. Claims after six months but within three years may still be considered.
It is a no-fault scheme, meaning your personal injuries are covered regardless of who caused the accident.
In the Northern Territory, CTP insurance is managed by the Motor Accidents Compensation Commission (MACC) and administered by TIO.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
In the ACT, CTP is known as motor accident injuries (MAI) insurance.
If you are the victim of a road accident, you have 13 weeks from the date of the motor accident to send your completed application documents to the at-fault (or mostly at-fault) driver’s insurer.
If you make a late application, you may not receive all the benefits back to the date of the accident. You will also need to provide a clear explanation about why you couldn’t make the application within the 13 weeks.
In the ACT, you apply to the MAI insurer of the vehicle most at fault, and apply to your own insurer only if fault is unclear, or if you were involved in a single-vehicle accident.
If another vehicle was at fault, you can look up the vehicle owner’s MAI insurer on the Access Canberra website or by calling Access Canberra.
For NSW-plated vehicles, the MAI Commission says their CTP insurer is treated as the MAI insurer for an ACT motor accident and you can look up the insurer on the Service NSW website.
In the ACT, MAI is provided by AAMI, Apia, GIO and NRMA. It is regulated by the MAI Commission.
