Free CTP Claim Eligibility Check

What is a CTP claim?

A CTP claim - Compulsory Third Party - is the personal injury claim attached to every registered Australian vehicle. CTP isn't optional or extra: it's bundled into your registration, and it exists to protect anyone hurt in a motor accident from being left with the medical, income and care costs of someone else's negligence.

Every Australian state and territory runs its own CTP scheme, with different regulators, insurers and rules. A CTP claim made in NSW operates very differently from one in QLD, VIC, SA, WA, TAS, NT or the ACT. The right approach starts with knowing which scheme applies to your accident.

The 8 Australian CTP schemes at a glance

• NSW - Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017. Hybrid no-fault/fault. Regulated by SIRA. Insurers: NRMA, AAMI, GIO, QBE, Allianz, Youi.
• QLD - Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 (PIPA process). Fault-based, no statutory cap on damages. Regulated by MAIC. Insurers: Suncorp, Allianz, RACQ, QBE.
• VIC - Transport Accident Act 1986. No-fault statutory benefits + fault-based common-law for "serious injury". Run by TAC (monopoly).
• SA - Motor Vehicles Act 1959 (CTP Insurance Regulation Act). Hybrid. Regulated by CTP Insurance Regulator. Insurers: AAMI, Allianz, QBE, SGIC.
• WA - Motor Vehicle (Third Party Insurance) Act 1943. Fault-based. Run by ICWA (monopoly).
• TAS - Motor Accidents (Liabilities and Compensation) Act 1973. Hybrid. Run by MAIB (monopoly).
• NT - Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979. Hybrid no-fault. Run by TIO (monopoly).
• ACT - Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019. Hybrid scheme. Insurers: NRMA, AAMI, GIO, APIA, Allianz.

CTP claim by your state

Every CTP scheme has different time limits, benefit structures, impairment thresholds and dispute processes. Pick your state for the rules that apply to your accident.

• NSW CTP claim - SIRA-regulated; 26 weeks of no-fault statutory benefits; common-law damages above 10% impairment.
• QLD CTP claim - MAIC-regulated; PIPA process; fault-based; no statutory damages cap; ISV scale for general damages.
• VIC TAC claim - TAC monopoly; no-fault statutory benefits; "serious injury" gateway for common-law damages.
• SA CTP claim - CTP Regulator-overseen; hybrid scheme; ISV scale for damages.
• WA CTP claim - ICWA monopoly; fault-based; catastrophic injury support stream.
• TAS MAIB claim - MAIB monopoly; partial no-fault; common-law damages above thresholds.
• NT CTP claim - TIO monopoly; no-fault scheme.
• ACT CTP claim - MAI Act 2019; defined-benefits + common-law for serious injuries.

CTP claim by insurer

Each CTP insurer has different claim portals, evidence requirements, and assessment patterns. The substantive scheme rules are set by your state, but the way the insurer handles your file - speed of decisions, willingness to dispute, IME selection - varies materially. Use the right playbook.

• NRMA CTP claim - NSW and ACT; one of the largest CTP insurers in NSW.
• Allianz CTP claim - NSW, QLD, SA, ACT; pan-Australian CTP insurer.
• QBE CTP claim - NSW, ACT, NT; major commercial-vehicle CTP insurer.
• AAMI CTP claim - NSW, QLD, ACT; Suncorp Group brand.
• GIO CTP claim - NSW, ACT; Suncorp Group brand.
• Suncorp CTP claim - QLD primarily; Suncorp Group parent.

What heads of damage a CTP claim covers

CTP claims are calculated head-by-head. A representative mid-range claim of $200,000 might break down as $60k past income loss, $60k future income loss, $30k medical and care, $40k general damages, $10k modifications and out-of-pocket. The exact split depends on your state's scheme and your injury profile.

• Statutory weekly benefits - typically 80%-95% of pre-injury earnings, capped, for a defined period (NSW: 26 weeks no-fault, longer if not at fault; VIC TAC: up to 18 months at higher rate then transition; SA: up to 24 months).
• Past loss of earnings - actual income lost to settlement.
• Future loss of earning capacity - actuarially calculated to retirement age, discounted to present value.
• Treatment and medical expenses - reasonable and necessary; covers physio, surgery, specialists, medications, equipment.
• Care and assistance - paid care for serious injuries; gratuitous (Griffiths v Kerkemeyer) care available subject to state thresholds.
• General damages (pain and suffering) - assessed against state-specific scales (NSW: maximum amount with sliding scale; QLD/SA: ISV scale; VIC: serious injury gateway).
• Modifications - vehicle, home and accommodation modifications for serious injuries.

Who can lodge a CTP claim?

Any person injured in a motor accident:

• Drivers - including the at-fault driver in no-fault and hybrid schemes (subject to scheme caps).
• Passengers - virtually always entitled to claim regardless of who drove.
• Pedestrians - struck by a vehicle.
• Cyclists - struck by or in collision with a motor vehicle.
• Motorcycle riders and pillions.
• Children - typically with extended limitation periods until majority + statute of limitations.
• Dependents - in fatal accident cases, surviving spouses, children and dependents may claim.

What if your CTP insurer disputes liability?

Common reasons CTP insurers dispute or partly accept claims:

• Disputed fault attribution (often arguing for higher contributory negligence)
• Pre-existing injury argument (the injury "would have happened anyway")
• Disputed causation between accident and ongoing symptoms
• Dispute over reasonableness or necessity of treatment
• Disputed work capacity (insurer's IME finding fitness for work)

Each state has dispute resolution mechanisms. NSW has the Personal Injury Commission and IRO-funded representation. QLD requires a Compulsory Conference under PIPA. VIC TAC disputes go to VCAT. WA disputes are heard in District Court. Knowing the dispute path - and using a specialist who's run them - is critical to outcome.

Can I claim CTP and other compensation at the same time?

Often yes. CTP runs alongside several other entitlements:

• TPD insurance - your superannuation TPD lump sum if the injury permanently prevents work. Read more about TPD claims.
• Workers compensation - if the accident happened during work travel, you may have both CTP and a workers comp claim. Each state has different anti-double-dipping rules.
• Income protection insurance - typically pays alongside CTP statutory benefits, often with offsets.
• Centrelink - some interaction with statutory benefits; preserved benefits often disregarded.

Coordinating multiple claims is one of the highest-value reasons to use a specialist personal injury firm rather than a generalist.