Nobody expects to have to make a claim on their greenslip. If you’ve had a road accident, the last thing you want to worry about is how to claim. Find out what to do first, what you can expect from your insurer, and how to make a greenslip claim.
What to do after a road accident
If you or someone you know has just had a road accident, there are four things to do before you make a greenslip claim:
- Find out the registration number of the vehicle at fault as soon as possible.
- Find out the insurer of the at-fault vehicle.
- Get medical treatment and request a certificate of fitness for work.
- Within 28 days of the accident, call the Police Assistance Line on 13 14 14 to report the accident and get a police event number.
Once you have these details, you can use online CTP Connect to start your greenslip claim. CTP Connect asks you for the date, time and details of the accident and personal details of the injured person. CTP Connect will put you in touch with the insurer.
You may prefer to contact CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 to talk about what to do next.
What you can expect from your insurer
State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) provides quarterly statistics on what you can expect from the insurer when you make a greenslip claim. The insurer will be one of these six: AAMI, Allianz, GIO, NRMA Insurance, QBE or Youi.
The report answers these kinds of questions:
- What are the chances of having my claim accepted?
Your chances are good as most insurers accept over 96% of claims and must explain why if they deny them. The usual reason is late claims, so that’s a good reason to make your claim within 90 days of the accident.
- How long will I wait for treatment and care benefits?
Before you make a formal greenslip claim for treatment and care benefits, your insurer will cover initial medical expenses. This is known as pre-claim support. In the year to June 2023, 95% of injured people received pre-claim support within 3.4 weeks.
- How long will it take to get income support if I take time off work?
Some 69% of claimants receive income support within the first 4 weeks and 95% within 13 weeks of making a claim. Just over two thirds of claimants were back at work within 6 months of their accident.
- What happens if I disagree with the insurer?
Sometimes claimants disagree with the insurer. They can request a review of the insurer’s decision within 28 days. The decision may concern, for example, threshold injuries, whose fault it was, or weekly payments. Insurers accept most review requests (unless they are late) and must provide review decisions within 14 to 21 days. About 20% of review decisions change in favour of the claimant.
What is available with my CTP greenslip?
If you are injured in a road accident, your CTP greenslip covers you for benefits and, in some cases, damages:
- Benefits include payments for loss of income and treatment and care.
- Damages may include loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering and disfigurement.
Your maximum entitlement to benefits or ability to claim damages depends on severity of your injury and whether the accident was your fault or not.
Threshold injuries
The least severe injury is a threshold injury. It means a soft tissue injury, such as whiplash, or a psychological or psychiatric injury, such as anxiety or guilt. (This does not include a recognised psychiatric illness.)
Whether you were at fault or not, you can claim payment for loss of income and payment for treatment and care for up to 12 months*. However, you can’t claim any compensation for damages.
More than threshold injuries
More than threshold injuries include, for example, fractures, nerve injuries, or PTSD. In this case, maximum entitlements to benefits depend on fault:
- If you were at fault, you can claim both types of payment for up to 12 months*.
- If you were not at fault, you can claim loss of income benefit for 2-3 years and your treatment and care will be ongoing.
Regardless of fault, you can also claim damages for loss of past income and future earning capacity.
More than 10% permanent impairment
Permanent impairment includes, for example, nerve damage, spinal surgery, or eyesight injuries. In this case, maximum entitlements to benefits depend on fault:
- If you were at fault, you can claim both types of payment for up to 12 months*.
- If you were not at fault, you can claim loss of income benefit for 2-5 years and treatment and care will be ongoing.
Regardless of fault, you can also claim damages for loss of past income and future earning capacity and for pain and suffering.
*Entitlements since 1 April 2023.
More about making a greenslip claim
This is just an overview of making a claim on your greenslip after an accident.
Naturally, this is a complex process involving you, others in the accident, insurers, doctors and, in some cases, lawyers. It is a good idea to seek help and advice for your particular circumstances.
Read our Claims Guide for more information. Note, it does not give advice.
Contact CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 for more help.
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