Question 1

Are you part of the NSW Government?

Accepted Answer

No. CTP Assist is an independent service. We're not connected with the NSW Government, and we're not an insurer.

Question 2

Why are you called CTP Assist?

Accepted Answer

It describes what we do: we help people with their NSW CTP claim. We're an independent service.

Question 3

Do you give legal or medical advice?

Accepted Answer

No. We give general information about the NSW CTP scheme and practical help with your claim paperwork. We're not a law firm or a medical practice. For legal advice on your own situation, the CTP Legal Advisory Service can help with some statutory benefits questions, or you can see an independent lawyer. For medical advice, see your doctor.

Question 4

Can you help me lodge my claim?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We go through the claim form with you and help get your claim to the insurer. A claim can be lodged online through Service NSW, or by email or post to the insurer.

Question 5

When can I reach you?

Accepted Answer

Call us on (02) 7238 7379, or ask for a call-back online at any time. We usually call back within 1 business day. If a time limit is close, call us rather than wait for a call-back.

Question 6

What is a CTP claim?

Accepted Answer

CTP is Compulsory Third Party insurance. It comes with every NSW vehicle registration and covers people injured in motor accidents, not damage to vehicles. A CTP claim is how you apply for benefits such as treatment and care, and weekly payments if you can't work.

Question 7

Who can make a CTP claim?

Accepted Answer

Generally anyone injured in a motor accident in NSW, including drivers, passengers, riders and pillion passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. If your accident happened before 1 December 2017, an older law applies and the rules are different.

Question 8

Can I claim if the accident was my fault?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes. Most injured people can claim statutory benefits whoever was at fault. If you were wholly or mostly at fault, they generally stop after 52 weeks (for accidents from 1 April 2023). Children who were 16 or under at the time can get treatment and care for as long as they need it, regardless of fault.

Question 9

How do I make a CTP claim?

Accepted Answer

A claim can be lodged in three ways: online through Service NSW with a MyServiceNSW account, with the Application for Personal Injury Benefits form sent to the insurer by email or registered post, or by contacting the insurer directly. You'll need a Certificate of Fitness from your doctor. We can go through the form with you and help get your claim lodged.

Question 10

Which insurer do I claim against?

Accepted Answer

Generally the CTP insurer of the vehicle at fault. If you know its number plate, the Service NSW registration check shows the CTP insurer (NSW-registered vehicles only). You can also use SIRA's CTP Connect tool, or ask us. If a claim goes to the wrong insurer, it's transferred to the right one.

Question 11

Do I need a police event number?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Report the crash to police within 28 days, unless police came to the scene, and give the insurer the event number. Call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or go to a police station. A claim can still be lodged while you wait for it.

Question 12

How long do I have to make a CTP claim?

Accepted Answer

Claim as soon as you can. To get weekly payments back-paid to the day after the accident, the insurer generally needs your claim within 28 days of the accident. You can still claim up to 3 months after the accident, but weekly payments may only start from the date of your claim.

Question 13

It's been more than 28 days. Is it too late?

Accepted Answer

No. You can still claim up to 3 months after the accident, but weekly payments may only start from your claim date. For accidents from 1 April 2023, if you give a full and satisfactory explanation for the delay, you may still be paid from the day after the accident.

Question 14

What if it's been more than 3 months?

Accepted Answer

Late claims can only be accepted in limited circumstances, usually where there's a full and satisfactory explanation for the delay. Get advice straight away. Talk to a lawyer, or call us and we'll help you work out your next step.

Question 15

How much are weekly payments?

Accepted Answer

Weekly payments are up to 95% of your pre-accident earnings for the first 13 weeks, then up to 80% or 85% from week 14, depending on your earning capacity. There's a legislated maximum weekly amount that's indexed every year on 1 October, so we don't quote a figure.

Question 16

When do weekly payments start?

Accepted Answer

The insurer must tell you in writing within 4 weeks whether it accepts liability for your claim. If it does, it must start weekly payments as soon as possible and within 10 business days.

Question 17

Will the insurer pay for my treatment?

Accepted Answer

The CTP insurer generally pays for treatment that is reasonable and necessary for your accident injuries. It decides what's approved, and its decisions can be reviewed. For ongoing treatment, check with the insurer first: it must decide each request within 10 business days. Keep your receipts.

Question 18

What is a threshold injury?

Accepted Answer

It's the name used from 1 April 2023 for what used to be called a "minor injury". It's generally a soft tissue injury (not a full or partial tear of a tendon, ligament, meniscus or cartilage) and/or a threshold psychological injury. For accidents from 1 April 2023, statutory benefits for a threshold injury generally last up to 52 weeks. The insurer decides, based on a medical diagnosis.

Question 19

The insurer said no. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

You can generally ask the insurer for an internal review within 28 days of receiving the decision. It usually has 14 days to decide (21 days for some medical and fault-related matters), but never more than 28 days in total. If you're still unhappy, you can apply to the Personal Injury Commission, an independent tribunal.

Question 20

Who do I complain to about how the insurer treats me?

Accepted Answer

Complain to the insurer first. It must acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and resolve it within 20 business days. If you're still unhappy, contact the Independent Review Office (IRO) on 13 94 76.

Question 21

Where can I get legal advice?

Accepted Answer

For some questions, the CTP Legal Advisory Service can advise. It covers some statutory benefits questions (accidents from 1 December 2017). It can't advise on damages claims, your internal review application itself, or a matter already in dispute at the Personal Injury Commission.

Question 22

Do I need a lawyer?

Accepted Answer

Often not. Many people lodge and manage a claim without one. A lawyer tends to matter when a claim is disputed or serious: for example, the insurer denies liability, you're thinking about a damages claim, or someone has died. In CTP claims, legal costs are regulated.

Question 23

Someone close to me died in a crash. Where do I start?

Accepted Answer

We're sorry. Trauma and grief support is available straight away through SIRA's CTP Assist line, 1300 656 919. Reasonable funeral expenses are covered regardless of fault, and close relatives who depended on the person may be able to claim. When you're ready, we can help with the paperwork.

Question 24

The driver drove off, or wasn't insured. Can I still claim?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes, against the Nominal Defendant, which stands in for the missing insurer. For a vehicle that drove off, you need to make genuine efforts to identify it, such as reporting to police promptly and speaking to witnesses. The same 28-day rule applies for back-paid weekly payments.

Question 25

I was driving for work when it happened.

Accepted Answer

If you were hurt at work (including driving for work), it's usually a workers compensation claim, which is a different scheme. We can point you to the right help.

Question 26

Can I make a claim for my child or a family member?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The claim form lets a family member or representative fill it in for someone else, with a short note explaining who they are and why. Check the form's instructions for who signs. Children who were 16 or under at the time can get treatment and care for as long as they need it, regardless of fault.

Question 27

What happens to my information?

Accepted Answer

We use your details to call you back and help with your CTP claim. We share them only with a provider you agree to, with the service providers that run our website, forms and email (some may store or process information outside Australia), or where the law requires.

Question 28

What shouldn't I send you?

Accepted Answer

Please don't send us your Medicare, licence or bank details, passwords, health records or ID. Those details go only on the claim form. We'll tell you what's needed when we talk.

CTP claim FAQs

About CTP Assist

Making a claim

Time limits

Can't find your answer?

Payments and treatment

Decisions and disputes

Special situations

Privacy

Talk it through with us